If you’ve ever been sat with a yerba mate, you might have had someone ask you what you’re smoking. After all, a mate gourd and bombilla can look a lot like a smoking device, especially to those who don’t know them. While no one actually smokes yerba, which is instead steeped in hot water, there are some people that use it as a stop smoking aid.

On a related topic, people have been asking if they can actually smoke dried yerba mate, just like one would smoke tobacco. And we know there have been some accounts of people that actually tried smoking the plant. But we do not recommend trying this. The smoke it creates is suffocating and heavy and the sensation is burning and unpleasant. In addition to this, actually smoking yerba mate can cause dizziness and discomfort. It’s just not one of those plants that go well when burned and inhaled.

Now, let’s go back to the idea that yerba mate can help in stopping smoking. Some of the most popular stop smoking aids around are vapes and e-cigarettes. Unfortunately, some countries – such as the UK – have introduced legislation that limits the strength of e-liquid and the size of vaping devices.

So people are now looking for a more natural alternative. The idea of yerba mate and smoking has become more popular as people discover that regularly drinking yerba mate reduces the need to smoke. There are several ways in which yerba mate can help to overcome nicotine cravings and work as an alternative to smoking.

The Flavor

As most people already know, yerba mate is traditionally smoked so it has a more full-bodied, not to mention smoky, flavor. How much the mate is smoked varies between brands, and drinkers often have their own preferences on how smoked they like theirs to be. If you are looking to quit smoking, then substituting that taste of tobacco for the taste of mate can help to keep cravings at bay. What’s interesting about this is that some smokers may prefer unsmoked mate as they may feel the smoke is too similar to cigarettes.

Keeps Hands Busy

One of the most important things to do when quitting smoking is to keep hands busy to avoid temptation. You get used to having a cigarette in your hands, and your body can start to crave that. A popular tactic is to wash up after a meal, as many people smoke after meals. Breaking the habit and creating a new one instead can be effective.

Yerba mate is a tactile drink when consumed in a gourd in the traditional manner. Not only does doing this take a level of dexterity, but having to refill the mate using the thermos, and passing the cup around when drinking with friends and family, are all very hands-on activities. The devil makes work for idle hands, and yerba mate keeps hands from being idle.

Occupies the Mouth

As yerba mate is consumed through a straw – called a bombilla – it is unique amongst hot beverages. There are obvious comparisons to smoking when using a straw. The act of sucking the hot liquid through a narrow straw is a great way to satisfy the need to have something in your mouth and can help to combat a cigarette addiction.

As you can see, yerba mate and smoking is about more than just the flavor of mate. This is one factor, but it’s not the only one. Just about everything involved in drinking yerba mate replicates the act of smoking, helping to satisfy cravings and reduce dependency on cigarettes.