In this article, we will talk about the yerba mate plant, and also, we will recommend you where to buy seeds if you decide you want to grow your own.

Yerba mate, also known by the names Paraguay Tea, Ilex Species, Jesuit’s Tea, and more, is a flowering tree that is used to brew a tea popular across the Middle East and South America. The leaves are processed in several stages, including blanching and drying, with different processing conditions producing different tastes and quality tea.

The yerba mate plant is an evergreen tree that grows around 15 meters tall with leaves up to 11cm long and 5.5cm wide. The flowers are green and have four petals. The fruit is a dark red or purple drupe that ripens during the autumn. The tree, which flowers in spring, is popular for its health benefits including reducing appetite and burning fat. It helps boost heart health as well. It grows along the banks of rivers and streams in subtropical regions with high humidity, but it is durable enough to withstand low temperatures.

Yerba mate is a fantastic source of caffeine as well as bioactive compounds like quercetin and ursolic acid. It contains xanthines, saponins, flavonoids, and cinnamic acid. It contains the three xanthines caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. It also contains elements like magnesium and potassium.

The History of Yerba Mate Seeds

Yerba mate is commonly consumed in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile. The tea leaves are imported from Argentina and were popular in Syria too. It was originally cultivated and used by the Guarani and Tupi people of Southern Brazil and Paraguay. When the Europeans came and colonized the countries, yerba was spread across Europe and became more popular with the wider world. By the late 16th century, it was consumed by both the indigenous Guarani people and the Spanish settlers. It had spread to Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina by the 17th century.

Yerba mate seeds were domesticated by the Jesuits during the mid-17th century. They began plantations in Argentina and Misiones. The industry was important to the Paraguayan economy following their independence, until the War of the Triple Alliance between 1864 to 1870 which wreaked havoc on Paraguay and the economy there.

By the late 19th/early 20th century the yerba plant had been domesticated in Argentina and Brazil, leading the way for plantations. Brazil has gone on to become the number one producer of yerba mate, followed by Argentina and Paraguay.

Health Benefits Of Yerba Mate

Yerba mate works as a diuretic, stimulant, and tonic to reduce fatigue, improve gastric function, and suppress appetite. It is a depurative that helps to eliminate waste and support digestion. Yerba mate is traditionally used to treat depression, aid in weight loss, alleviate headaches and rheumatic pains, and eliminate fatigue. It contains xanthine, which is a chemical that boosts the metabolism and prevents the nervous system from becoming overstimulated. It also has antioxidant properties that improve immunity.

Buy Yerba Mate Seeds

If you’re interested in yerba mate seeds, then you should consider just growing your own. There are plenty of resources to buy yerba mate seeds online. While you could buy yerba mate tea, growing your own is cheaper in the long run and more fun. Try out this fantastic tea for yourself and see what it can do!