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What is mate?

September 30, 2020

Time to read 1 min

At the end of a meal, one always chooses between tea and coffee to finish on a high note.

Sometimes you might hesitate slightly, but most of the time, the choice will be limited to these two classic drinks. But you should know that today you have another option: maté , also called maté tea.

This plant comes from South America, and contains both caffeine and polyphenols.

But what exactly is mate? What are the different types of mate? What are the benefits of mate? How do you drink mate?

Summary

What is yerba mate? History and origin of yerba mate The different types of yerba mate The benefits of yerba mate, an asset for daily well-being Yerba mate, an asset for weight loss The relationship between yerba mate and sports Ways to consume yerba mate Preparation of yerba mate Traditional preparation of yerba mate More "modern" methods

What is mate?

Mate is a plant that is consumed as an infusion , similar to tea. It originates from South America , and more specifically from Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.

It is generally consumed for its beneficial effects on the entire body and well-being. But it also has some therapeutic properties .

History and origin of yerba mate

Many years ago, yerba served as a staple food for the Guarani people .

At the time, mate leaves were consumed when men were physically preparing to undertake long marches for hunting, exploiting the territory, and for transhumance.

For some peoples, such as the Guarani, yerba was considered a true religion. They also used it as currency in exchange with other populations.

After the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, studies were undertaken on the drink, before its consumption spread to the four corners of the world.

The Guarani people and mate

The different types of yerba mate

The different types of yerba mate

The South American drink is atypical, and comes in several versions: green , roasted and aged .
The main difference lies in the taste, as the same leaves are used to produce all three varieties:

Green mate is young, vegetal and fresh.
The aged wine, as its name suggests, is matured for 6 to 24 months. This results in a more concentrated and pronounced flavor.
The roasted product has undergone a low-temperature roasting process to obtain round and original flavors, similar to coffee.