Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis)

If you love botanicals, but still want a boost of caffeine, yerba maté may be for you! Yerba maté is herbal, but has plenty of caffeine to fuel you through your day. Read more information on this botanical form of caffeine, and how to incorporate it into your tea-drinking routine!

Origins & Traditions

Yerba maté comes from the dried leaves harvested from an evergreen tree native to South American Atlantic rainforests. It is primarily harvested by yerbateros (cultivators) on small farms in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. In Argentina, “yerba maté” originally translated as “the gourd herb”, i.e. the herb one drinks from a gourd. The indigenous Guarani people who first used it call it ka’a (“herb”).

Traditionally, after mate leaves are dried and ground, the brewer fills a dried hollowed calabash gourd with the leaves and hot water. Using a special metal straw (or bombilla), close friends or family drink the caffeine-rich, stimulating tea in a rotating fashion. Take a sip and pass it on! The recipient gives thanks, drinks the few mouthfuls in the container, and then returns the maté to the brewer, who refills it and passes it to the next person in clockwise order. 

In southern Chile, the ritual differs a bit. The recipient does not give thanks until he or she finishes drinking. This strong social and cultural tradition brings people together and creates community. Being offered maté is a sign of respect, and in many instances an important precursor to making new friends on the road. 

Maté Properties

Yerba maté leaves contain 24 different vitamins and minerals, alkaloids, 15 amino acids, and abundant polyphenols, making it a highly nourishing drink! The 85 mg of caffeine in a cup of maté (along with several other chemicals) stimulate the brain, heart, and muscles lining the blood vessels. The average caffeine quantity of a cup of maté is less than coffee, but more than black tea. 

“Stimulating like coffee, euphoric like chocolate, and with the health benefits of tea,” yerba maté is not for the faint of heart. It acts as a tonic, laxative diuretic, muscle relaxant, and can reduce appetite. It may also increase intellectual vigor. Some say it helps with diabetes, lowering blood sugar when taken regularly. Similar attitudes believe it can help lower LDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol. 

As with all herbs, opt for moderation. Refrain from consuming maté if you are pregnant, nursing, or have sleep issues. Caffeine also slows blood clotting, so people with bleeding disorders should avoid it. Overall, maté should not be consumed in large amounts due to its high caffeine content. 

Flavor Profile & Fun Blends

When yerba maté leaves are harvested, they are often dried by a wood fire, imparting the roasty flavor that maté is known for. Maté also turns rather bitter if steeped for a long time. Some maté lovers crave this bitterness, whereas others may choose a shorter steeping time, or use fewer leaves, to limit the bitter flavor.

Yerba maté adds depth and dimension to tea blends! Its herb-like taste fits well with other botanicals, and its kick of caffeine can also be beneficial. We incorporate yerba maté into these blends: Beat the Snot Out of You, Spicy Yerba Chai, Have a Headache?, and Sabertooth Green. And of course, we also sell straight yerba and authentic gourds!

Written by: Greta de la Montagne, edited by: Boo Curry and Heather Kreilick