Yerba mate or mate is a South American herb that has many fans around the world.
Are you one of them? South America’s people make the best yerba mate tea by using dried leaves of the bush.
This tea represents 53% of the hot drinks market in Argentina and doesn’t know social boundaries.
To offer and accept a mate drink is a gesture of hospitality and friendship, not just for Gauchos who drink their mates on the ride but also for ordinary people who drink it in cafes in Buenos Aires.
This tea has become an almost pathologically ritualized habit in Argentina and Paraguay today, which reminds us of the abuse of coffee and tea in the western and eastern countries.
On the other hand, indigenous Guarani Indians used mate plants for medical purposes. Let’s see why this tea is so amazing.
Best Yerba Mate tea
Mate tea is distributed throughout South America, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
The largest importer of the tea outside the territory of South America is Syria.
It is used to strengthen the immune system, cleansing, and detoxification of the blood, tingling of the nervous system, overcoming fatigue, stimulating the mind and controlling appetite.
Interesting facts about mate drink
I am giving you some of the interesting facts about mate drinking habits in different countries in South America.
Mate is a traditional South American beverage, which is being prepared at various social gatherings. It has a similar taste as green tea.
You can add sugar or honey in the tea. There is a law In Uruguay that prohibits car drivers from drinking it during driving, as in the past there have been many accidents caused by inattention.
Many gas stations in Argentina which are sponsored by the manufacturers of mate, offer passengers hot water for mate tea preparation.
Chileans aren’t the typical users of this tea, but most people in the south of Chile are consuming large amounts of it as some kind of heritage of those generations of indigenous people who traveled to Argentina to look for work and return home with large amounts of tea.
There is a mate drink version prepared with cold water, lemon or in combination with other fruit juices and is particularly popular in Paraguay. They call it tereré.
Who should drink Mate Tea?
Anyone can try mate tea and enjoy the health benefits of this invigorating drink.
Which people should drink it or even try it? People who have stopped drinking coffee and real teas should try this amazing drink.
People who stopped drinking coffee say that mate gives them a great boost, because it cleanses, gives the energy to work, doesn’t cause nervousness, and doesn’t interfere with the sleep cycle.
And most importantly, you won’t get addicted to it.
How do you make yerba mate at home?
The preparation of mate tea is very simple. You can cook it like the other teas. Add mate herb into the hot water and leave it for 5-8 minutes.
I recommend two to three teaspoons of the tea on every 3 dl of water.
Strain the tea and add lemon, honey, or sugar if you want. I encourage you to try it without additives so that you will know what is its original taste.
Traditional way
You can also prepare it in the traditional way, according to the South American people.
You will need mate tea in bulk, a cup (guampo), and a straw (bombillo), through which you will sip this beverage. You can check for mate set here.
I recommend that you put a small amount of a herb and water to the top of the guampo bowl before the first use of the guampo.
Leave it to stand for 24 hours to get rid of the guampo aromas and prolong the durability of the product. Clean the guampo well and let it dry at room temperature after each use.
Add a small amount of mate tea, and add more herbs, if you want a stronger beverage. You can use tea leaves several times.
When you drink all of the tea, you can pour fresh water on the same herbs. When tea loses its taste, remove the herbs and replace them with new ones. Enjoy!
It has a relaxing effect
Mate has a relaxing effect on the nerves since it contains a substance called mateine, which belongs to the same group of chemical compounds like caffeine. Mateine and caffeine have a completely different effect.
Mateine stimulates the central nervous system, but unlike caffeine, it doesn’t interfere with the sleep cycle; on the contrary, it regulates sleep and reduces the feeling of fatigue, so it is perfect for people who need relaxation.
Helps students to concentrate
It is also good for students who need a good measure of attention and concentration for their work. Mate helps eliminate fatigue by promoting psychological and physical activity. Are you sport active? This tea can help you.
It accelerates metabolism
This tea contains 11 vitamins and minerals, and 15 amino acids. They are extremely important in enhancing physical activity and muscle building.
In addition, it reduces fatigue, muscle tension and accelerates metabolism and thus the consumption of calories.
It is a really diverse health agent that helps with weight.
People who want to maintain a healthy body weight should drink it. People who drink it have a lower appetite and eat less food.
In addition, mate promotes metabolism and increases fat consumption, and has been recognized as an extremely useful drink against excessive pounds over the past few years.
Health Benefits of Mate Tea
Mate tea contains a lot of antioxidants. It can have up to 90% more antioxidants than green tea. There are several mate types and they contain different amounts of antioxidants.
It contains substances that strengthen the human body. Among other things, drinking tea slows down the signs of aging, detoxifies the blood and prevents many types of cancer. It also helps to relieve insomnia.
What are its side effects?
Regular mate tea drinkers report of increased mental energy thought the clarity and high concentration.
In addition, this tea shouldn’t cause unwanted side effects associated with drinking simulative drinks (e.g. coffee) such as headaches, stomach pain, and nervousness.
The indigenous people of South America have long been using mate tea as a traditional herbal remedy against gastrointestinal problems.
The tea helps to digest food as it stimulates the production of bile and gastric acid. Regular drinking tea also reduces the number of gastric bacteria that often contribute to bad breath.
Mate antioxidants and amino acids help fat and cholesterol on the path through the bloodstream, so that they don’t accumulate on the artery walls.
Regular tea consumption prevents arteriosclerosis and has an effect on the formation of blood clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Drink it for energy!
As you saw yerba mate can help you to lose weight, gain energy, strengthen your body, and won’t affect you as coffee does.
It won’t affect your sleeping regardless of the stimulant that it contains. Get the best yerba mate tea on the market and enjoy every sip.
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