Who knows yerba mate? A tea from South America that we now see as a superfood because of its many health benefits. In this article you will learn more about this very special tea and how to drink it.
What is yerba mate?
Yerba mate is a type of tea. This is mainly drunk in South America. This South American drink is widely consumed in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. It is very normal there, just like drinking coffee and tea as we do here.
Yerba means 'herbs' and mate stands for the gourd from which people originally drink the tea. In addition, the tea is drunk through a filter straw, called a bombilla. These words come from the Indian language Quechan.
It is a tea made from the leaves and branches of a tree: the Ilex paraguarensis. Also simply called the mate plant. Not surprisingly, this tree is found in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. The leaves are dried over an open fire to give them a smoky flavour.
Drinking this tea is also a ritual. It's a sign of friendship. When someone offers you yerba mate, it is a great compliment and token of appreciation. So don't just turn this off!
Another piece of history
Yerba mate was probably first drunk by the Guarani people. These were Indians who lived in South America. They chewed leaves or put the leaves in water and drank the water. For the Indians, the mate tree was a gift from the gods. It nourished them and had spiritual significance.
Due to its health effects, yerba mate also became popular in Spain. They took the tea with them, but also found out that the tree could only grow in South America. The maté plant is therefore still cultivated there.
Nutrients
Yerba mate contains (estimated) the following nutrients:
- Protein
- Sodium
- Calcium
- Manganese
- Iron
- Selenium
- Nickel
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B5
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Caffeine
- Theophylline
- Theobromine
But that's not all. In total, yerba mate contains 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids and 11 polyphenols (powerful antioxidants).
How do you drink yerba mate?
We show you how people used to drink tea. This was a special ritual. Something people did with friends and family. Of course you can still do this too! This goes as follows.
The host or hostess calls me the 'matero'. The matero fills a cup, originally made from a calabash, two-thirds full with yerba mate. Then the matero pours water over the yerba mate. This water should be about 75°C hot. So no boiling water!
When the tea has steeped for a few minutes, the matero drinks the cup empty. You use a filter straw for this. A straw with a tea filter attached to it. The first cup of tea is strong and often a little bitter. The matero refills the cup and passes it to the next person. And so you go around the circle. The cup can be refilled up to ten times.
The tea can also be drunk cold. It is then called an iced tea, tereré. Children also drink the iced tea, but with lemonade, so that it gets a sweet taste.
Mateine
You can see yerba mate as a substitute for coffee or other types of tea with caffeine. Yerba meta also contains a kind of caffeine. However, unlike coffee and some teas, yerba mate is also high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This makes the positive effect on health many times greater.
The caffeine in yerba mate is called mateine. A mild variant of caffeine. Similar, but certainly not the same! Mateine consists, among other things, of the substance theobromine. This fabric makes the difference. Theobromine also occurs in the cocoa tree and therefore also in cocoa beans. Theobromine falls into the same class of substances as caffeine. It also has a stimulating and invigorating effect on humans.
It can also indirectly lower anxiety and stress. This is because of the relaxing effect on the muscles. We often unconsciously tense all kinds of muscles. When the muscles relax, the brain also receives a signal to relax.
Another substance in mateine is caffeine. That sounds a bit confusing. But the caffeine in mateine has a very different effect than caffeine on its own. This is due to the theobromine and other antioxidants. The caffeine is absorbed much more slowly by the body. As a result, you do not experience the undesirable effects of caffeine. For example, theobromine lowers blood pressure unlike caffeine. For this reason, yerba mate can be a good alternative for people with high blood pressure.
Health benefits
A number of health benefits have already passed by. Here are all the positive effects of yerba mate:
- Strengthens the immune system
- Supports the nervous system
- Helps with weight loss
- Helps relax muscles
- Gives energy
- Improves sports performance
- Supports digestion
- Helps against anxiety and stress
- Improves concentration
- Makes alert
Our products with yerba mate
In our webshop you will also find products with yerba mate: the Energy Boost and Super Green . The Energy Boost provides more energy, faster recovery and better sports performance. The yerba meta plays an important role in this. It also ensures 23% more fat burning.
With the Super Green blend you already get a huge boost of vitamins, minerals, fibers and antioxidants. The yerba mate is one of the seven superfoods in this blend. It supports your immune system and helps you focus.
Who has already drunk this special South American tea?
