Alexis · Fondateur d'YVY Maté
Coffee is a drink deeply rooted in our habits: the French consume on average over 5 kg of coffee each year.
A true driver of social connection, much like mate, coffee is nonetheless losing more and more devotees today.
So why cut back on coffee? Why is alternating coffee and mate ideal for the body? What are the benefits of drinking less coffee?
Coffee, your unreliable daily companion
A mate or a coffee?
How fast it's absorbed
Coffee is a powerful stimulant.
Everyone is more or less sensitive to the molecule. Caffeine is absorbed very quickly by the body, which can cause trembling, jitters or even a racing heart.
By contrast, the caffeine in yerba mate is assimilated more slowly, letting the body adjust gradually to the molecule and avoid coffee's unpleasant side effects.
The large amount of tannins in mate softens and slows caffeine's effect on the body. Coffee contains only a little of them.
How fast it wears off
On top of its fast absorption, coffee's stimulating effects fade very quickly. They can vanish after just 2h, sparking the urge for another cup.
A vicious circle sets in: the more coffee you drink, the more the body gets used to caffeine, and the more coffee it takes to reach the same energy level.
Inevitably, the more coffees consumed, the greater the downsides.
Once again, mate is a step ahead. Because its caffeine is assimilated more slowly, the energizing effects last longer than coffee's. Drinking yerba helps fight fatigue all day long (7 to 9 hours of effect).
Why alternate between coffee and mate?
A thermos for coffee or mate
We were all steeped in coffee before discovering mate. For some, coffee was appreciated less for its taste than for its effects; for others, the opposite - for its flavor.
When you want to change your drinking habits - as with anything - it's best not to frustrate yourself, especially if you love the taste of good coffee. The idea is rather to cut back gradually, and it helps to have a substitute: mate.
So why alternate between coffee and mate?
There are several reasons:
- First, to break the habituation created by repeatedly taking the same substance. After a few days without coffee, you'll feel its effects again from the very first cup!
- Second, if you're someone who loves the taste of coffee, drinking less will naturally steer you toward better-quality coffees, like those from artisan roasters!
In the same way, by alternating the two drinks, you can also enjoy the grand cru mates in our yerba mate selection!
Discovering mate shouldn't feel like an ultimatum or an abandonment of your habits, but rather something new to weave into your daily routine!
Coffee vs mate: the drinks compared
The differences between coffee and mate
As we've seen throughout this article, mate and coffee overlap on some points and diverge on others. In several respects, you could even call yerba a coffee 2.0 - the advantages without the drawbacks.
More and more coffee lovers ask us about mate as they look to drink less coffee. Will I like the taste of mate? Will I get the same energy? How do I brew the plant? That's why we decided to write this article.
For coffee lovers who prize the flavor above all, but for whom the downsides have become too burdensome, we especially recommend our roasted mate.
Like coffee or cocoa, this mate goes through a roasting step, giving it a taste texture close to coffee's while keeping a flavor all of the South American drink's own. You'll find chocolate, caramel and coffee notes - ideal for easing a gentle coffee-to-mate transition.
You'll have gathered: everything is good in moderation.
To avoid the complications of drinking too much coffee, alternate with a substitute - mate is one of them, and stands today as the best alternative!
