Yerba Mate

1
Yerba Mate Basics

• A primer to yerba mate

2
Contents

• What is Yerba Mate?
• History of the drink
• How is it served?
• Preparing the gourd
• Enjoying the beverage
• Health benefits

3
What is Yerba Mate

• Traditional South American drink popular in
  Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay.
• It is prepared from steeping dried leaves of
  yerba mate (llex paraguariensis) in hot water.
• The caffeine content is less than that of coffee
  and yerba mate is often compared to green tea.

4
History of Yerba Mate

• In what is now Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil,
  the Guaraní people consumed yerba mate in
  pre-Columbian times.
• Early Spanish colonists in Asuncion adopted the
  beverage and its consumption became widespread by
  the 16th century.
• Jesuit missionaries domesticated the plant in the
  17th century and produced it for export.
• Production and popularity of the beverage
  increased in Argentina and Brazil during the 17th
  century.
• Yerba mate remains a popular beverage in
  Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

5
How is it served?

• Yerba mate is typically served in a Gourd and
  sipped through a metal bombilla.
• The bombilla serves as a straw and a strainer to
  keep the herbs from clogging the straw.
• The photo to the right shows yerba mate in a
  gourd ready to drink through a bombilla.

6
Preparing the mate

• Fill the gourd more than half way with yerba
  mate.
• Insert the bombilla.
• Cover the bombilla and gourd with one hand and
  shake the yerba mate. When it is shaken, larger
  stems will settle to the top to help keep the
  bombilla from clogging.
• Add warm water and allow the yerba to soak it up.
  
• Add hot water and enjoy!

7
Enjoying the mate

• The gourd can be filled several times. Once the
  yerba mate no longer has a potent flavor, it is
  said to be washed or lavado.
• In a social setting, usually everyone in the
  group will drink from the same bombilla and
  gourd.
• The person pouring the mate, the cebador, will
  pour for everyone.
• Saying gracias when returning the mate
  indicates you have had enough.

8
Health Benefits

• Yerba mate contains vitamins, minerals and
  antioxidants.
• These include vitamin C, potassium, manganese
  and zinc in addition to quercetin, theobrime and
  theophylline.
• Some studies suggest the herb can reduce risks of
  heart disease and cancer.
• Yerba mate contains caffeine and promotes focus,
  clarity and higher energy levels.
• Some claim that drinking yerba mate aids in
  weight loss.

9
Find out more

• To find out more and to browse yerba mate
  available for sale visit www.buenaondafoods.com