Is Guayusa Better Than Mate?

Short answer: It depends.

It all boils down to who you ask. If you talk to the people from Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, they will claim that there is no better herbal drink than yerba mate. On the other hand, if you ask somebody from Ecuador, where guayusa is heavily consumed, they will swear that they would never trade a cup of guayusa for a gourd of hot, bitter mate.

Although they come from two plants belonging to the same botanical family, guayusa and yerba mate create two beverages with different characteristics. Personal taste, cultural upbringing, and availability determine how people classify them, but there are no parameters that determine which one of them is better.

Should I Switch From Yerba Mate To Guayusa?

Short answer: Not necessarily.

You don’t have to choose between these two energy drinks unless you have a certain preference for the way the leaves are processed before they reach your gourd. A specific difference between guayusa and yerba mate is the way the producers dry the leaves.

Most mate companies use the smoke-drying method to make the yerba leaves release their moisture. Guayusa producers leave them out in the sun to dry in open air. If you like both methods of drying these caffeine-packed leaves, there is no reason to choose between the two drinks. You can keep them both in your pantry and brew them as you wish.

Which One Gives Me More Energy: Yerba Mate Or Guayusa?

Short answer: None really.

There has been a long debate regarding the content of caffeine in guayusa and yerba mate respectively. The latter contains almost 20 milligrams more of caffeine per 8 ounces. Still, some consumers claim that they feel more energetic and productive after drinking guayusa than after finishing a whole gourd of yerba mate. How is that possible?

The answer is simple and it lies in the chemical composition of both plants. Yerba mate packs more caffeine than guayusa and it can deliver a powerful punch of energy. However, guayusa contains L-theanine, which is a natural compound present in green tea as well, and which induces a state of relaxation. A rise in endorphins ensues, which gives some users a sense of vitality and eagerness.

And Finally Is There A Taste Difference Between Guayusa And Yerba Mate?

Short answer: Just a slight one.

The only difference between guayusa and yerba mate that you will feel is the absence of a smoky flavor when drinking guayusa, and which results from the air-drying process. Other than that, since both follow the same preparation methods, you should experience the same bold, full-bodied and bitter aroma when sipping either guayusa or yerba mate from your gourd.

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This process will put as much as 72 hours between now and your first sip of delicious mate tea. But, trust us! It will be totally worth it. Once you cure your yerba mate gourd and learn how to maintain it in the long-term, you will get to enjoy one of the healthiest energy-boosting drinks out there in the proper, traditional way.

The Different Types Of Mate Tea Cups (Gourds)

Before you start cleaning and curing your gourd, you should know that there are several different kinds of cups that people use to drink their yerba mate tea from, and they include:

• Natural mate gourds (traditional)
• Wooden mate gourds
• Synthetic mate cups made from ceramic, glass or silicone

The latter category contains ready-to-use mate cups that do not need curing as they come from industrial production and are available at a large scale. While they could represent short-term solutions for drinking a mate tea on the go, yerba mate lovers know that this power-enhancing infusion tastes better from a natural mate gourd or at least from a wooden one. So, we will focus on curing these classic cups for yerba mate.

Why You MUST Clean Your Yerba Mate Gourd

Argentinians love drinking their yerba mate from natural gourds made from the fruit of the calabash plant just like their ancestors used to do. They harvest this fruit before it ripens completely and cut the top part to leave the bottom one looking like a round, curved mug. Next, they hollow it, cure it and might even decorate the outside walls with drawings and pieces of leather.

Curing your yerba mate gourd prevents its inner walls from splitting and altering the taste of the infusion. Also, the natural scent of the calabash fruit enhances the flavor of your yerba mate drink and prolongs its aroma.

How To Cure Your Yerba Mate Gourd

You should cure your yerba mate gourd if it is made from calabash or wood. Both of these varieties of mate gourds are available online, and they require proper cleaning before preparing your first infusion. The curing process is almost the same for both types of classic gourds, with only minor differences.

Here are the simple steps of curing your yerba mate gourd:

Step 1

Rinse the gourd with warm (not boiling) water for a few minutes. Do not use soap or any type of detergent as it could potentially ruin the container forever.

*If you are curing a calabash gourd, do not remove the bud on its bottom because it will later cause leakage.

Step 2

Take a spoon and gently scrape the inner walls of the gourd to remove any debris and tissue that comes off the gourd.

Step 3

Fill the gourd with used mate leaves, preferably moist. The best source is from a gourd that is already in use, but if this is your very time preparing mate you can soak the leaves in hot water for a few hours before putting them in the gourd. Do not add any water to the gourd. Leave it this way for as much as 24 hours.

*If you are curing a wooden gourd, rub the inner walls with a bit of salt before adding the leaves to disinfect them and prevent the creation of mold.

Step 4

The next day, remove the moist yerba leaves and rinse the gourd with warm water. Scrape the inner walls again and fill 3/4 of the gourd with fresh, dry leaves. Top those off with hot water and leave the gourd to sit like that for another 24 hours. The maceration process will remove the final splitting from the walls.

Step 5

Remove the yerba mate mixture from the gourd, rinse it thoroughly and pat it dry with kitchen towels. Leave the gourd in a warm, well-ventilated area overnight to evaporate the remaining moisture. Wooden gourds may take a little more time to dry off than calabash gourds.

Step 6

Your gourd is now cured and ready to use. Fill half of it with fresh, dry mate leaves while keeping the bombilla in a vertical position and near the walls. Pour hot water just enough to top the leaves off, and let everything steep for a few minutes. Do not stir or shake the gourd. Sip the delicious mate and refill with hot water whenever you run out of infusion. Enjoy!

If you’d rather watch a video telling you how to cure a yerba mate gourd properly, here’s a nice one:

How To Care For Your Yerba Mate Gourd

Knowing how to cure your yerba mate gourd is crucial, but not enough to ensure its long-term use. You have to keep an eye on its day-by-day condition to enjoy a tasty mate drink every time, but also to realize when it is time to replace it with a new one.

Fortunately, the maintenance of a yerba mate gourd boils down to two essential rules:

• Keep your gourd dry
• Use your gourd often

First off, it is important that you remove the yerba mate leaves after finishing your gourd. This could happen after 3-5 refills with hot water, which will create an intensely moist mixture in the container. If you fail to scrape it out, mold will appear on the inner walls and destroy the gourd forever. So, make sure that you scrape the used leaves and rinse the gourd with warm water before leaving it to dry.

Secondly, you should use your yerba mate gourd at least 2-3 times per week. If you rarely prepare a mate drink in it, the gourd will become too dry, which will create new splitting on its inner walls. Also, it can potentially develop cracks that will later cause leakage.

All In All

There you have it! Now you know how to cure your yerba mate gourd and care for it in the long run. You can now move on to experiment with different varieties of mate and discover the blend that best suits your taste.

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We got together the most relevant scientific studies on yerba mate to debunk the inaccuracies that surround yerba mate once and for all. In this article, we look at the benefits of consuming mate, its adverse side effects, precautions, and medical recommendations. If you are not sure what impact yerba mate can have on your health, now it’s the time to find out!

Popular Myths About Yerba Mate

We will start by looking at some of the exaggerations about yerba mate that you may find online, and which may lead to severe misinformation. Here are some of the myths about yerba mate side effects which are mostly based on poorly conducted studies or word of mouth:

Myth: Yerba Mate causes esophageal cancer

Mate is an infusion that you can prepare in a similar way that you fix a cup of green tea. Most people enjoy drinking it while it is hot, which lead some adventurous minds into believing that consuming steaming hot mate can severely damage your esophagus and cause cancer. This unfortunate myth relates to a 2009 inconclusive study that did not find any backing from the academic field.

The truth is that throat or esophageal cancer can have multiple causes, out of which constant consumption of hot beverages has a minimal impact. Therefore, you can safely drink your hot mate without worrying too much about its side effects on the well-being of your esophagus.

Myth: Yerba Mate is rich in cancer-causing compounds

Another folktale about the adverse side effects of yerba mate claims that this natural infusion contains cancer-inducing agents because the mate leaves go through a smoke-drying process. There is no clinical evidence to back this claim.

First of all, very few mate producers use the technique of smoke drying, and they even mention it on the product label. Secondly, there are many foods (smoke-dried meat, fish etc.) that go through this preparation process before they hit the shelves, and there is not a single conclusive medical study that can back the claim of them containing cancer-causing compounds.

Myth: Yerba Mate Affects Heart Health

Some believe that the boost in energy that yerba mate provides can affect one’s heart health and cause ailments like heart arrhythmia, cardiovascular problems and even increase the risk of heart disease.

Contrary to popular misconception, this herbal infusion has essential health benefits for your heart. According to this clinical study, the rich composition of antioxidants in this infusion improves blood flow, accelerates nutrient transfer to your vital organs, and reduces blood pressure.

The Science behind the Yerba Mate Health Benefits

The first account of mate consumption dates back to the beginning of the 16^th century when the Spanish colonialists discovered this daily habit of people living in today’s regions of Argentina and Paraguay. Historians believe that the natives had been drinking yerba mate tea centuries before the arrival of the Europeans.

Although the Spanish and Portuguese colonialists tried for centuries to popularize mate in the Old World, the South American beverage was no match to the heavy commercialization of coffee and chai tea. Nevertheless, the infusion cut its own share of the spoils by becoming the most consumed beverage in South America, from Patagonia to Columbia, and from the Andes mountains of Peru to the beaches of Brazil.

The end of the 20^th century brought mate in the attention of nutritionists and scientists who were intrigued by the health benefits that South American natives attributed to this infusion. Several clinical studies have confirmed the positive impact on the consumers’ well-being and ridiculed the rumors of yerba mate side effects.

Yerba Mate May Help With Weight Loss

Clinical studies suggest that regular consumption of yerba mate can help decrease the percent in body fat mass over time. This positive effect for overweight people is due to the plant’s rich composition of caffeine and flavonoids that suppress appetite and reduce cravings for sugary beverages and salty snacks.

Another medical study reveals that yerba mate modulates the expression of genes that are changed in the obese state and restores them to more normal levels of expression. As a result, this healthy infusion can lower the risk of obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Yerba Mate May Improve Immunity

Mate is a powerful source of antioxidants and vitamins that should improve your immunity against free radicals, viruses, and bacteria. This clinical research study shows the nutraceutical value of yerba mate and its positive effects for consumers. The report shows that you can benefit from the same healthy-inducing effects whether you drink hot mate or ice-cold tereré.

Yerba Mate May Enhance Cognitive Functions

The potent dose of caffeine in yerba mate is enough to improve your focus and help you be more productive. The other energy-inducing compounds in this beverage have a positive effect on other cognitive functions as they improve your memory, increase your alertness and enhance your alertness. Furthermore, this medical study shows that yerba mate may have a potential protective role in the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Yerba Mate Precautions

Yerba mate can be a regular presence in a balanced nutritional plan. Although it provides a significant amount of nutrients and vitamins, it should not replace staple foods and ingredients in your diet.

Yerba mate contains a smaller amount of caffeine than coffee, but it is a noteworthy quantity nonetheless. Similar to drinking excessive amounts of coffee, consuming too much of it in a short period can destabilize your digestive system and cause diarrhea.

High-quality brands of yerba mate go through an antiseptic process of harvesting, drying and packing before they reach your gourd. These products have a minimal risk of causing any unpleasant effects on your health, even if you consume them for an extended period.

The Bottom Line

As medical studies and consumer experience suggest, yerba mate does not have any adverse side effects. On the contrary, the potential health benefits overwhelm the insignificant and rare indispositions that this natural beverage can produce. So, you can safely go back to sipping on your mate without worrying about any negative consequences.

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If you want to take your mate tea everywhere you go, a yerba mate flask should be a convenient and practical source of hot water that will keep your tea at the optimal temperature. Here are the most efficient options on the market and where to buy a good yerba mate thermos!

Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle

We’ll start off with one of the most well-known travel containers: the Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle. This vacuum insulated jug can preserve up to 2Qt of hot water for up to 32 hours. This product is the ideal choice for a yerba mate travel mug that you can take along everywhere you go whether you need to refresh your mate during a busy day at the office or on a weekend hiking trip.

The Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle comes in five different sizes that range from 16oz to 2Qt. Each one of these thermoses is made from unbreakable stainless steel liner and has a drinking cup as an insulating cup. They come in various colors and are BPA-free to ensure that you enjoy drinking your mate tea from a safe and eco-friendly container.

If you are an avid drinker of tereré (yerba mate tea prepared with cold water and ice), the Stanley Classic can still be an excellent choice for a yerba mate thermos. This vacuum insulated bottle can keep the water ice-cold for as many as 160 hours, which makes it perfect for long excursions in the hot summer time. Check it out:

Zojirushi Stainless-Steel Easy-Serve Airpot

The second entry on our list of the best yerba mate thermoses is the Stainless-Steel Easy-Serve Airpot from Zojirushi. This beverage dispenser can hold up to 101 ounces of hot water ready at any time to rejuvenate your mate drink. It comes with a vacuum liner that keeps the content at an optimal temperature for as many as 42 hours.

The feature that makes the Zojirushi Airpot an ideal thermos for your yerba mate tea is its lever-style pump that enables you to pour hot water in your mate-filled gourd quick and easy, and without having to open the entire container. Online retailers are the best places where to buy a yerba mate thermos from regardless of the model that you prefer.

The Zojirushi Easy-Serve Airpot is made from high-quality stainless steel and eco-friendly plastic components that are easy to clean. Measuring 15 by 8-1/2 by 5-7/8 inches, and weighing little over 4 pounds, this where to buy a yerba mate thermos

is more suitable for long trips by car or by train when carrying it around is more convenient.

Stainless Steel Thermos All In One (Including Cup And Bombilla)

What if you could have only one container for both your gourd and your yerba mate travel mug? If that is your wildest mate dream, then the Stainless Steel Thermos All In One is what you are looking for. This 500Cc bottle comes packed with a ready-to go mate gourd that screws on as a cap. Aditionally there are two small containers at the top – one that holds mate leaves, and one that filters them as you sip your favorite energy drink through the side straw.

This yerba mate thermos is easy to assemble, and with a capacity that ranges between 350ml and 500ml, you can enjoy a fresh mate drink on the go. It comes in grey, black, pink and silver, and it is made from BPA-free plastic that does not withhold any odors.

The great thing about this innovative solution for hot yerba mate is that the container keeps the water at an optimal temperature for hours on end. Therefore, this yerba mate flask will do its job perfectly on your morning commute to work, and keep your drink ready to go all the way to midday. You can’t go wrong with this modern travel bottle, your tea will be hot and tasty every time, just as if you’d only just brewed it then and there!

Kalmteh Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle (for Yerba Mate, Coffee or Herbal Teas)

If you prefer tereré to the classic hot mate infusion, and you are looking for a sturdy vacuum insulated bottle that can keep your water freezing cold for as long as possible, you cannot do better than this Camel Mate bottle with straw and coffee lid.

The Kalmteh Mate Vacuum Insulated Bottle is a double-walled container that can hold as much as 26 oz (760 ml) of hot tea for as long as 24 hours. It is the perfect yerba mate travel mug that will keep your tea hot for a very long time and due to its design, it won’t burn on the outside (it has a double wall build, that both insulates the inner liquid as well as makes the bottle feel cool on the outside). So you can enjoy your tea all throughout the day. Some people said that it can keep hot water at an optimal temperature for almost 12 hours, which is quite a feat for a thermos.

This yerba mate flask comes with a leak-proof lid and a side straw. It is made from sweat-free, BPA-free stainless steel that is reusable and refillable, which makes it an excellent long-term accessory for your yerba mate drinking habit.

Balibetov Thermos For South American Mate Teas

The last entry on our list of ideal choices of yerba mate thermoses is this stainless steel thermos from Balibetov, designed specially to hold and drink south American style mate hot drinks. The Mate Bottle has a capacity of 32 oz (950 ml) and has a leak-proof lid with a straw, so that you can savour a mate tea, just like you would directly from your gourd with a bombilla. The thermos is suitable for long trips, and it can provide a refreshingly hot mate drink for many hours after boiling and preparing the tea.

The Balibetov Mate Bottle is made from high-quality BPA-free plastic and comes all the way from Argentina – the birth land of yerba mate tea. You can add this practical thermos to your mate drinking accessories as an effective solution for carrying your favorite energy booster on trips or at work, where you can enjoy the long lasting tea hot for hours.

Where Can One Get A High-Quality Yerba Mate Thermos?

With so many alternatives for mate flasks to choose from, your best place where to buy a good yerba mate thermos from is Amazon. The online retailer offers a wide range of portable containers that can easily become an essential part of your mate-drinking inventory of accessories.

On Amazon, you can compare different yerba mate travel mugs and read some of the user reviews, which will tell you the experience of other mate drinkers with those products. Furthermore, you can benefit from discount prices, limited-time offers and even free shipping on selected merchandise.

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However, while containing a reasonable amount of caffeine that is considered healthy, there is one amazing South American beverage that works as the best alternative to regular coffee: the yerba mate tea caffeine. Today, you are going seven reasons why this type of herbal tea and the caffeine it contains make this drink really amazing for your health.

1. It Is Highly Nutritious

Yerba mate has approximately equal amounts of caffeine than regular coffee. However, the cocktail of abundant vitamins and minerals that accompanies this stimulant make it especially nutritious. If you drink one cup of this beverage, you will also be drinking 24 types of Vitamins and Minerals, 15 types of Amino Acid and a high concentration of antioxidants (which it’s even higher than in green tea).

Moreover, yerba mate provides 11 percent of the daily value riboflavin, small amounts of potassium, B and C vitamins, zinc and magnesium. And if it was not enough, it also has trace amounts of thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese. This abundant amount of nutrients has made the yerba mate caffeine gained its own name “Mateine”.

2. The Yerba Mate Caffeine Will Make You Feel So Much More Energized

Caffeinated drinks are great to boost your energy, but after the effect is gone, you keep craving for more. In contrast to other drinks, the yerba mate caffeine lets you enjoy the energy boost for longer periods of time without having to overdose. Its nature of steady energy and the ability to prevent a possible caffeine meltdown are the two main reason why athletes have included this type of caffeine in their regular diet.

General studies show that the caffeine in yerba mate can reduce fatigue while increasing physical endurance, alertness and focus. All of this without causing anxiety or unhealthy changes in your heart rate and blood pressure.

3. It Helps To Keep Those Extra Kilos Off

Because of its great capacity to increase satiety, yerba mate could facilitate weight loss. The ingredients present in the drink (mainly the caffeine) also help reduce body fat by increasing the lipolysis, a process your body goes through to break down fat. And if you spend some hours at the gym weekly, mate can also help you increase the effectiveness of your workout.

Mate also aids in digestion, decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and lowers LDL cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure, thanks to its highly contain of Theobromine. All this combined can help you keep your body lean and ready for summer. Finally, researches have also shown that yerba mate can help treat obesity and diabetes.

4. It Is Good For Your Stomach

Caffeine effects for your stomach depend widely. If you drink concentrated caffeine drinks, you will be looking for the nearest restroom. Researches have shown that caffeine can activate contractions in your colon and intestinal muscles which push contents towards its last destination in your digestive tract.

Caffeine in yerba mate, on the other hand, has an alkaline base. This means that it counteracts the effects of the acidity in your stomach. Its neutralized effect will allow you to start the morning without having to go to the toilet after drinking.

This is also the reason why yerba mate could also be the perfect alternative to those suffering from gastritis or sensitive stomach.

5. Forget About Anxiety And Depression

The combination of caffeine and theobromine present in the Yerba Mate not only help boost your mood but can also eliminate the presence of anxiety and jitters, both side effects of drinking coffee.

However, it is important to remind you that yerba mate caffeine is still caffeine. Even though it’s combined with amazing nutrients that make it healthier than any other beverage with caffeine, remember to consume it in moderation. Double check with your doctor if you’re taking chemo or depression medications and antibiotics, since it might interact with the mate. It is also not recommended when you’re pregnant or breast feeding.

Finally, it is important to address one last rumor. Mate has dealt with controversy in the past as some studies had linked drinking mate to cancer. However, the evidence found in its potential carcinogenic qualities is only present when drinking mate at very high temperatures or in very high quantities (more than twice a day). Nonetheless, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has deemed mate as not carcinogenicity to humans.

Summing Up

So the bottom line is that yerba mate contains quite elevated levels of caffeine. Besides that, there are a lot of other beneficial substances and vitamins in this herbal brew. These things combined, make yerba mate a great drink to savor whenever you get the chance.

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The bombilla is literally translated to straw (and just in case you were wondering, it’s pronounced like bom-BEE-yah), and it helps to drink the warm liquid without the leaves’ powder. This tool contains small holes at its submerged end that allow the brewed liquid in but block the chunky matter that results from having dried, chopped and ground the yerba from the mate.

Mate bombillas come in different shapes, size and materials. Most of them have some degree of curvature, as to avoid the drinker from uncomfortably lowering his head. However, since the whole experience is for you to enjoy it, here are the most common types of yerba mate bombilla to choose for yourself according to its shape and material.

1. Coiled Bombilla For Mate Drinks

The coiled bombilla is the most traditional type in Argentina and it will probably be the first one you bought. It is characterized by its spring shaped filter with a slight opening around the entire coil to keep most yerba out.

This type of bombilla is simple to use and works perfectly for broader cuts of mate such as Nobleza Goucha or Cruz de Malta, which are classical Argentinian brands. It is also known to clog less than other types of bombillas (such as spoon and circle shaped ones) so it is recommended for newbies or drinkers who want a smooth flow.

However, it is not preferred for Paraguayan grounds or brands such as Galaxy and Canarias since its system doesn’t easily allow the more viscous yerbas to pass and, in other cases, tiny pieces of lead can get through the filter.

2. Spoon Mate Bombilla

This is maybe the most widely used bombilla. It resembles a spoon with approximately sixty orifices in both sides. Contrary to coil bombillas, this shape of bombilla goes well with Gaucho Mate or mates that are mostly powder.

It is super thin which makes it easy to slide onto the very bottom of the gourd and drink until the last possible sip. It also helps mold and sculpts the yerba to prevent you from sucking very small particles. Be careful not to scrap your mate with a spoon bombilla since doing so could lead to clogging.

3. Fanned bombilla

Another favorite among newbies, these bombillas are more pressed down than the rest. It has a spade-like head with a series of horizontal slices through which the infusion goes through. One advantage is that its fan-like shape acts like a shovel’s head that enables the drinker to scoop out the yerba.

Moreover, it seems to help clog less than the others which make it easier for first-time drinkers. Finally, some people consider that this bombilla helps them appreciate the taste more as less mate enters the mouth.

4. Circle or Ball Mate Bombillas

This shape of bombilla filters the infusion through small holes like the spoon bombilla, but the filter resembles a small metal globe. One disadvantage is that the orifices in the ball can be too big and the ball can take too much space. Unless it is used for big gourds, this bombilla might not be the best for you.

5. Bent Tip “Pick-Type” Bombilla

It is shaped like one of the dental tools that Dentists use to work on your teeth. It has an acute bend or picks that works like the filter with several horizontal slits across each side of the bombilla, which makes the filtering extremely easy. Moreover, the scrap is good for scraping out the flesh of the calabash gourd during the ripening process or for spooning-out the yerba when you want to change it.

Types Of Bombillas According To The Material They Are Made Of

Having considered these 5 types of bombillas based on their shape, it is important that you also consider the materials for which they are made as they play a role in its duration and price. There are four main types: bamboo, stainless steel, nickel or silver.

Bamboo bombillas are preferred to drink cold mate. They are made from a thin and slightly bent bamboo cane and it’s the most accord with nature besides wooden bombillas. You can make your own by cutting a thin portion of a cane and boring slits into the base to form the filter.

Since this type of bombilla is made from bamboo and not metal, you won’t burn your lips if you drink hot mate. Bamboo does not heat up the same way meal does. These are very unexpansive bombillas, but they might be hard to drink from and tend to clog easily.

Stainless steel bombillas are inexpensive and widely available. They are the market standard since the material is very resistible and don’t rust. Nickel bombillas are also very inexpensive, but they rub off with time and cause allergy to some people.

Finally, silver is the material of preference for luxury bombillas. It is shiny, looks beautiful and lasts almost forever. Many silver bombillas are also combined with gold. In the past, it was believed that gold would kill germs.

Summing Up

In the end, the difference between all these types of bombillas remains in its quality. The flow will depend on the filter. The more effective the filter is, the more likely it is to clog up. When choosing one, pay attention to the distance in which the holes are placed. If they are too far, some infusion will remain at the bottom of the gourd.

Keep also in mind that the bombilla do not affect the nutrient or flavor content of the yerba mate. You can either drink the infusion without having a bombilla and make it the same way as you would with most teas or prepare it in a coffee maker or French press. And if all that fails, it is always possible to buy yerba mate tea bags instead of loose leaf. But keep in mind that real materos, use real bombillas!

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Keep on reading to learn one of the best methods for cleaning a gourd that gets it ready to go in no time.

Cleaning a Yerba Mate Gourd In 4 Easy Steps

So, you’ve got your gourd, you’ve filled and emptied it several times by using it to brew a few hot drinks. Now the time comes to clean it out. So let’s go through the steps you need to follow to do that properly:

1. Start by scraping out the yerba. It makes for a great compost. If you don’t want it though, feel free to put it into the garbage. We recommend using a spoon bombilla for this.

2. There will no doubt be some yerba left stuck to the gourd. Rinse it under warm water to break it off. Once again, use your bombilla to scrap at the gourd to help remove the stuck mate.

3. Check the gourd again to make sure that you got rid of the leaves. If everything went well, take a paper towel and stick it inside – folding it up if you have to – then press it to the bottom and sides of the gourd with the bombilla. The paper towel will soak up excess water, which is great because the gourd should be as dry as it can be. If you are over-zealous you can even use a hair dryer to accelerate the process, just make sure that it’s on cold air setting so that you don’t affect your gourd.

4. Your gourd should now be as dry as it’s going to get. So now you should store it in a cool, dry, ventilated area. Why do you want to do that? Well basically because this makes it harder for mold to take hold.

Additionally, be sure to dry the gourd on its side. You should not dry it upside down on a flat surface! Tilt the gourd at an angle while it dries, because doing it like this allows for the air and light to flow through, preventing mold growth.

If you follow these steps, now all you have to do is wait until everything is dried up and the gourd is ready to use again.  It takes a while for the gourd to be properly ready. If you were to use – and wash – your gourd in the morning, then it might even be good to go by bedtime.

We must also note that you shouldn’t be using common cleaning supplies when you clean your gourd? Things like dishwasher detergent, soap, or disinfecting alcohol are a no-no for traditional gourds. Most of these gourds tend to absorb the flavors and aromas of the liquids you pour inside them. So adding some chemical substances is obviously ill-advised.

There are also, obviously, modern gourds made from silicone or other materials (which you can clean however you like, even in dish-washing machines), but those are not the scope of this guide.

Conclusion

In order to give a yerba mate gourd a long life span, you should definitely know how to clean it in a correct fashion. By cleaning it properly, you’ll almost never have to deal with mold. Keeping your yerba mate gourd clean in the way we’ve described above should also prevent the lining from getting stained or dirty-looking. Take good care of your gourds, and your yerba mate tea will take good care of you.

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Yerba Mate Weight Loss Benefits

Before heading into how yerba mate helps you to lose weight, it’s important to understand that it isn’t some magical cure at all. Just drinking yerba mate isn’t going to be enough to get you to lose weight. It just expedites the natural weight loss process, making it easier to lose weight and ensuring you lose more than without drinking this herbal infusion. With that out of the way, let’s look at how yerba mate weight loss works per se.

Here are the main ways in which yerba mate helps you to lose weight:

It Enhances Your Metabolism And Makes Your Digestion Better

This is both a weight loss benefit and not one at the same time. The tea has laxative properties that help you to eliminate waste. Having less waste clogging up your stomach means that you will weight loss, but one could make the argument this doesn’t really help you lose weight. While improving digestion is more of a health benefit than a weight loss one, it’s impossible to deny that it doesn’t help you to lose weight.

Additionally, Yerba Mate Diminishes Your Desire For Food

Lots of other articles online have delved into the appetite suppressant qualities of yerba mate and, quite frankly, overplayed them. It doesn’t prevent sugar cravings and it can’t stop you from eating burgers. What it does is suppress overall appetite. Drinking yerba mate will literally make you less hungry, but it’s still up to you to choose how to satiate that hunger. If you’ve got good self-control, then you’ll eat less after drinking this tea and, as we all know, the less you eat; the more weight you lose.

It Also Increases Your Energy Levels

This is one of the main yerba mate weight loss benefits. No doubt you know that yerba mate has caffeine in it, and that caffeine is an energy source. While this doesn’t directly help you lose weight, it does make it easier for you to exercise (which will help you lose weight). You’ll have more energy to longer and harder when exercising; burning more calories and shedding more pounds.

These benefits might not sound like much individually, but they become incredibly powerful when combined with a foundation of exercise and dieting. Here’s how to lose 10 pounds in 3 weeks with yerba mate.

How To Lose 12 Pounds In Under 4 Weeks With A Yerba Mate Weight Loss “Diet”

Losing weight with yerba mate is not some miracle switch button that you just press and shed the extra pounds. In order for this to work, you will need to adjust your lifestyle to include the following:

• A Low Caloric Diet
• Healthy Cardiovascular Exercise
• Good Rest
• Yerba mate (of course)

We’re referring to actual yerba mate tea here, aka the herbal infusion in boiling water. There are different “extracts” on the market that sellers boast to be working wonders, but we are not referring to anything made inside a lab. Just plain old regular mate tea.

The Actual Plan For The Best Weight Loss Results

We recommend drinking yerba mate in the morning because of the benefits we listed above;

Firstly, it will get you to eliminate the waste and food from the day before, meaning that you instantly feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

Secondly, it will stop you from being too hungry in the morning and having a big breakfast. You might not even need breakfast at all.

And last but not least, you’ve got the energy for a morning workout. No excuses to not get a workout in now! Yerba Mate can work as a pre-workout drink since the caffeine in the drink will get your engine running and ready for some cardio.

We have to note that there’s no need to go too extreme with your diet or exercise plan. There are lots of simple programs out there that don’t take thing too far. The harder you take things, the less likely you are to stick with them.

But what you will need, however, is consistency. Stick to the plan, and do this regularly – at least 4 times a week. No need to aim for something hard and difficult to stick to. Rather be consistently moderate, than moderately consistent.

So, go for the basics and build your way up, rather than starting out with too much. Just don’t forget that yerba mate can’t do all the work for you; you’re going to want to adopt some kind of lower caloric diet and exercise program. This weigh-loss approach won’t work if you are drinking yerba mate tea and gulping junk food at the same time.

After a few weeks of following this routine, you’ll find that your hunger spikes start to go away. Once they are gone and you’re eating properly, it’s all easy from there on. Like we said before; the less food you eat, the more weight you lose. Yerba mate forms a solid foundation for weight loss, especially when combined with diet and exercise.

To Sum Up

So, overall, if you were wondering if yerba mate can help you lose weight, then the answer is most certainly a resounding “yes!”. It does help quite a lot. It’ll get you eating less and moving more, which is the main foundation for losing weight; burning more calories than you take in.

Just keep in mind that – as powerful as yerba mate is – it can’t do everything for you. It is a weight loss aid; as in you have to do some of the work yourself. But, if you’re going to drink it each and every day, exercise for at least 30 minutes every day of the week.

What I usually do is watch a Netflix series and cycle on the stationary bike for 20 minutes. Then I follow up with 10-15 minutes of physical workout which I vary day to day so that I don’t get bored. In time, this added up and it helped me to considerably trim down my waist line and size.

And last but not least, stick to a simple diet, you’ll notice the fat just melts off. I am no nutritionist, but I just by sticking to basic self-prepared foods (no more pizza and burgers for me) I managed to lose 12 pounds in one month and I’m very happy with it.

If you’re a complete newbie when it comes to yerba mate, then you should learn some of the basics first to better understand how yerba mate weight loss works. Just don’t forget that you will have to do a little working out and consider making some changes to your diet. With these changes, you could soon be losing up to twelve pounds or maybe more within a few weeks when drinking yerba mate.

Yerba mate can help you lose weight, but how much weight you lose depends on how badly you want it. The harder you work, the better the results that you get. It’s really as simple as that.

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Does Yerba Mate Get you High, And What Does A Yerba Mate High Feel Like?

Some people who drink yerba mate have reported getting something like a little high. It’s like the high you get from cannabis, but only in the physical sense. Don’t worry about seeing things that aren’t real. Your mind is still very much grounded in reality, but your body becomes so calm and relaxed that it’s almost like a high.

At the same time, you can still function normally. You’ll know who and where you are, you’ll be able to write, work, and do anything else you have to do. You’ll just do it feeling more relaxed and with a great energy buzz induced by the substances, the plant contains (such as caffeine and multiple vitamins).

Is Yerba Mate Addictive?

After hearing that there is something of a high attached to yerba mate, you’re no doubt wondering if it is addictive. That’s to say nothing of the minor caffeine content, and most people are aware that caffeine can be an addictive substance. There are lots of people who talk about their “addiction” to yerba mate and are so passionate about it that they seem addicted, but don’t worry; they’re just being enthusiastic.

Yerba mate isn’t addictive at all. It’s just something that you’ll come to love to the point that not drinking it makes no sense. You keep drinking it because you like it, not because your body tells you to because you’re addicted.

Does Yerba Mate Make You Sleepy, Or Does It Affect Your Sleep?

The problem with answering this question is that different people have different responses. It does have caffeine in it, so almost everyone will have trouble sleeping after drinking it. It gets your mind racing non-stop. You’ll get to sleep eventually, but you’ll likely wake up several times and barely get any sleep at all. Then there are people who drink mate and find that it actually helps you sleep and gives you better quality sleep.

It has elements that help with relaxation, which do help you get to sleep. It contains B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and other nutrients that help with sleep. When it comes to yerba mate and sleeping; tolerance is key. The more yerba you drink, the less the caffeine affects you, and the easier it is to sleep.

To Conclude

Keep in mind that different people have different responses to Yerba. In general though; yerba mate gives you a small and relaxing high, but it’s not addictive. It also affects sleep but, if you drink enough of it, the effects are lessened over time and soon it could even help you get to sleep at night. Why not try it out for yourself, and see how you respond to it?

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Some people like to have their yerba mate cold-brewed, and some enjoy having the convenience of a yerba mate tea bag or a yerba mate latter. There’s also the traditional way, which is brewing it with a gourd and using a filter-tipped straw. The latest trend has been to use a French press which provides convenience and an entirely different flavor profile. Here’s how to brew yerba mate in a French press.

What you Need

• 2 tablespoons of yerba mate

• 16 ounces of water heated to around 150F (around simmering point)

• A good French Press (check out these)

How to Make It

1. Place the yerba mate into the filter of your French press
2. Slowly pour the heated water over the yerba mate. Give it time to soak in and pass through the filter.
3. Brew the yerba for between 4 and 6 minutes, depending on how strong you want the tea to be
4. Depress the plunger into the filter pot and serve when done.

Note: you could use a larger French press if required. Simply use a ratio of 1 tablespoon of yerba mate for 8 ounces of water.

When brewing yerba mate in a French press, you still keep the original flavor of the drink almost unaltered. The flavor of yerba mate is something of an infusion of different herbs, grasses, and vegetables. It is oddly reminiscent of some green tea varieties.

Don’t despair if you don’t enjoy the flavor though. You wouldn’t be the only one. There are plenty of ways to add some variety to yerba mate including adding sugar, adding honey, and taking it iced instead of warm.

Basic Things To Know About Yerba Mate

The Yerba Mate tea is a traditional infusion drink that originates in the South Americas. The leaves of yerba mate come from a species of a holly tree that has been cultivated in South America for years. The special tea is said to be as strong as coffee, have the health benefits of tea and even surpass them, and provide the euphoria of chocolate, all in one single beverage. So you can see why it’s become popular.

Out of the most commonly used stimulants in the world (tea, coffee, cocoa, kola nut, guarana, and yerba mate), mate is considered to be the most balanced; delivering both solid nutrition as well as an increase of energy.

The rainforest tribes, in particular, the Aché Guayaki tribe, will sip their yerba mate from a traditional gourd made for that very purpose. They consume yerba mate for its rejuvenating effects. Yerba mate has become so popular as a stimulant without the side effects – such as jitters – that it is becoming increasingly common to find it in energy drinks.

To Conclude

The drink is most commonly brewed in the traditional way that goes back generations, using a gourd and bombilla.

However, knowing how to brew yerba mate in a French press makes it easier to brew, retains the drink’s properties and taste, and allows you to enjoy this beneficial health drink packed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants prepared in a different fashion than with the traditional gourd and bombilla.

It’s an easy way to prepare the drink that you should surely try!

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While the two drinks have similar health benefits, many consider yerba mate to be the healthier choice. Here are five reasons to choose yerba mate over green tea.

Levels Of Caffeine

While yerba mate and green tea both contain caffeine, there’s definitely more to be found in yerba mate. An average cup of yerba mate has 80mg of caffeine compared to the 25mg of caffeine in green tea. Caffeine is responsible for several benefits including mental alertness, metabolism boost, energy boost, and thermogenesis to support weight loss. What’s better about the caffeine content of yerba mate is that it doesn’t have the “crash” that comes with coffee. Mate has been shown to boost mood, help with depression, and provide an overall feeling of euphoria. Yerba mate drinkers don’t report getting the hitters and irritability that comes with drinking coffee.

The Levels Of Antioxidants In The Drink

Green tea has a number of antioxidants in it, with epigallocatechin-3 gallate being the most potent. Also known as EGCG it is responsible for the many health benefits of green tea. By comparison, yerba mate contains chlorogenic acid, the antioxidant found in green tea beans. Both antioxidants have the same benefits, but yerba mate has more antioxidants overall; making it the healthier choice in terms of antioxidant content.

Nutritional Value

Yerba mate has 196 active compounds compared to the 144 compounds in green tea. That means that mate has 52 more active compounds, including 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and other compounds such as antioxidants, flavonoids, trace minerals, and fatty acids. One cup of mate contains vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, C, and E; the minerals magnesium, calcium, selenium, iron, and phosphorous. Green tea only has vitamins A, B1, B12, C, K, and P, and the minerals; copper, fluoride, iron, nickel, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. Yerba mate comes out on top of green tea with nutrient content as well.

Weight Loss Benefits

One of the most common things to consider when comparing yerba mate vs green tea is their weight loss properties. Both drinks are known to promote weight loss, primarily through triggering thermogenesis; which is how the body burns through fat by increasing body temperature. Caffeine is an important part of the process and, given that yerba has more caffeine, it’s more effective at promoting weight loss than green tea. Just keep in mind that drinking either one when fasting could be dangerous. Toxicity is common with people who drink caffeinated drinks while fasting.

Possible Side Effects

There have been some reports yerba mate could increase the risk of certain cancers, but these claims have never been proven through clinical trials. There are still some side effects, but these are related to the caffeine content. Both drinks have similar health benefits, and that means they also have similar side effects that might sometimes be:

• Headaches
• Upset stomach
• Insomnia
• Diarrhea

It is recommended that pregnant and nursing women avoid drinking green tea and yerba mate, along with people suffering from anemia and other bleeding disorders.

Conclusion

While green tea is known for having lots of health benefits for decades, yerba mate is only just becoming known as a healthy drink. Mate has something of an acquired taste, but this hasn’t stopped the western world from adopting it for the health benefits it brings.
Keep in mind that, while the studies into yerba mate haven’t been as well-publicized as green tea, they still have promising results that suggest yerba mate could be much better and healthier than green tea overall.

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Yerba mate is a stimulating tea that gives drinkers a good, stable energy boost. There’s no “crash” associated with yerba mate, like with coffee, and it doesn’t have the jittery effects of coffee either. If you don’t enjoy the yerba mate taste, you’ll be happy to know there are ways to improve it.

How To Improve The Taste Of Yerba Mate

There are several different ways to improve the taste of yerba mate. If you enjoy the benefits but could do without the bitter taste, then why not try the following:

• Yerba Mate Iced Tea – This is the top choice for tea lovers. Iced yerba mate tea is enjoyed around the world, particularly in hot places. It’s flavorful and sweet while being easy to make and is, of course, super refreshing on cold days.

• When drinking with tea bags – add some sugar after steeping the tea. This is common across Brazil, where sweet foods are an intrinsic part of Brazilian culture (as is Mate). Sugar makes the bitterness of mate easier to bare, and covers up the other herbal flavors.

• Purchase flavor infused yerba mate – One of the most popular brands of flavored mate tea bags is Mate Leao. They offer lemon, lime, orange, and other flavored teas.

• Add a lemon twist. Squeeze a citric fruit like lemon or lime after the tea bag has steeped. Many enjoy the acidity and flavor it brings.

• Add honey or vanilla extract for taste

The Solution To The Yerba Mate Taste

The question of what yerba mate tastes like is a valid one if you haven’t tried the tea in the past. However, it can be difficult even for experienced yerba mate drinkers to say just what the tea tastes like. Several factors can influence the taste, including how the tea is prepared and brewed, how the plant was grown, which ingredients have been added, and more.

People often say that the tea has an earthy taste to it. Some might even describe as what grass would taste like. It has a strong flavor, which is only enhanced when drinking with a traditional gourd and bombilla straw. It also has a bitter aftertaste. However, yerba mate is also not creamy or dense and is easy to get accustomed to. It also lacks the acidity of coffee, which is one of the positives people talk about when they first try yerba mate.

These earthy flavors and the bitterness are the most polarizing aspects of yerba mate flavors. Mate fans can’t get enough of these tastes and heap praise upon them, saying that it tastes natural and refreshing. Traditionalists never add anything to their tea, taking it as purely as possible. Younger people and occasional drinkers, however, like to make changes such as adding it to cocktails, adding sugar and honey, or lots of other little zests to improve the flavor.

To Sum Up

While the original yerba mate flavor is something of an earthy and bitter variety, there are lots of different ways to adjust the flavor to your liking. So don’t worry if you aren’t an instant fan, give it a try and try out the taste for yourself!

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It doesn’t matter if you’re already an avid yerba mate drinker or if you still haven’t tried it, you’ll find that there’s quite a bit to learn about it!

Yerba Mate: General Information

The yerba mate plant is mostly grown in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, where the drink is a sign of friendship and bonding when shared with others. This super plant is a great source of energy, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and more.

The plant was first cultivated by the Guaraní people and mate is known to offer incredible health benefits along with a nice little buzz to get that burst of energy and euphoria running through our bodies. Indigenous South Americans referred to mate as the “drink of the gods” and European settlers called it “the green gold of the Indios”, so it has a great reputation.

Mate is the official drink of Argentina and it’s extremely popular in Paraguay and Uruguay, where people grow up on mate. For the rest of us, it is a bit of an acquired taste because the flavor can be quite strong and bitter (although it depends on how it’s brewed). Some people compare the taste with some types of green tea, but if you want to know what it tastes like, you should just give it a try!

Now, let’s move on and take a look at the most important Yerba Mate facts:

Yerba Mate Uses And Benefits

The most well-known yerba mate fact is that it increases our energy, allowing us to be more focused, alert and concentrated. Mate is an energizing drink, but that’s not the only great benefit it has to offer.

Yerba mate contains all the vitamins and minerals we need to sustain life and no other plant in the world has been found to equal its nutritional benefits, which is saying something!

In every cup of mate, you’ll find: vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, C, and E, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulfur and zinc. It also contains flavonoids, chlorophyll, tannins, trace minerals, 15 amino acids, and 11 polyphenols.

Drinking yerba mate has a lot of medical benefits as well and it’s commonly used to relieve mental and physical fatigue, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This drink is also a great help when it comes to heart-related issues such as irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, and heart failure.

Yerba mate can also help with a wide variety of disorders and ailments, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections, allergies, sinusitis, headaches, and joint pains, among others.

In addition to this, it provides a lot of benefits for our mental health because it helps our body release dopamine, which doesn’t only improve our mood, but it can also help fight symptoms of depression in a very natural way.

Yerba mate is also an amazing digestive aid and it’s often used to treat common problems such as constipation, indigestion, and diarrhea. It can destroy intestinal parasites and it’s a natural antibacterial for E. coli, which means it can come it quite handy whenever you get food poisoning.

Additionally, it offers a great deal of weight loss benefits and it can help you on your weight loss journey by burning through stored fat, increasing insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure, and by reducing your appetite and making you feel full for longer.

Mate has also been known to boost our mental functions and it allows us to be more productive and creative, while improving our memory and our motivation. Thanks to its combination of caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline, mate can be quite stimulating in virtually the same way as chocolate, coffee and tea.

Yerba Mate Dosage

How much yerba mate you can take during the day will depend on factors such as your age and health, among others. Scientists haven’t come up with a range of doses for mate just yet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful.

Yerba mate is a powerful natural product, so it’s important to keep an eye on the dosage. To get a better idea, make sure you read the product label on your yerba mate and please consult your physician before you start drinking it on the daily.

Some people go for 1 to 3 cups a day. While others, in South America, who grew drinking it, might gulp up even 12 cups a day. But don’t compare yourselves with the heavy drinkers in that geographical area. Moderation is always key to healthiness so you should practice that when you decide what’s the best yerba mate dosage for yourself.

Yerba Mate & Alcohol

As you can imagine, this plant interacts with other substances in our body, so it’s important to know how yerba mate works with alcohol.

When we drink caffeinated beverages, our body works to break down the caffeine and then get rid of it. But when we mix yerba mate and alcohol, the latter makes our body break down the caffeine a lot slower than usual, which can lead to having too much caffeine in our bloodstream.

This can cause the famous jitters we’re all acquainted with and other symptoms such as headache and increased heartbeat. This can be dangerous for people who suffer from heart conditions and it’s uncomfortable in general, so I recommend not mixing these two drinks. It’s best to stay clear of yerba mate with alcohol.

Yerba Mate Caffeine Levels

A regular cup of Joe contains from 95 to 200 milligrams of caffeine (it all depends on how the coffee is made), but it’s always enough to give us that energy boost we need to get up and moving.

Yerba mate’s caffeine level, on the other hand, is moderate and you can find as much as 85 milligrams of caffeine per 8 fluid ounces. This means that yerba mate offers a clean buzz; free of jitters and it won’t interfere with your sleep schedule.

Bottom Line

These were some of the most important facts that one should know about yerba mate. It is incredibly beneficial and it provides a lot of the vitamins and minerals we need to keep our health at an optimal level and our mind as sharp as ever. It also provides a clean buzz to get us going and it can be a powerful ally against a great deal of issues, both physical and mental. After all, it is the drink of the gods!

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