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0 / 30 Fotos
What is yerba mate?
- Mate is a traditional drink in South America, a herbal tea that's been enjoyed by people across the continent for centuries.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Where does it come from?
- It's made from the dried leaves and stems of the Ilex paraguariensis plant species. It was first given its Western scientific name by French botanist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire, in 1822.
© NL Beeld
2 / 30 Fotos
Indigenous origins
- The herb was originally harvested by the Indigenous Guaraní in present-day Paraguay. Some Tupi people also cultivated the plant.
© NL Beeld
3 / 30 Fotos
Europeans 'discover' yerba mate
- Its consumption as an edible foodstuff and energizing and healing infusion was exclusive to what are today the departments of Amambay and Alto Paraná. It's in these regions in the 16th century that European explorers first learned of yerba mate.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Spanish colonization
- The Spanish colonization of Paraguay brought with it widespread appreciation of mate as a healthy beverage.
© NL Beeld
5 / 30 Fotos
The Jesuits and yerba
- By the mid-17th century, Jesuits had domesticated yerba mate and established plantations in settlements in Misiones, Argentina. This sparked fierce competition with existing Paraguayan harvesters.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Mixed fortunes
- The expulsion of the Jesuits in the 1770s led to the widespread abandonment of the plantations. As a result, the industry in Paraguay once again flourished.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Paraguayan War (1864–1870)
- However, the Paraguayan War, fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay, devasted the Paraguayan economy. Some regions with yerba mate plantations became Argentine territory.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Brazil soaks up the market
- In the wake of the war, Brazil emerged as the largest producer of mate, though Argentina remained the traditional home of the plant's cultivation.
© Public Domain
9 / 30 Fotos
Argentina becomes prime consumer
- When Brazil turned its attention to coffee production in the 1930s, Argentina once again became yerba mate's prime consumer, the center of production reestablished in Misiones Province.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Yerba mate production
- According to Statista, the largest producer of yerba mate today is Argentina, followed closely by Brazil, then Paraguay.
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Cash crop
- But in 2023, Brazil was the leading exporter of yerba mate, with an export value of US$89 million.
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
What's in a name?
- In Spanish-speaking countries, the infusion is known as mate. In Brazil, however, it's referred to as chimarrão.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
How it's prepared
- The perfect mate is traditionally prepared using a small, hollowed-out gourd filled three-quarters full with dried leaves. Hot but not boiling water is then added.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Use of the bombilla
- The beverage is drunk through a metal straw known as a bombilla. The lower end is perforated and acts as a metal filter, which is used to separate the mate infusion from leaves, stems, and other mate debris.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Color and quality
- Quality mate will display a greenish-yellow tone, avoiding intense greens or brown hues.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
In good taste
- Novice palates are best introduced to mates that are sweet, light, and not overly bitter or complex. For more seasoned tastes, popular Argentine brand La Merced is often the choice. The company has been producing mate since 1897 and uses high-quality yerba mate leaves and traditional production techniques.
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
Drink of the gauchos
- From its original consumption by Indigenous peoples of the pampas, mate remains a favored beverage of all social classes in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The skilled horsemen known as gauchos are especially synonymous with mate, its high caffeine content (as much as coffee) seemingly boosting strength and stamina.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Health benefits
- An infusion of yerba mate packs a healthy punch. In fact, this beverage is confirmed as showing a number of beneficial health effects, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
A natural remedy
- Mate is rich in antioxidants and nutrients. It serves as a natural remedy for a number of disorders, including fatigue and depression. It's also known to assist in weight management.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Energy boost
- Mate provides an energy boost due to its high caffeine content. It may, therefore, increase alertness, improve concentration, and enhance physical performance.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Mind and body
- Drinking mate may be helpful in addressing mental health issues, things such as attention disorders and eating disorders.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Weight loss
- Mate helps stimulate fat oxidation and feelings of fullness, perhaps due to its caffeine and antioxidant mix. This can lead to significant decreases in weight in some individuals.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Barrier against infection
- The powerful health benefits of yerba mate extend to preventing infections from bacteria, parasites, and fungi, existing studies suggest. However, more recent research in humans is needed.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Drink away diabetes
- The results of a 2017 study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that yerba mate may help lower blood sugar and reduce complications associated with diabetes. Furthermore, it could even improve insulin signaling, the intracellular signaling pathway that is responsible for the metabolism of the body.
© Shutterstock
25 / 30 Fotos
Celebrity infusion
- Mate's stimulant properties are well known to sports stars. Lionel Messi, for example, is often seen brandishing a vessel full of the greenish infusion before training.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Fit for royalty
- The South American infusion is popular with VIPs, too. In 1999, the then-Prince Charles sampled a gourd of mate during a royal visit to a ranch in Uruguay.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Best mates with the Pope
- In ecclesiastical circles, none other than Pope Francis himself is often seen drinking mate, even when conducting his weekly audience at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
A beverage for everybody
- From its humble Indigenous origins in Latin America, mate today is enjoyed in many parts of the world. It's a staple beverage in Syria and Lebanon, while in the United States yerba mate is regarded as an organic hip drink. Sources: (JSTOR Daily) (Mate Factor) (Yerba Crew) (Healthline) (Statista) (National Center for Biotechnology Information)
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
What is yerba mate?
- Mate is a traditional drink in South America, a herbal tea that's been enjoyed by people across the continent for centuries.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Where does it come from?
- It's made from the dried leaves and stems of the Ilex paraguariensis plant species. It was first given its Western scientific name by French botanist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire, in 1822.
© NL Beeld
2 / 30 Fotos
Indigenous origins
- The herb was originally harvested by the Indigenous Guaraní in present-day Paraguay. Some Tupi people also cultivated the plant.
© NL Beeld
3 / 30 Fotos
Europeans 'discover' yerba mate
- Its consumption as an edible foodstuff and energizing and healing infusion was exclusive to what are today the departments of Amambay and Alto Paraná. It's in these regions in the 16th century that European explorers first learned of yerba mate.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Spanish colonization
- The Spanish colonization of Paraguay brought with it widespread appreciation of mate as a healthy beverage.
© NL Beeld
5 / 30 Fotos
The Jesuits and yerba
- By the mid-17th century, Jesuits had domesticated yerba mate and established plantations in settlements in Misiones, Argentina. This sparked fierce competition with existing Paraguayan harvesters.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Mixed fortunes
- The expulsion of the Jesuits in the 1770s led to the widespread abandonment of the plantations. As a result, the industry in Paraguay once again flourished.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Paraguayan War (1864–1870)
- However, the Paraguayan War, fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay, devasted the Paraguayan economy. Some regions with yerba mate plantations became Argentine territory.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Brazil soaks up the market
- In the wake of the war, Brazil emerged as the largest producer of mate, though Argentina remained the traditional home of the plant's cultivation.
© Public Domain
9 / 30 Fotos
Argentina becomes prime consumer
- When Brazil turned its attention to coffee production in the 1930s, Argentina once again became yerba mate's prime consumer, the center of production reestablished in Misiones Province.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Yerba mate production
- According to Statista, the largest producer of yerba mate today is Argentina, followed closely by Brazil, then Paraguay.
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Cash crop
- But in 2023, Brazil was the leading exporter of yerba mate, with an export value of US$89 million.
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
What's in a name?
- In Spanish-speaking countries, the infusion is known as mate. In Brazil, however, it's referred to as chimarrão.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
How it's prepared
- The perfect mate is traditionally prepared using a small, hollowed-out gourd filled three-quarters full with dried leaves. Hot but not boiling water is then added.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Use of the bombilla
- The beverage is drunk through a metal straw known as a bombilla. The lower end is perforated and acts as a metal filter, which is used to separate the mate infusion from leaves, stems, and other mate debris.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Color and quality
- Quality mate will display a greenish-yellow tone, avoiding intense greens or brown hues.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
In good taste
- Novice palates are best introduced to mates that are sweet, light, and not overly bitter or complex. For more seasoned tastes, popular Argentine brand La Merced is often the choice. The company has been producing mate since 1897 and uses high-quality yerba mate leaves and traditional production techniques.
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
Drink of the gauchos
- From its original consumption by Indigenous peoples of the pampas, mate remains a favored beverage of all social classes in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The skilled horsemen known as gauchos are especially synonymous with mate, its high caffeine content (as much as coffee) seemingly boosting strength and stamina.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Health benefits
- An infusion of yerba mate packs a healthy punch. In fact, this beverage is confirmed as showing a number of beneficial health effects, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
A natural remedy
- Mate is rich in antioxidants and nutrients. It serves as a natural remedy for a number of disorders, including fatigue and depression. It's also known to assist in weight management.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Energy boost
- Mate provides an energy boost due to its high caffeine content. It may, therefore, increase alertness, improve concentration, and enhance physical performance.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Mind and body
- Drinking mate may be helpful in addressing mental health issues, things such as attention disorders and eating disorders.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Weight loss
- Mate helps stimulate fat oxidation and feelings of fullness, perhaps due to its caffeine and antioxidant mix. This can lead to significant decreases in weight in some individuals.
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Barrier against infection
- The powerful health benefits of yerba mate extend to preventing infections from bacteria, parasites, and fungi, existing studies suggest. However, more recent research in humans is needed.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Drink away diabetes
- The results of a 2017 study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that yerba mate may help lower blood sugar and reduce complications associated with diabetes. Furthermore, it could even improve insulin signaling, the intracellular signaling pathway that is responsible for the metabolism of the body.
© Shutterstock
25 / 30 Fotos
Celebrity infusion
- Mate's stimulant properties are well known to sports stars. Lionel Messi, for example, is often seen brandishing a vessel full of the greenish infusion before training.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Fit for royalty
- The South American infusion is popular with VIPs, too. In 1999, the then-Prince Charles sampled a gourd of mate during a royal visit to a ranch in Uruguay.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Best mates with the Pope
- In ecclesiastical circles, none other than Pope Francis himself is often seen drinking mate, even when conducting his weekly audience at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
A beverage for everybody
- From its humble Indigenous origins in Latin America, mate today is enjoyed in many parts of the world. It's a staple beverage in Syria and Lebanon, while in the United States yerba mate is regarded as an organic hip drink. Sources: (JSTOR Daily) (Mate Factor) (Yerba Crew) (Healthline) (Statista) (National Center for Biotechnology Information)
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
Your next best mate? Get to know the iconic drink
A herbal infusion that's been around for centuries
© Shutterstock
Mate is a herbal infusion made from the yerba mate, a plant species native to South America. Imbibed for centuries by the Indigenous peoples of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, the drink was introduced to European palates by the Spanish in the 16th century. Appreciated for a range of proven health benefits, mate today is enjoyed by many in Latin America, where it serves as a ritual of connection and sharing.
Click through the following gallery and learn more about this cherished liquid refreshment.
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