Selecting the Yerba Mate Leaves
The plant can grow in different settings, but the best tasting mate comes from leaves that have been grown in the shade of the rainforest.
Preparing the Mate Gourd
Mate cups, also known as gourds, are traditionally made from a hollowed-out gourd. To use a mate cup, fill the gourd with leaves and pour hot water over the leaves. It can be consumed as a hot or cold beverage, traditionally served in a gourd with a bombilla straw. It can also be prepared using modern methods like French presses and tea infusers.
Grab your gourd, and fill up two-thirds of it with some loose-leaf yerba. Cover the entire top of the gourd, and give it 2-3 good shakes to get the polvo out. It can clog up your bombilla. Do your best to make a half-moon of yerba sitting on the bottom of the mouth of the gourd and free space at the top. Pour a small amount of cold water over the leaves, to help protect the nutrients from the hot water you’re going to pour in.
Nutrition and Health Benefits
The herb contains a mixture of caffeine. It also provides minerals to support nervous system function, as well as B-vitamins to relax muscles. The leaf powder contains less caffeine than coffee or black tea. Those compounds include vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Since every tea has different antioxidants and benefits, switching between drinking yerba and green tea gets a variety of benefits and lower any potential risks. For hot tea, try honey; it will dissolve in the mate, leaving a floral sweetness behind.
Recommended Intake
How much should I drink per day?
It should be limited to 1-2 cups per day. Personal tolerance and health conditions should be considered. Consuming too much can lead to increased risk of certain cancers, digestive issues, increased heart rate and blood pressure.
Potential Side Effects
What are the side effects of yerba mate powder?
It contains caffeine. Don’t consume late in the day or close to bedtime. It can disrupt sleeping habits. The most common side effects from caffeine are: upset stomach, insomnia, and headaches.
Getting the Most from Yerba Mate
How do I get the most out of my yerba mate?
You can make the herb just how you make any other tea. Whether it be with a tea strainer, tea pot, french press, or even a coffee maker, these are all viable options. Simply use 1 tablespoon per 8 ounces of water, let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Again, never use boiling water.
Serving Suggestions
When served cold, the drink is called tereré. It was first cultivated and used by the indigenous Guaraní people and in some Tupí communities in southern Brazil, prior to European colonization.
It is traditionally consumed in central and southern regions of South America, primarily in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Chile.
The simplest method is to treat yerba mate like any other loose tea; steep it in hot water and then filter out the leaves before drinking.
It can be enhanced with dried fruits, mint leaves, dairy-free milks, as well as alcoholic beverages. When blending yerba mate, it’s important to balance flavors carefully and not overpower any ingredients.
Mate is often enjoyed in a social gathering, meeting up in nature. Several people share one gourd with just one bombilla. The gourd gets passed around, creating a bond.
You can choose to add herbs like passionflower or damiana to improve the flavor or direct the effects.
Tips for Safe Consumption
- Avoid constant consumption, 2 – 3 beverages at most per day.
- Avoid evening consumption if sensitive to caffeine.
The Art of Brewing Yerba Mate
There is an art to brewing proper mate. It starts with the basic ingredient: the yerba mate.