I recently had my first taste of the increasingly popular drink called Yerba Mate. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was drinking, so I thought it would be a good idea to do a little research a find out a little bit about this concoction. Here is what I found.

Yerba Mate is a tea like drink.  However it is NOT a true tea, (all true teas come from the camelia sinius plant).  Nor is it an herbal tea, as many proponents would have you believe.  True herbal teas have no caffeine in them.  Yerba Mate does have a type of caffeine, that varies from the caffeine found in coffee and cocoa, in that it does not cause jitters, heart palpitations, or the crash that is typically associated with caffeine. Drinking Yerba Mate will, however, give you the benefits enjoyed by drinking caffeine, that being that it is a stimulant and increases awareness. These twin like characteristics of typical caffeine has caused Mate lovers to refer to the stimulant in Mate as “mafeine”, rather than caffeine.

Yerba Mate is native to Central and South American regions such as Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. It grows from the leaves of a sub species of holly called llex paraguarienis.  The most flavorful versions of  Yerba Mate are grown in the shade in sub tropical climates.

Benefits of drinking Mate are that it contains 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and 15 amino acids.  Additionally, drinking Mate will suppress your appetite. It is, however an aquired taste.  But then, so are both coffee and tea.  I would recommend using a blend of Mate with a favorite tea in the beginning.

To prepare Mate you would steep the twigs and dried leaves in very hot, (not boiling) water.  The leaves are reuseable, but you may want to add a bit more each time to strengthen the flavor. Mate does not keep most drinkers awake at night, so it can be enjoyed as an evening beverage as well.

There are several versions of Mate on the market.  Some are flavored with mint, chocolate, or roasted flavor characteristics. You can sample them at farmers markets, and vendor fairs, and many tea stores to find the one you prefer.