What is mate?
Mate is the national drink of Argentina. Enjoyed at least three to four times a day by Argentinians, mate is a true institution in the country!
First of all, a little history:
Mate is made by infusing the leaves of yerba mate, a tree belonging to the holly family. The yerba mate plant was discovered by the indigenous peoples of South America and was primarily consumed by them. While the Yerba mate plant is now consumed worldwide, it is still only cultivated in Argentina, Paraguay and southern Brazil.
At Kusmi Tea, discover the flavour of mate in several of our blends: our BB Détox, our spiced tea Boost, our pineapple-flavoured Blue Detox, or our organic lemon green tea Petit Déjeuner à l'Elysée. How can you integrate this plant into your wellness routine with Kusmi Tea? We'll tell you everything!
Tea and mate: what is the difference?
Does mate contain theine? No! However, if we are talking about mate today, it is because the connection between tea and mate is unmistakable.
If mate is not strictly speaking a tea, it is because it comes from a plant in the holly family: yerba mate, or Ilex paraguariensis, and not from a tea plant.
Yerba mate is therefore a tree with thick leaves that grows naturally along streams in mountain forests between 500 m and 700 m in altitude. Yerba mate is thus physically very different from a tea plant.
Even before thinking of infusing the yerba mate leaves to enjoy its stimulating benefits, indigenous South Americans preferred to chew the leaves or soak them in cold water. Infusing yerba mate leaves came a little later. After roasting, crushing and infusing the yerba mate leaves in hot water, you get mate, a stimulating caffeine-rich beverage with effects similar to coffee or tea. Hence why mate is often associated with tea.
Now you know everything about the benefits of mate, it is time to put it into practice.
How do you drink mate?
What makes mate so special is undoubtedly how it is prepared and enjoyed. Preparing mate might seem intimidating, yet preparing it the authentic way is very simple. You just need to know the right technique.
To prepare a traditional mate, you need the right kit. For once, we won't talk about filters or teapots since yerba mate is enjoyed unfiltered, in a Calabash with a bombilla. Lost yet?
Glossary of mate preparation:
- The calabash : This is the round gourd-shaped vessel in which yerba mate infusion is prepared and drunk. The calabash is also called a guampa or simply a mate. In fact, the Calabash is made from a dried, hollowed-out gourd
- The bombilla : A bombilla is a metal straw with a filter at the end, traditionally used to drink mate directly from the calabash.
Discover our mate straw, specially designed for enjoying your mate.
How to prepare mate?
You will need:
-
Fill your calabash (or other container) ¾ full with yerba mate leaves.
- Remove the leaf powder by shaking the calabash with your hand placed over the top so that the powder collects on your palm
- Tilt the calabash to one side so that the yerba mate leaves are gathered on one side only
- Pour a little cold water over the yerba mate leaves
- Place the mate straw, also known as a bombilla, into the empty space in the calabash
- Then add simmering water (not boiling, so as not to alter the taste of the mate).
Finally, enjoy your mate and reap the benefits of mate. Careful, do not move the bombilla again. Discover our recipe ideas!
What are the 6 benefits of mate?
1. MATE IS A STIMULANT
Mate is a natural energiser. You should know that mate
falls somewhere between coffee and tea thanks to the 1% caffeine present in mate leaves. Mate, just like coffee, is an effective stimulant and concentration aid. When should you drink mate? Drinking mate in the morning, or before a workout, is said to give you a little boost for the day ahead. Unlike coffee, mate can be just as relaxing as it is stimulating. Drinking mate during the day helps fight fatigue and enhances focus without disrupting sleep or rest quality. That is why mate is recommended post-workout for recovery. Does mate keep you awake? The only answer is "it depends". Just like tea or coffee, caffeine's effect on sleep varies depending on individual sensitivity.
2. MATE IS AN ANTIOXIDANT
In addition to caffeine, mate contains vitamins (B3, B2 and A), minerals (magnesium, potassium, zinc and iron) as well as antioxidant polyphenols. The presence of polyphenols in mate will likely interest you, as they help boost the body's immune defences and slow down ageing.
3. MATE COULD AID DIGESTION
While mate could boost mental clarity and motivation, it may also boost digestion. Mate can therefore be consumed after a meal to aid digestion or during the day to help curb hunger. Indeed, mate can be considered a natural appetite suppressant by some. This is thought to be due to the presence of caffeine in the Yerba mate plant. Beyond its digestive benefits, mate, just like coffee, green tea, or black tea, shines for its diuretic properties. That is to say, it acts, among other things, against water retention.
4. WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT: A SLIMMING ALLY
Known for its stimulating properties thanks to caffeine, this drink made from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis helps increase metabolism, thus promoting better calorie burning. But that is not all: mate infusion can also curb appetite, leading to lower daily food intake. Incorporating a cup of mate into your routine can therefore effectively support weight loss, alongside a balanced diet and regular physical activity.
5. IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT: STRENGTHENED DEFENCES
In the constant dance of pathogens, our body is a dancer that never stops defending itself, and regularly drinking mate can be seen as a refined choreography to strengthen this tireless performer. The antioxidants found in yerba mate play a key role by protecting cells from oxidative damage.
Meanwhile, saponins help lower bad cholesterol, contributing to a healthier body that is better equipped to fight off external aggressors. Add to that the fact that mate contains various vitamins and minerals that support the body's natural defences, making every infusion a true elixir of vitality.
6. NUTRIENT INTAKE: A TREASURE TROVE OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Beyond its role as a stimulant, mate is also a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals: A, B1, B2, B5, C and E join the list of benefits, supporting the immune system and cell regeneration. Trace elements such as iron, potassium, magnesium and manganese help maintain electrolyte balance and optimise muscle and nerve function.
Mate-based teas at Kusmi
Although traditionally enjoyed plain as an infusion, yerba mate pairs beautifully with green tea. That is why mate naturally features in several of our blends.
To enjoy mate at Kusmi, explore our detox teas and our wellness range to discover our mate-based teas that awaken and boost you every single day.
Choosing your wellness tea.
The Detox range: our three mate-based green teas
The Kusmi Detox range is a family affair… Meet our trio of fresh and fruity mate-based teas.
Detox, the organic green tea, mate and lemon blend
Our Detox is the firstborn of the family. On a green tea base, lemon, lemongrass and mate bring the refreshing lift this blend is renowned for. Detox is quite simply the must-have for your tea cupboard.
BB Detox, the blend of green tea, mate and botanicals: our best-selling tea
BB Detox is our bestseller with the delicious taste of grapefruit. During the day when energy levels start to dip, our mate-based tea BB Detox is right there in its yellow tea tin, with its tangy notes of grapefruit to give you that much-needed boost of energy. Some like to take a refreshing break with BB Detox at the start of the day, while others prefer to wait until after a meal.
Blue Detox, the blend of green tea and mate with pineapple
With its exotic pineapple notes, Blue Detox is a one-way ticket to the Caribbean. One sip of this green tea, mate and pineapple blend is all it takes to dive into the turquoise waters of the Pacific. Yet more proof that mate can take you on a journey
Rituel Défenses Immunitaires, the organic green tea, mate, acerola blend with orange and tropical fruits
Kusmi Tea innovates by pushing the boundaries of creativity and letting science do the work with its Rituel Défenses Immunitaires. The goal of this wellness tea is to boost your immune defences. Every day, you can enjoy an organic blend of mate and green tea, with fruity notes of orange, tropical fruits and blackcurrant. The secret of this tea lies in acerola, one of the fruits richest in vitamin C.
Mate and more: our mate-based teas
Boost, the green tea, mate and spices blend.
In the wellness tea family, our green tea and mate blend named Boost is the energetic one. With our green tea, mate and spices, Boost, we get straight to the point. With it, you get back on track, hit the ground running and keep going with the same energy. The mate in the Boost blend combined with the spices of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger makes this tea an invigorating blend, ideal for giving you a daily lift.
You have to admit this mate-based green tea is aptly named!
Lovely Morning, the organic green tea with mate, botanicals and citrus fruits
With its energising properties, mate is perfect for waking up gently but surely. That is why you can find it in our organic citrus green tea, Lovely Morning. The kick of citrus fruits combined with the mate in our Lovely Morning makes every morning brighter. At Kusmi, we have a theory: French singer Jean-Jacques Goldman would probably never have written “encore un matin” if he had had a cup of our Lovely Morning mate green tea.