Yerba Mate

 
More on Mate...

 
In the search for a natural stimulant devoid of side effects and toxicity, we feel that Mate currently holds the most promise. An invigorator of the mind and body, a natural source of nutrition, and a valuable and efficient health promoter, Yerba Mate is not only garnering the attention of those looking for a safe, healthy energy boost, but by those interested in maintaining optimum health as well.
 
One of my dear friends lives in Argentina, and he speaks about Mate the same way we speak of tea or coffee, and says that it is so deeply embedded in their culture, that most don’t even give it a second thought anymore, that it's mass-consumed just as coffee is in the United States, and this concerns him becuase he says that there is so much more to it than being a safe, effective stimulant.
 
The native Guarani, on the other hand, still care deeply about the uses of Mate that may have great benefit for the body.  They believe that it can boost immunity, cleanse and detoxify the blood, combat aging while even restoring natural hair color, as well as a powerful way to stimulate the mind and body, while reducing disease, and promoting overall better health.
 
Yerba Maté (translated, means the "Mate Herb") gets its name from the cup used to drink it, which just happens to be called a Maté cup.   These Maté cups are almost always made out of gourds, which were most-often decorated with a smoldering stick or flame.  This gives the mate designs their unique "burned in" look that many find so attractive.  In South America, where Maté was introduced to the world, it's still sipped from the Maté cup using a metal or wood decorative straw & filter called a bombilla as seen in the photo above, and which we offer as Yerba Mate Gift Packs here at the shop.
 
Today's modern-day Maté drinker has the luxury of being able to buy yerba maté teabags, and can make it just like any other tea.  But, there's still plenty of loose tea available, and it can be brewed like normal loose-leaf tea and filtered before pouring into a cup. It can be use in a coffee press, or made into a flavorful iced tea to drink on a hot summer day.  There are even reports of those who brew it like coffee in their coffee makers.  If you try this method, just remember that it takes a lot more mate to get the same taste and effect.
 
Look through our extensive line of Yerba Maté products; we carry everything from Nativa, to Guayaki, to brands that are famous in South America and Argentina, such as Canarias and Rosamonte.