What exactly is mate tea?
Mate tea is a tea drink, or a type of herbal tea, whose leaves are infused with water. Yerba mate tea is made from infusing the leaves of the yerba mate tree, which belongs to the holly family. The yerba mate plant was discovered long ago by the indigenous people of South America, who were among the first to recognize its beneficial and health-promoting properties. In the meantime, the yerba mate plant has gained importance worldwide and is even consumed worldwide. However, it is still mainly cultivated in South America, that is to say in Brazil and Argentina, and it is very popular. In just a few working days, our mate tea can arrive at your home and convince you with its organic quality and pleasant freshness.
Does mate have beneficial properties?
Yerba mate is not only a pleasure for the taste buds, it can actually have a positive effect on health and the body, especially in terms of biological quality. Because yerba mate contains caffeine – although significantly less than green or black tea – it has a cooling effect and serves both locals in South America and anyone who enjoys it, both as a healthy pick-me-up and as an alternative to a classic cup of coffee or green tea. Yerba mate can have a stimulating effect on the nerves, muscles and metabolism, and is essential for any curious epicurean and tea lover. If you pay attention to your diet, yerba mate can become one of your closest allies: it contains valuable vitamins and antioxidants that can be effective against aging of the skin and cells.
How to prepare yerba mate and what does it taste like?
Preparing herbal tea from the yerba mate plant is child's play. There are many recipes, but let's start with the classic method of preparation, as traditionally used in South America. It starts by pouring a few grams of leaves into the matte cup, working up to about half. Then, pour hot water over the contents of the cup, i.e. over the mate leaves, and let the infusion steep for five to seven minutes. Then you can drink your freshly brewed mate tea, either hot or cold. The taste is very distinctive and can be described as tangy, bitter and rustic. Of course, the taste may vary depending on the amount of leaves used for preparation, plus sweetener or lemon.
Savor yerba mate authentically
What equipment for an authentic and perfect cup of mate tea?
To prepare an original and authentic yerba mate herbal tea, you first need a calabash, or gourd. This is the traditional bulbous vessel from which mate tea is classically drunk. As a second item, you need the bombilla, a kind of traditional straw with which you can sip calabash mate tea with pleasure and style. Depending on your thirst, the gourd can easily be refilled with hot water. This influences the effect, as the leaves are brewed either in a more concentrated form or somewhat diluted. If you want to enjoy the beneficial properties of yerba mat tea even on particularly hot days, you can prepare it as usual and then let it cool in the refrigerator for a few hours. Add ice cubes just before serving and enjoy your cool summer mate drink, accompanied by calabash, bombilla and lots of treats.
Kusmi Tea offers mate tea in many variants in organic quality and of course it is also available online via our website. Order your pick-me-up, fresh and healthy, including VAT and shipping. Payment is also possible in CHF and your order will be delivered to your home on working days.