Yerba mate drink
29 October, 2021 | Bon Tea Cafe Updated 2021

Here Is Why Should Taste Yerba Mate Drink

Have you tasted yerba mate before? It’s one of those healthy beverages that feels like you know, but at the same time, you’re not sure. To the beginner, the yerba mate drink might not taste well. But to the experienced, it’s a drink with colorful flavors. 

Now, that's not always the case with the yerba mate drink. But that's the nature of the beverage. So it will take some time before you get used to it. Think of yerba mate as dark rich coffee, red wine, and similar stuff like that - acquired tastes. 

On the first try, the wine tastes like a sour grape. After that, coffee will taste like a bitter cup of something. And yerba mate? Well, yerba taste like soil, grass, dirt, and ashtray sometimes. 

Wait. Before you say anything, let me explain. There’s more to it. 

What Is The Yerba Mate Drink? 

Yerba mate is a type of tea, just like how herbal tea is tea. The drink is an infusion of the Ilex paraguariensis plant. That gives you a massive boost of coffee, similar to coffee but in a smaller amount. 

The drink was initially from Paraguay but popular in South America. And it's pretty different from several other tea drinks because it's not strained traditionally. Instead, it's rather brewed continuously. 

In this regard, it’s highly similar to the Gong Fu tea. Yerba mate has its ceremony and drinking vessel. So it’s honored as an infusion drink. 

Tasting Yerba Mate Drink As A Beginner 

Yerba mate drink

The taste of yerba mate drink is usually vegetal, earthy, herbaceous, and bittersweet. 

However, the yerba mate flavor can vary subtly depending on cultivation practices, growing regions, and brewing strategies. Many types of yerba mate drink contain fragile tree branches and stems, giving the tea a woodsy flavor. 

The tannin content of a late-harvested plant can be higher than that of a young plant, resulting in a more bitter herb. For a toasted flavor, some producers burn the leaves and twigs. Others let the collected herb mature in wooden containers to provide even more layers of wild flavors.

The Caffeine Content In Yerba Mate Drink 

Yerba mate is typically known to be a drink with:

  • The healing properties of herbal tea,
  • the energy boost of coffee, and
  • the delicious flavor of conventional tea.

Theobromine, caffeine, theophylline, and stimulants found in chocolate, tea, and coffee, tea, are all present in the yerba mate plant. 

The caffeine amount of any beverage created from a caffeinated plant varies depending on:

  • How the herb was processed, 
  • The type of plant, and 
  • The brewing process of the herb

The flavor's strength, caffeine levels, and other nutrients in some yerba mate plants can differ depending on whether it's a male or female plant. Female plants are usually lower in caffeine and calmer in flavor.

Benefits Of Yerba Mate Drink

1. Yerba Mate Drink May Enhance Your Physical Performance 

Various studies have shown that caffeine can decrease fatigue and muscle contractions and boost athletic performance by 5%. 

Those who drink yerba mate should expect similar physical performance benefits because it contains a moderate level of caffeine.

Before exercise, those who took a one-gram capsule of ground yerba mate leaves burnt 24% more fat during moderate-intensity activity.

When you rely more on fat for energy during exercise, you save your carb reserves for high-intensity activities like sprinting to the finish line or cycling up a hill. This could lead to improved athletic performance.

2. Boost Your Immune System 

Yerba mate drinks are high in saponins compounds. Saponins are natural emulsifiers with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties.

Polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants, are also found in yerba mate.

Inflammatory bowel disease, seasonal allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes are caused by an excessive immune response modulated by these plant-based chemicals.

They protect against osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurological illnesses because they are potent antioxidants.

3. May Protect Against Infections 

Yerba mate may aid in the prevention of parasitic, bacterial, and fungal infections.

A high dose of yerba mate extract killed E. coli. E.coli is a bacteria that causes food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhea and stomach cramps. 

Malassezia furfur, a fungus that causes dandruff, scaly skin, and some skin rashes, may be prevented by compounds in yerba mate.

Also, research suggests that some of its components may protect against intestinal parasites.

However, the majority of this research was conducted on isolated cells. Therefore, it's unclear whether these advantages apply to humans. So additional research is still needed.

4. Yerba Mate Drink Can Help You Lose Weight

Yerba mate has received some attention as a weight-loss supplement.

Can it, however, actually help you lose weight?

There's some evidence that yerba mate can help you lose weight by boosting your energy expenditure, decreasing your appetite, burning fat, and enhancing insulin sensitivity. 

How to Drink Yerba Mate 

Yerba mate drink

Drinking yerba mate is as much social as it is a practical one. First, the beverage is popularly known for its energy-boosting properties. And that's why people enjoy them every day. But, of course, some people drink it one cup at a time. And they do so at regular intervals throughout the day. 

But the popular way of drinking the beverage is to sip it regularly for several hours and add more leaves to the water as necessary. Each step produces more flavor and nutrients, so it's a drink that can help you go through the day. 

Most times, people enjoy yerba mate in social gatherings. People usually meet up in parks, beautiful and calm environments for ritual drinking of the drink. It's a tradition for most people. 

Many people come together and stare at one gourd with one bombilla. Then, they pass the gourd around, which creates a bond between the people gathered there. 

Creating a bond is more important than any disease one may get in terms of safety and hygiene. And since it's usually done among family and friends, most people don't think about it that much. 

However, keep in mind that you should never stir the leaves when people offer you the gourd. It's considered to be impolite because it disturbs how the leaves have been arranged themselves. And it only helps the bombilla when you pull through the straw. 

Of course, you can always prepare your yerba mate in your gourd and drink it yourself. But sharing is a traditional way of drinking yerba mate, and you should never bring your gourd to such gatherings. It's considered rude. 

Drinking Yerba Mate Without A Bombilla And Gourd

If you didn't know, you could drink yerba mate without the bombilla or gourd, but that will take some of the incredible experience. Also, even though it's traditional to use the gourd to prepare the beverage, some people find it messy and unclean. 

But you can make the drink at your home and enjoy the day. You can still have the refreshing taste you want and still give you the energy boost and nutrients. 

If you want to know all the surprising benefits of yerba mate, check out this article: The Interesting Tradition of Yerba Mate.

Conclusion 

You can enjoy the yerba mate drink with your loved ones, particularly at your favorite coffee shop. However, keep in mind that the drink may not be appropriate for everyone. And sometimes, drinking too much at high temperatures can cause specific side effects. But just like other beverages, you have to drink yerba mate in moderation. Doing that can help you get the benefits you need. If you want to try the drink, order online now, and we’ll gladly deliver it to you at your utmost convenience.