Yerba Mate has it all: the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the euphoria of chocolate, all in a single drink.
History of Yerba Mate
The origins of yerba mate come from the Guaraní natives, who used its leaves as a drink, currency in their exchanges with other prehistoric cultures and even an object of cult.
Yerba mate comes from the naturally caffeinated leaves of a native species of holy tree, Ilex Paraguariensis, found deep in the South American rainforests. According to legends of the indigenous people of Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina the holy tree has magical powers to unite and energize.
Production of Yerba Mate
Currently, Argentina is the leading producer of Yerba Mate. Within Argentina, the plant is cultivated in the Misiones Province, where the trees thrive in the region’s humid, subtropical climate. The process of cultivation starts with germination – seedlings develop in greenhouses until they grow up to 7 centimeters. Then, seedlings are transferred to nurseries for the next 9 to 12 months. After that they are ready to be set down in field, where they grow to approximately 12-15 meters tall for the next 4 years until they are ready for harvest. Then, drying process takes place - green leaves are exposed to direct fire and heat to reduce humidity. The last phase is milling and aging.
How to drink it?
There are several ways to prepare Yerba Mate. The traditional recipe is to drink it as a hot infusion. Besides yerba itself it requires two other components: traditional container called matero and special metal straw – bombilla.
Other, similarly popular ways of drinking it, are milk variant (traditional hot mate brewed with milk) and iced mate called “Tereré”.
This short video illustrates how to properly prepate traditional hot mate
Health benefits
Yerba maté is rich in vitamins, amino acids, and polyphenols, which are plant compounds that may improve health. Yerba mate, like many other plant products, is an antioxidant. This means that the chemicals in yerba mate may be able to counteract the effects of free radicals (unstable atoms that can damage our cells).
Yerba maté may also help lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is a type of cholesterol linked to heart disease. Other potential benefits are: lower risk of certain cancers, lower rates of type 2 diabetes and decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Risks and side effects
Although Yerba Mate offers a number of health benefits, it also presents some risks. People with severe heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or heart arrhythmias should seek medical advise before drinking Yerba Mate.
Moreover, 2019 study (link in sources section) has linked hot drinks to oral cancers. Therefore, to reduce the risk, people who enjoy Yerba Mate should consider drinking their brew warm or cold instead of hot.
Sources:
http://casacrews.blogspot.com/2016/03/yerba-mate.html
https://hillerdrygoods.com/blogs/news/the-peso-blanket-story
https://yerbamateargentina.org.ar/en/
2019 study:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ijc.32220#accessDenialLayout
Questions:
1. Have you ever tried Yerba Mate? If not, do you feel like it is worth trying out?
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
Comments
1. Have you ever tried Yerba Mate? If not, do you feel like it is worth trying out?
Yes, I drank Yerba mate and drink it regularly.
The beginnings can be difficult because you have to get used to the intense taste. At the beginning it is worth to drink Yerba mate with fruit additives, then the taste is much better and even tastes :) I talked to a person from Spain, and to my surprise she didn't know what it is, and as we know this plant is growing there, so maybe it's another name? It was very intriguing for me. Or maybe it is just so popular only in Poland? I have no idea... For people who have never tried to convince themselves because it's worth doing new things in life :)
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
Not regularly. But when I'm at work I drinks black coffee with milk or cappuccino. When I add some sugar to it, I treat it as a substitute for sweets, e.g. a candy bar.
I rarely use coffee as something to wake me up. But I think if I drink a double dose it won't be a problem for me to wake up
No, I have never tried Yerba Mate, but I want to. This drink has become popular in the last few years, and now it is similar to mainstream or even a trend to drink matcha (like quinoa, Himalayan pink salt) among bloggers.
Usually, it is more expensive than a cup of coffee. Plus, my friends who have tried Yerba Mate often told that it is specific and sometimes untasty.
And I prefer not to risk and take my favourite Cappucino in the cafe.
Maybe these two things are the reasons why I have not tried it yet.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
I love coffee, and I drink it regularly, but just one cup a day. If I want more, I replace it with cacao or chicory. They are both enough healthy and taste good.
I am a morning person and rarely feel that it is not enough for me to wake up in the morning.
1. Have you ever tried Yerba Mate? If not, do you feel like it is worth trying out?
I've never had a chance to try a Yerba Mate. If I had a chance, I would try but in my mind it's unlikely. I'm a staunch fan of coffee and for me it's unimaginable to survive a day without a caffeine.
The second reason that I've never drunk a Yerba Mate are every day's circumstances. None of my friends drink Yerba Mate and we've never made up to make a special appointment just to satisfy our curiosity.
But on the other hand I'm really open-minded and I love travelling. I would like to go to Argentina some day and that would be a great opportunity to consume some of their delicious! I'm a big fan of tasting original dishes during trips so in Argentina I would be more than willing to try Yerba Mate!
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
How I wrote in the above answer, I regularly drink a coffee - each day! Fortunately it always acts on me the same way, it means with a huge dose of energy!
Honestly, I've never had a Yerba Mate. Somehow, I never had the opportunity, however, your text turned out to be encouraging, maybe he will decide to buy the necessary things to try this drink. However, I must say that my love of coffee and tea has blossomed again recently. I really like coffee in the morning!
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
I am a person who plays a lot of sports, so I try to avoid drinking coffee often. As I mentioned above, he drinks coffee in the morning, but very rarely - twice a week. In fact, I could forgo coffee altogether, but I just like the smell of coffee in my room. Rather, I have never felt so sleepy in the morning not to get up. He always gets up full of energy, ready to act.
Hi! I've never tried it or tried it once and I don't remember my experience. The thing that you should have this special straw or cup is something that pushes me off the idea. I would like to commit myself with buying container and straw.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
Yea I probably drink caffeinated drinks every day. Coffee and teas are the only ones that I absorb. As I do it not only to wake myself up but also that I adore the smell and taste of freshly ground black coffee and I'm looking forward to this sensations.
Yerba Mate does not improve my concentration nor helps me with feeling tired, but I find it really fancy and cool (I think it’s because of this funny straw that I always forget the name of) and of course really tasty! I must admit, I was a bit worried when I read “Risks and side effects sections” as it sounds quite dangerous considering health hazards. Luckily, I don’t like to drink my beverages hot, usually I mix them fifty-fifty with cold water, so I hope I’m safe 😊
To keep me healthy and motivated I try to drink the recommended minimum of 1,5 liters of water every day.
1. Have you ever tried Yerba Mate? If not, do you feel like it is worth trying out?
Yes, I tried Yerba Mate. It’s good but I’m not a big fan of it. The taste is strong and herbal. Your presentation says that I can make it with milk as well. I’ve never heard about it before! I need to try this because I’m a big fan of mixing tea with milk (the best combination is with chai tea).
My favorite tea is Earl Grey with raspberry juice and Milk Oolong.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
I’m addicted to caffeinated beverages. I drink various types of coffee, tea, and other beverages. I like drip coffee, oat milk flat white, matcha tea late, and drinking chocolate.
I like to start my day with a cup of black coffee. When I feel tired in the morning I always make myself a mix of coffee and ground cocoa beans. This is a very energetic mix that contains caffeine and theobromine.
For some time, I really wanted to understand the phenomenon behind Yerba.
Thanks to this article, I might be able to finally do it.
I believe that once I try it out, it will stop being a mystery for me :)
Generally, I try to drink mostly water and tea, although my family curated beverages of all shapes and sizes.
Also, an occasional coffee from time to time. I suspect that drinking too many caffeinated beverages might be detrimental to one's health.
There are times, however, when I just have to energize myself with steaming, black coffee.
Before lockdown, taking a walk to my workplace was enough to effectively wake me up.
Given the fact, that the workplace now, is just a few feet away from my bed, doesn't help me get up at all.
Having a wide array of drinks that can help get me up on my feet, is a huge game changer for me.
Suppose, adding Yerba into aforementioned collection, should only make it better :)
Yes, i tried it and in last time this is my favourite tea. If you buy this tea thorugh the internet you can also find a lot of types. Some of them have similar but a little bit different effects. I am not sure it works on Yerba Mate but the important thing is tea brewing time. Most people think that if you wait longer with black tea it will be stronger but the fact is it will have soothing efect.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
In last time i quited all of them. I was huge fan of redbulls which has simillar efect but it contain taurine instead of caffeine. Yes if your routine at morning is to drink coffee or energy drinks you will feel sleepy. I think right now i feel so much better without this.
1. No, I have never tried yerba mate. Why? Because I am convinced that she is said to be highly addictive and really works strongly on the body. Would I like to try it? I do not know, maybe someday.
2. No I do not drink caffeinated beverages regularly. I believe that when consumed large and when consumed regularly, it causes addiction and can be harmful to health. I prefer to eat healthy - water with lemon and mint is the best.
2. Personally, I drink a lot of drinks with caffeine or taurine, which is the result of intense lifestyle. I sleep little, work a lot, and therefore I have to somehow wake up my body and brain. It happens that I can drink 2 cups of yerba mate and 2 energy drinks on one day.
2. I do not consume caffeinated beverages on a daily basis. I only drink flavored coffee during meetings with my friend in the city, that's my custom. I love the taste of latte with different syrups and toppings when it's so sweet. I only drink coffee for pleasure and taste, not to stimulate my body. Once, when I drank coffee during a night meeting with a friend, I really could not fall asleep that night, but I have never had a situation when the morning coffee did not wake me up enough, maybe because I do not drink coffee in the morning.
Yes, I did, both the sugar soda version (mio mio mate) and the organic one (amanda).
The first one is very good for a hot summer day, the other for the other seasons. Of course the organic one can also be cold brewed (yerba terere) but I don't like the taste of it. Regarding the organic one, I think it's a quick strong caffeinated beverage with a very characteristic taste, the first sip is very bitter, so some people could be turned off by it, then it becomes better. Also the organic version which is in a matero can be brewed again, just by pouring hot water on it multiple times a day, which is quite convinient.
2.
Not really, I tend to stay away from caffeine, the only beverage that has some minor amount of it it that I also tend to consume in big amounts is tea. By limiting caffeine I noticed that I'm less sleepy in the mornings.
Thank you for the first comment for this post.
I totally agree, at first the taste of yerba can seem a bit strange.
I think that your friend from Spain could not recognize yerba mate because this drink comes from South America.
That is true, yerba mate has become quite popular and "trendy" in the recent years.
I think that your variation of coffee, one with cacao or chicory sounds very interesting. I have to try it out. Is it your own recipe or have you found it somewhere else?
To me, travelling and enjoying local dishes and drinks is fun too.
I would love to visit Argentina or other South American countries as well.
If you are curious about both Argentina and trying yerba mate you can go there and kill two birds with one stone :)
In the case of espresso or even regular coffee, all caffeine is delivered at the same time, at once. It's like giving yourself a caffeine injection. The body gets an energy kick and we feel the effects very quickly. Unfortunately, the effects disappear just as quickly. In the case of yerba mate, caffeine is released slowly, and each subsequent addition of water releases correspondingly less caffeine. This can be compared to the slow absorption of an ointment, not an injection. Caffeine levels are kept at a healthy level and our body is not so damaged.
I have to admit that I love the smell of good, fresh coffee in the morning too.
It just makes me feel very cosy. It's good that you frequently engage in sport activities, I do that too. What sports do you enjoy?
Hi Filip, it is so nice that you have so much passion towards coffe. I agree that all the gear that you need to try yerba can be a bit discouraging.
It's great that you already have some experience with yerba!
The name of the straw is bombilla - yeah I know it can be easily forgotten :)
I have to say that after reading your comment I instantly grabbed a glass of water - I don't always remember to drink enough of it.
Thank you, I really appreciate it.
Frankly, I've never tried yerba mixed with milk too.
Earl Grey with raspberry juice and Milk Oolong sounds fancy - I have to give it a try.
I feel that I might've developed kind of dependency on caffeine. I think that it may not be the healthiest thing in the world 😬
I'm glad that my article made the topic of yerba mate a bit clearer for you.
Also I'm happy that I'm not the only one that struggles to gather energy quickly in the morning. I hope that your remedies to this problem won't stop working out fine :)
That is true, there are a lot of various types of yerba mate available online - everyone will find something for themself. I find it motivating that you quit all of the caffeinated drinks, I think I need to do that too.
Thank you for your comment, it's yet another one encouraging me to revise my lifestyle - now it seems a bit unhealthy to me 😬
Yeah, caffeine can be really addictive..
I think that you should try sleeping longer, you can will benefit a lot from that.
When it comes to breaking unhealthy habits, there is a thing that could potentially help both of us i.e. mindfullness. I think there is a post about this week.
Drinking yerba mate can be beneficial for you if you don't drink too much of it, too often - we have to remeber that it containts high amounts of caffeine.
When it comes to the taste, I think it may suprise you.
I like to have a bottle of mio mio mate during a hot day too.
I see that you are quite experienced when it comes to drinking and preparing yerba mate,
I'm glad that limiting amount of caffeine you ingest worked out for you.
Personally, I'm a huge tea lover. When it gets below 10 degrees it's my go-to drink, as it keeps you warm and cosy. I usually stick to green tea, black tea with lemon, and occasionally traditional Japanese matcha. When I do drink coffee, it's either a drink from Starbucks that has little to no coffee in it or an aromatic Bedouin coffee with cardamom and saffron. The last one is my favourite version of this beverage and it's good to drink hot even in extreme heat. I encourage you to try it! When it comes to feeling awake, for years I've kept my morning routine practically the same and sticking to it makes me wide awake. However, on days when I get drowsy, I try to exercise before my morning routine and after that, I feel more energetic and ready to work.
I rarely drink Yerba Mate. It would be more fair to say that I just tried it a couple of times. I like the taste and I like the texture. I wouldn't mind if someone told me that I would have to replace everything that I drink with it.
Yerba is always somewhere deep behind my head - I sometimes remind myself that I wanted to try some more, but I quickly get rid of the thought - I simply forget. Have I not been such a lazy person, I would surely do my reserach on where I can buy Yerba and would get some.
I do not drink coffee or tea to wake up. I haven't started and I don't think I will (or at least I hope I won't!). I don't like the idea of becoming somewhat depending on a drink to wake me up. I drink to satisfy my body's needs and to simply feel better. Recently I quit all of the beveraegs except for tea and, well, water. To the point where I actually started to really like the "taste" of water (I have been taught that - by definition - water has no taste, so...). 2 glasses of water are enough to somewhat wake me up and make the start of my day better.
1. Have you ever tried Yerba Mate? If not, do you feel like it is worth trying out?
Yes I have tried once. I have a friend from Latin America and he loves this drink. The taste is very strange but quite drinkable. I can't say that I love it but I am happy that I tried it
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
Yes of course, coffee, tea and energy drinks with caffein. I need it to feel myself more energetic . I can't say that it really helps but I am used to and it is kinda regular routine to drink it every morning.
Yes, i tried Yerba Mate. I have to say that it's not my flavors. It is a bit bitter and tart for me. I just get chills when it comes to mind. I think it's a bit of a misconception that i got into my head when I was a child. But I think it's worth a try. I heard that Yerba Mate is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. It reduces appetite and improves concetraction. It has a better stimulating effect that coffe. It strengthens the immune system, which is important nowadays because of pandemic.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
Unfortunately, I don't drink any caffeinated drinks. I used to drink a lot of coffee, but it had a bad effect on my health and I had to reduc the amount of coffe to zero. In my experience, coffee was enough for a good start to my day and i didn't need any stronger remedies to stimulate my body. For over 2 year i have not been a fan of coffeinated drinks, and I can say that I feel better than drinking them.
1. Have you ever tried Yerba Mate? If not, do you feel like it is worth trying out?
I did try couple of times, I got introduced to it by me peers at the workplace. I was initially overwhelmed by number of "rules" mate drinkers have. Proper temperature, ideal proportion and all the necessary equipment needed. Once I learnt those by heart I started enjoying both the process and the taste. My tolerance for any energy-booster substance is low (I don't drink coffee at all!) so two portions of yerba mate per day was keeping me awake till very late night. I must admit it tastes the best cooled and carbonated, that is, poured with carbonated water.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
As I've mentioned above, I very rarely drink coffee. I did more in the past when I had office job (currently I work remotely, for last couple of years), but I used it mostly as social tool, not the essential ritual to start my workday. Just a great opportunity to chit-chat with my coworkers and gossip a bit. Since I work from home I don't make or buy coffee at all. Saying that, I must admit, I drink of a lot coca-cola, and I believe one bottle would equal to espresso shot? Or maybe two. If that's the case, that I might be unawarely caffeine addict for a long time.
On the top of that, aparat from utility side of the coffee - so a caffeine shot, I personally don't like the taste itself. I can't tell the difference between $7 dripped expensive coffee from starbucks and $1 coffee from mcdonald. Maybe being tasteless saved me a lot of money :)
One thing which I didn’t like it was taste by first time, but it depends on which quality Yerba you buy. The most important thing which I like in Yerba it doesn’t damage your teeth like coffee does it, you don’t need to drink water with it or brush your teeth after drinking Yerba. I guess it’s more healthy then coffee, from my feeling only from that moment.
2 I don’t take it regularly, coz I forget about Yerba 😊 But this presentation remember me about this good caffeinate beverage, thank you Jan Bryński for reminder 😊.
Right now I’m drinking a lot of coffee, maybe not for energy, more for taste, I really like it but I also know about bad sides of drinking coffee, so now I would change it for Yerba.
Yes, there was a period when I really enjoyed Yerba Mate and drank it almost daily. I really hate coffee and I'm not a big fan of tea either, but yerba tastes good for me. It also helped me with concentration and gave me energy needed to work or study, similar to energy drinks, but much more healthier. However, I stopped drinking it some time ago and completely forgot about it. Maybe I'll come back to yerba.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
As I mentioned in the first point, I don't really drink other caffeinated beverages. I hate taste of coffee and I drink tea really rarely. The only drink I'm drinking regularly is water. I don't need caffeine to wake up in the morning and feel fresh.
Yes, I had a chance to try Yerba Mate. I drink yerba mate a few times a month, I think it is a very stimulating drink. For me, it is too bitter in taste to drinking it every day.
2. Do you regularly drink other caffeinated beverages? Have you ever felt like they are not enough to wake you up in the morning?
Yes, I regularly drink beverages containing caffeine. I drink coffee at least once a day. I like coffee very much, sometimes I even drink several drinks a day, mostly at work.
2. I don't know why, but in morning I don't drink coffee or yerba, I usually consume caffeine in middle of day or in the evening when I'm tired and have to work. Yes, I regularly drink either yerbe or coffee and tea (she also has caffeine), energy drinks from time to time because they are less healthy. I think everyone should try yerba and form an opinion about it
2. I don't know why, but in morning I don't drink coffee or yerba, I usually consume caffeine in middle of day or in the evening when I'm tired and have to work. Yes, I regularly drink either yerbe or coffee and tea (she also has caffeine), energy drinks from time to time because they are less healthy. I think everyone should try yerba and form an opinion about it
2. I don't know why, but in morning I don't drink coffee or yerba, I usually consume caffeine in middle of day or in the evening when I'm tired and have to work. Yes, I regularly drink either yerbe or coffee and tea (she also has caffeine), energy drinks from time to time because they are less healthy. I think everyone should try yerba and form an opinion about it
I don't know why, but in morning I don't drink coffee or yerba, I usually consume caffeine in middle of day or in the evening when I'm tired and have to work. Yes, I regularly drink either yerbe or coffee and tea (she also has caffeine), energy drinks from time to time because they are less healthy. I think everyone should try yerba and form an opinion about it
I don't know why, but in morning I don't drink coffee or yerba, I usually consume caffeine in middle of day or in the evening when I'm tired and have to work. Yes, I regularly drink either yerbe or coffee and tea (she also has caffeine), energy drinks from time to time because they are less healthy. I think everyone should try yerba and form an opinion about it
2. I don't drink coffee or tea to wake me up in the morning. To wake me up I prefer water. I drink coffee after a good meal to help with the digestion and I drink coffee before exercising to raise my pulse up. Also, I don't make a habit of drinking caffeinated beverages. Surely I drink more in summer when the air pressure is up, however, I usually don't drink coffee when it's cold. I prefer herbal tea or even warm water with lemon. So I can't really answer your question, but I know where are you going with it, it is true that the more caffeine we get in our system the more we need later. That's why I make sure to not let this happen.