What Is “Mate Drink” And Why Should I Try It?

“Mate drink.” Those words have been floating around healthy lifestyle blogs, the gym and at the smoothie bar. What’s all the fuss about? “Mate drink” refers to yerba mate, an herbal tea popular in South America. Let’s dive in and learn more.

Yerba Mate: Components

Mate tea is made from the dried leaves and twigs of the yerba mate plant. It can replace coffee and sugary energy drinks as a healthier alternative. This is due to its xanthine compounds, which include caffeine. A major benefit of mate’s xanthine is that it does not give you the jitters like you would get with coffee. It provides a calm, steady energy boost. Mate drink also has antioxidants, which protect the body by helping to neutralize free radicals and oxidation (which cause premature aging). Yerba mate is also anti-inflammatory, therefore playing a role in the reduction of arthritis, IBD, obesity, and more.  

Is Mate Drink Dangerous?

There can be too much of a good thing, but overall, yerba mate is not dangerous. Some issues were found among people that drank excessive amounts of very hot mate tea over very long periods of time. However, since many enjoy mate drink as a cold, sparkling tea beverage and not all day, every day, it is highly unlikely to pose a risk to healthy adults. Remember, even water can cause a serious issue called hyponatremia. So, if you hear about the dangers of mate drink, it is only when it is consumed at high temperatures and in excess. Regular consumption, hot or cold, provides many health benefits.

Ethical Yerba Mate

Yerba mate is native to South America, and it is imperative that you enjoy mate drinks that harvest the plant responsibly. Look for mate drink products that are fair trade and invest in agroforestry.

What is agroforestry? Unlike monoculture, agroforestry involves co-planting beneficial trees, shrubs and other plants alongside the main crop. This keeps the topsoil from eroding, keeps the soil full of nutrients and provides natural pest control. Home gardeners do a small form of agroforestry when they plant marigolds alongside their cabbages and lettuce to ward off pests and keep more nutrients in the soil.

It is also important to work collaboratively alongside the Indigenous populations that grow, harvest and sell yerba mate. They know best how to grow and harvest the plant sustainably.

Enjoying Mate Drink

Yerba mate was traditionally enjoyed as a hot tea sipped from a gourd but as its popularity grew around the world, it is enjoyed in other ways. In America, cold sparkling mate drink is now a staple on grocery store shelves. It’s common to see this cold tea mixed with other flavors such as peach, mango, blueberry, acai, lemon and ginger. Since these fruits and plants have their own beneficial nutrients, mixing them with mate creates an amazing, healthy, energy boosting drink that can be enjoyed any time.

Say goodbye to high-sugar energy drinks. Say goodbye to jittery coffee. Yerba mate is the best way to get a safe, sustainable energy boost along with a ton of health benefits all in a drink that tastes amazing. Choose a fair trade brand that uses agroforestry to grow and harvest yerba mate, and you have one powerhouse of a drink that benefits both you and the planet.

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