What is Yerba Mate tea

Sunday, 01 May 2011 16:00 |

What is Yerba Mate Tea?

Natural bitters from the rainforest.
The best coffee replacement

Yerba maté (Ilex Paraguariensis) is a native herb from South America, where it has been consumed for many centuries, becoming more popular than coffee. It grows naturally in the rainforests of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The Spanish conquerors, having noticed that the native Indians who drank this herb were healthy, energetic and enjoyed a positive predisposition, decided to adopt it. Two centuries later, maté tea became the preferred beverage of the workers (gauchos) as well as of the wealthy landowners. Currently is also used by students to aid focus and energy. It is also consumed as a appetite suppressor and is consider a natural stimulant that promotes a pleasant state of alertness, and stimulates body cleansing. It is also rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. (This statement is common knowledge between people who drink it.)

For the production of Yerba mate tea, either the leaves alone (Yerba “sin palo”, without sticks) or the leaves and the stems (Yerba “con palo”, with sticks) are used.

How to prepare Yerba Mate tea

This is the best way to do the traditional mate gourd:

The word maté is used to name both the beverage and the container used to drink it. Mate is traditionally shared within a circle of friends: the herb is placed in a small gourd previously emptied and dried (mate), and it is sipped using a metal straw (bombilla). The mate is half filled with yerba. The cebador (maté server) pours water into the gourd and each person, in his/her turn, drinks all the water. The gourd is then refilled for the next person. A delicate foam covers the surface of the first matés, which have a more concentrated flavor. The flavor becomes increasingly softer until it is lost (this is known as “maté lavado”, washed mate): then it is time to recharge the gourd with fresh herb.

In order to obtain a good mate, the water has to be hot but not boiling (aprox. 80 F). If the water is too hot the mate will loose its flavor very quickly; also, the metal straw would become too hot for the lips.

The container needs to be cured before use: the gourd is filled with Yerba (aprox. ¾ of the container), which is then moistened with warm water and allowed to sit for 1 day. It is important to discard the yerba after one day to avoid fermentation (otherwise the gourd will acquire an unpleasant flavor that is difficult to get rid of).

Yerba Mate tea On-line:

Buy on-line. See all Yerba Mate tea brands and Accessories -gourds (mates) and (bombillas)

If you wish to buy Bulk (20 packages of 1 kilo = 44 pounds), please contact us by phone or e-mail only.

Remember:

We keep your information safe and private. Allow 48 hour for processing your order. We'll mail it through USPS, using Priority Mail Service (2 - 3 days delivery). Pay same shipping cost* for buying up to 3 packages, total weight to 6.6 lb.

*($10.7 shipping cost + $1.4 delivery confirmation = $12.10 anywhere in the US. - Ask about international rates.)

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