Playadito is an Argentine mate brand. The leaves are large, coarsely cut, and takes up a majority of the bag. Playadito is a light-bodied mate, often compared to drinking green tea because of its soft, mild, smooth mouth-feel. Although still stronger than other teas, it’s a good transition for someone getting into mate. From beginning to end, Playadito is smooth. Overall, it’s a great tea for new drinkers and old alike.
You can enjoy Playadito as a hot or cold brew, french press or latte! It is traditionally drunk from a gourd called a Mate and sipped with a Bombilla. Playadito is filled with health benefits and has a herbal, slightly bitter taste.
What is the best way to take mate?
Mate cups, also known as gourds, are traditionally made from a hollowed-out gourd and are used to hold the mate leaves and hot water. Gourds come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. To use a mate cup, fill the gourd halfway with mate leaves. Shake the gourd gently to settle the leaves. Make a indentation on top. Pour hot water (not boiling) into the indentation to soak only that portion of dry leaves. Drink the tea through a bombilla straw.
A bombilla is a specially designed straw with holes or slots at one end for straining the leaf particles. It allows you to sip the infusion without also ingesting fragments of leaf. Mate is traditionally drunk with a bombilla because it makes sipping easier.
When preparing mate in a gourd, fill it three-quarters full with mate leaves. Shake the gourd gently to settle the leaves. Slowly pour hot water (not boiling) into the cavity. Drink the infusion through the bombilla. Add more hot water as desired.
Mate health benefits
Mate provides an energy boost. It has a high caffeine content which is linked to increased alertness, improved concentration, reduced fatigue, and enhanced physical performance. The health benefits greatly outweigh the possible side effects for most people.
Yerba mate is a tea made from the naturally caffeinated leaves of a South American holly plant. It is a cultural beverage in several South American countries. The traditional way to prepare mate is to fill a carved gourd or mate cup halfway with dry mate leaves then shake the cup to evenly mix the leaves. Hot water, not boiling, is poured into the cup, and the tea is sipped through a metal straw that has small holes or a filter on the lower end. The mate cup is often passed around a circle of friends or family and refilled many times.