The mate plant is a species native to South America. Its leaves are used to make the tea known as mate. The indigenous Guarani people called the plant ka’a meaning "herb". The Portuguese term is congonga meaning "what keeps us alive". The Aztecs used a gourd to drink mate. Spanish conquerors in the 16th century called it "yerba mate". Cultivation began in the 1600s but was later abandoned. It resumed in the 1900s. The tea is popular in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil where it is consumed more than coffee. The Guarani Indians first made tea from the mate plant, using it for stamina. They called it an "herb from the gods".
The tea is drunk from a cup called a mate made from a dried gourd but now often from other materials. A metal straw with filter called a bombilla is used to drink the infusion to prevent leaves entering the mouth. The mate brew has an energizing effect similar to espresso but is not tea or coffee. Wild grown plants are organic and preferred. Organic plants are healthier although more expensive.
The tea comes in different colors, tastes, strengths and effects depending on how it is harvested, processed and aged. It comes mainly from Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil with each country having a distinct type. The tea is prized for medicinal qualities, connected to South America’s history and indigenous heritage.
Tea is made by crushing dried leaves into powder. The plant translates as “mate herb” or the “green gold of the Indies”. It is a small evergreen tree or shrub. Argentina is where the plant was first cultivated and has an authentic tradition around drinking mate tea. The indigenous Guarani discovered the stimulating effects and began cultivating it. Today drinking mate tea is a daily ritual in Argentina with people carrying a thermos and mate gourd everywhere.
Does this plant grow in India?
The mate plant grows mainly in parts of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The leaves have pretty specific requirements for outdoor planting that limit where it will thrive. It can be grown successfully indoors in pots with specific conditions. But it does not naturally grow in India.
What exactly is mate?
Mate is a beverage made from the leaves of the mate plant. The leaves are steeped in hot water to make the drink. Mate contains about 80 mg of caffeine per cup, similar to coffee. It can be brewed like tea by pouring boiling water over the leaves.
- Mate is consumed much more than coffee in parts of South America. It has become very popular in these countries.
- South American tribal groups who first made this beverage centuries ago considered it a gift from the gods. Many would still agree today.
The mate plant grows in subtropical parts of South America. Its leaves have been used by cowboys and indigenous people for centuries to make tea. Mate tea is connected to South America’s cultural heritage.
Mate provides healthy stimulation. It is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals not found in other drinks. It makes you more alert, helps you focus and gives an energy boost without causing a crash. Sharing mate is a tradition of hospitality in its native countries.