So maybe you’re a mate aficionado and want to find out another way to prepare “the drink of friendship.” Or, maybe you’re a newbie and you’ve come to learn how to drink the pile of green leaves you bought off of Amazon. Either way, you’ve come to the right place.
Preparing the Mate
Before you drink it, it is necessary to prepare the leaves in a few simple steps: Fill the mate cup with 3⁄4 leaves, add some warm water for the leaves to swell, let it rest for 5 minutes, then put the bombilla. That’s all you need to start drinking mate, especially if you’re a beginner.
Now, if you want to go deeper into the beautiful and intricate world of mate, grab yourself some leaves, add them into a french press, teapot, or traditional mate gourd, then add hot water, wait a few minutes, then enjoy!
One of my favorite lessons is returning humbly to the basics with a fresh pair of eyes, revitalized energy to continue building upon the fundamentals. The healing properties of the leaves appreciated for supporting arthritis, cholesterol, depression, overweight, hypertension treatment.
Rules for Drinking Mate
Drinking mate is much easier than it seems. Fill the mate cup with 3⁄4 of leaves. Add a little of warm water for the leaves to swell. Let the mate rest for 5 minutes. Put the bombilla. Enjoy.
The culture is linked to the Gauchos who adopted it from native tribes. The traditional way to drink it involves only a few components: a gourd, a metal straw, leaves, and hot water. All you have to do is put leaves into the gourd, add hot water, and sip through the straw.
To prepare mate, fill a gourd or cup halfway with dry leaves. Gently pour hot water over the leaves and let them sit for a few minutes. Insert the bombilla into the gourd and sip the infusion slowly over the course of an hour or more, adding hot water as needed.
There are 4 components for drinking mate:
- Gourd
- Bombilla
- Leaves
- Hot water
As the mate steeps, more flavor and nutrients are released so water can be added for several hours of sipping.
Mate is often enjoyed socially. Friends gather and share one gourd and bombilla.
Drinking large amounts over a long period may increase cancer risk. Moderation is recommended.