Mate tea (pronounced mah-teh) is the national drink of Argentina, renowned for its ability to rejuvenate and provide focus and apparently the new secret weapon for the England football team.
so, what is it?
Mate tea is made from the yerba mate (pronounced ‘yehr-bah mah-teh,’) a South American holly tree similar to the tea plant. It’s not strictly “tea” as it’s not made from the tea plant, Camelia Sinensis, but it has similar benefits to tea since it’s similarly high in antioxidants and contains caffeine. In South America it’s drunk from a hollow gourd with loose leaves, hot water and a metal strainer straw (in Argentina nearly everyone walks around with the iconic cups in their hand,) but we sell it in our trustee tea temples.
where does yerba mate come from?
Mate tea originates from Paraguay where the indigenous Guaraní people and Tupí communities were the first to cultivate the herb and make tea. Since then it has spread throughout South America, and most popular in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. If you've ever travelled to South America, you would have no doubt seen literally everyone drinking yerba...
why should I drink yerba mate tea?
It'll give you an energy boost thanks to the natural caffeine content - and let's be honest, if it's good enough for the England football team, it's good enough for us! Yerba is a fab tea to try if you want to impress your mates with a niche blend -it tastes like a smoky green tea, so a great one to try if you're already a lapsang souchong fan or another option for lovers of popcorn tea.
So, pop on your trainers and get some yerba mate on the go!
