Yerba Mate Tea: What You Need To Know

Yerba mate tea seems like the next hottest tea trend for it’s crazy health benefits! So I thought, I definitely have to get on board and see what all the fuss is about!

Yerba mate is a traditional tea from South America. It’s been brewed for centuries at this point but it’s only gaining global recognition now.

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What Is Yerba Mate?

Yerba Mate (pronounced Yer-Bah Mah-Tay) is from the dried leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant.

But, what sets yerba mate apart is that it’s an herb that has caffeine in it. Typically the only caffeinated teas are from the camellia sinensis plant. (Don’t know what camellia sinensis is? Go back to the tea basics to find out!).

Yerba mate is a social tea that’s meant to enjoy with friends and family. You’re supposed to fill up your gourd (like a cup – more on that later!), drink it, fill it back up and pass it to the next person to enjoy. You can refill your gourd around 20 times!

It’s known to have a bitter, earthy taste, so be prepared to not like it that much off the bat (remember your first time trying coffee!?).

Wait! Back up! Yerba Mate is Caffeinated!?

Yerba mate is in fact an herb with caffeine. I’ve seen a lot of people refer to Yerba mate as an herbal tea though which can be very problematic. You don’t want someone drinking this thinking it’s a normal ‘herbal’ tea and drinking it before bed.

It also has way more caffeine than any camelia Sinensis tea. It’s very close to the caffeine levels of coffee.

Camelia Sinensis tea (like black tea) has 26 mg or less of caffeine in one cup. Yerba mate, on the other hand, has 85 mg! Coffee is only 100 mg of caffeine per cup!

This makes Yerba mate a happy medium if you need more than a cup of tea, but don’t want the spike of energy from coffee.

What To Know Yerba Mate – Why Drink Yerba Mate Tea?

Didn’t you just read what I wrote… Yerba mate contains caffeine! But there’s more! Like most herbs, it’s loaded with different benefits that make this tea also worth adding to your diet!

Of course, before I tell you about the possible benefits, it’s important to take everything with a grain of salt.

So, Yerba mate is rich in antioxidants which, as we know, leads to several other benefits. But! On top of that, it can also boost your immune system (and in turn protect against infections).

It’s believed that it can also improve your physical performance and help you lose weight. Like other teas, it also has the ability to lower your blood sugar and lower your risk of heart disease!

Of course, it’s also associated with some risks… find out more about the benefits and risks!

How To Make Mate Tea?

As I said, Yerba mate has been around for centuries, it’s a traditional tea. So, like matcha, it comes with a specific way to drink it. 

But, of course, Yerba mate can also be enjoyed like any other tea. You can use your regular tea making methods, like metal strainers, tea bags, or even a tea press!

The Traditional Way – What You’ll Need

To enjoy Yerba mate the traditional way, you need to buy the appropriate gear; a gourd and a bombilla.

A gourd is a large, hard-shelled fruit, but they’re not all edible. It’s kind of like a squash. They’re used to make a whole bunch of different things, but in this case, they hollow it out and make a mug for tea.

Nowadays you can also find metal and even wood gourds that offer different flavour profiles to your tea.

A bombilla is a filtered straw. It’s instead of using modern filtering methods, like metal steepers and bags. (Honestly, I don’t know why we don’t adopt the bombilla for all other teas. It can protect black tea from staining your teeth!)

How To Prepare It

Fill your gourd 2/3 with Yerba mate loose leaf tea. You’re going to cover the top with your palm and shake it around. This brings up all the smaller pieces of tea so they don’t get stuck in your bombilla.

Then, tilt your gourd on a 45-degree angle, pour some cold/ lukewarm water over your tea. This will protect the leaves, and get them ready for the hot water you’re about to pour over them. After this, place your bombilla on top of the leaves.

Once your hot water is boiled, let it rest. You don’t want to burn your leaves, so let it cool off a bit (as if you’re making green tea). You want the temperature to be around 90 degrees.

Can You Enjoy Yerba Mate Tea Cold?

Although traditionally it’s meant to be served hot, there’s no one saying you can’t serve it cold.

Like most teas, Yerba mate still tastes delicious at colder temperatures. It makes it perfect for both cold winter days and to cool off in the hot summer months.

You can make an overnight cold brew tea, add some honey or lemon to it!

How Much Yerba Mate Tea Is Safe To Drink?

The studies are still limited on the long term effects of Yerba mate tea. But, locals in south America drink anywhere from 1- 4 litres of this goodness a DAY! That’s A LOT of Yerba mate!

I wouldn’t recommend drinking that much, especially at the beginning if you aren’t used to that much caffeine. 

As with most ‘herbal’ teas, it’s best to limit consumption, and I’d say Yerba mate is no different.

Related Posts

• The benefits and risks of yerba mate tea
• My first time making and trying yerba mate
• 5 Coffee Alternatives With Caffeine

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Last update on 2024-11-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API