Mate is a traditional drink in some countries of South America, especially in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and the South of Brazil. The drink, which contains mateine (an analog of caffeine), is made by an infusion of dried leaves of yerba mate. It is usually drunk with friends and served in a hollow bottle gourd with a "bombilla", a special metallic drinking straw, which functions also as a sieve.
Coffee has caffeine and a few antioxidants but it is largely not packed with anything healthy. It doesn't make coffee unhealthy per se, but it does mean every cup is a lost opportunity to gift our bodies with vitamins, minerals, and compounds it needs. By contrast, mate is packed with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, C, and E. It also contains minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and so much more. If you are looking for a healthier alternative to coffee that's chocked full of important and healthy ingredients, then mate can be the better choice over coffee.
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