What Is Mate Tea, And What Are Its benefits?

What is mate tea?

Mate is a drink that is made from yerba mate, a species of holly native to South America. It originates from South America, as it was first drunk by the Gurani and Tupi peoples. It is now the national drink of Argentina and is a very popular beverage in South and Central America, as well as countries around the world with significant South American diasporas. 

How do you drink it?

Yerba mate is traditionally drunk from a calabash gourd. The yerba leaves are put into the gourd with hot water, and then drunk with a straw that strains the tea from the leaves, often made from metal. It is very common for people to carry their gourd around with them in South America, as you would with a coffee or tea keep-cup along with a flask of hot water to keep their mate topped up. However, you can also now find it in tea bags.

What are the benefits of mate tea?

Mate is similar to green tea in that it serves as a great alternative to coffee but still contains good amounts of caffeine. It is also full of antioxidants which protect cells from damage from free radicals like pollution. It also contains important minerals such as potassium, magnesium and manganese. 

Let us know what you think about mate in the comments below!