Yerba Mate

Mate is commonly known as the traditional ritual beverage of various South American Indian tribes, famous as the ancient drink of health and friendship. What are not so widely-known about mate are its amazing qualities. Apart from being a tea-like beverage, which consumption is a cult, Mate can keep your energy up – in extreme heat, cold, physical activity and stress. The dried herb contains meteine which is almost the same as caffeine with the main advantage of being absolutely unprocessed. Among all natural stimulants Mate holds the aces for being devoid of toxicity and side effects, providing nutrition and stimulation for both the mind and body.

Drinking Mate is not simply the pleasure of having a cup of tea, it is a ritual. But what comes first, before the warm liquid could spread its fortifying effects, is a set of actions that Mate-lovers must keep in mind in order to prepare and serve the herb properly. From pouring the dry leaves in the small hollow calabash cup, to drinking the first Mate and passing it on – the process is ritualistic, directed towards providing the maximum mineral quality of the herb.

How did I find out about Mate? Years ago, in the beautiful (then) beach of Irakli, Eastern Bulgaria somebody passed me on a curious little bulb with a metal straw sticking out of it. The taste – bitter. The effect- missing. Only after the third drink I started feeling slightly energized and then bam!!! My hearth started racing, my breathing changed and I had the feeling I could swim up to Varna.

Earlier this year, in Costa Rica on my fist day at the Rainforest Alliance, my boss – from Argentina where drinking Mate is practiced daily by young and old- shared a cup with me. And then it all started – I fell in love with the drink. I researched it and apparently no scientists and doctors could relate Mate to any negative side effects or illnesses. On the contrary, Mate is proved to strengthen the immune system, cleanse the body from toxins, calm allergies and serve as a gentle diuretic. But what really made me a fervent Mate-drinker was its ability to keep me alert, awake, energized. No coffee has ever made that happen. No other stimulant could keep me up until 3a.m. when I have some work to do and immediately freshen up my mind and body at 6 a.m. before departing to whatever destination. Mate stimulates mental activity and concentration even when its 35 degrees outside. How can you not love it!

For everybody interested in optimum health Mate would be a good choice. It is also excellent for diets as it suppresses the appetite – you are still hungry and you eat normally, but once you start drinking mate, there will be no desire to munch on some useless chips and cookies while studying. And finally, my friends, Mate is a good aphrodisiac. All this explains why among the shoes and clothes, my suitcase to Asia was stuffed with two large packages of Mate Yierba, the bulb and bombilla that have kicked coffee out of my mornings.
I suppose it could be found in specialized coffee, tea and South American stores, probably online as well. Strongly recommended!