Mate
The drink of friendship
Mate is an herbal tea made from the leaves and twigs of the Ilex
paraguariensis plant, or Yerba Mate. The leaves are typically dried over
a fire, then steeped in hot water to make the tea. Yerba mate is
traditionally consumed from a container called a gourd, or simply "mate"
and sipped with a metal straw ("bombilla") that has a filter at its
lower end to strain out the leaf fragments. It is the national beverage
of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Sharing it from this traditional gourd is said to be a sign of
friendship and bonding.
Learn more about Mate
How to Prepare A Good Mate
To prepare the mate, fill one third of the calabash with the yerba
leaves, prior to adding hot water, at 70/80 degrees. The Mate can be
topped up with hot water several times before using new leaves to make a
new batch. Although traditionally consumed hot, yerba mate may also be
served cold, especially in hot climates. This beverage contains various
beneficial compounds linked to impressive health benefits.
If you’d like to give yerba mate a try, start slowly and make sure to
let it cool a little before drinking it.