Yerba mate: what it is, how to prepare it, and which to buy

Yerba mate is a caffeinated South American herbal drink made from the dried leaves and stems of a holly tree. It tastes grassy, earthy and a little bitter, and many people drink it as a smoother alternative to coffee. This guide is for anyone curious about mate: what it is, how to prepare yerba mate the traditional way or in a French press, how it compares with green tea, black tea and chai, and which loose leaf, tea bags and canned mate we carry.

What is yerba mate?

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant in the holly family, native to the forests of South America, where it's cultivated mainly in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. The yerba mate leaves and small stems are dried, sometimes smoked or roasted, then cut and aged. Steeped in hot water, they make an infusion simply called mate.

In Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil, mate drinking is part of daily life. It's traditionally served in a hollow gourd with a metal straw called a bombilla, classically a silver straw, and shared among family and friends, with the person preparing it refilling the gourd and passing it around the circle. You'll also see it spelled yerba maté. Commonly consumed across South America, it's now enjoyed around the world, and nowadays it's sold as loose leaf, tea bags, lattes and canned drinks.

What does yerba mate taste like?

Traditional loose leaf mate is grassy and vegetal, a little like a strong green tea, with an earthy, slightly bitter finish. The cut makes a difference: "con palos" mate includes stems, which mellow the brew, while leaf-only mate is stronger. Roasted yerba mate is darker and fuller-bodied, closer to coffee, and flavoured mate drinks add fruit, mint or citrus.

What does yerba mate do to the body?

Yerba mate naturally contains caffeine, which is where its gentle lift comes from. A cup of mate usually has a little less caffeine than a cup of coffee and more than most green tea, though it varies with how much leaf you use and how long it steeps. Canned mate drinks can carry more: each 355 mL can of Mateina has 120 mg of naturally occurring caffeine.

Mate also brings antioxidants, mostly polyphenols such as caffeoyl derivatives (the same family of compounds found in coffee), plus small amounts of theobromine, the compound in chocolate. Many people find mate gives them a steady, focused energy rather than a jolt, and enjoy it as a morning drink or an afternoon pick-me-up in place of coffee.

Potential health benefits, in plain terms

Yerba mate has been traditionally consumed in South America for centuries, valued as an everyday beverage more than a medicinal one. Its potential health benefits come down to what's in the cup: caffeine for alertness and focus, antioxidant polyphenols, and small amounts of other nutrients, including minerals like potassium and manganese. Many people reach for it to get past the afternoon slump and the fatigue of a long day. Research on mate in humans is still young, and more research is needed before anyone can promise more, so we keep it simple: it's a good-tasting, plant-based way to get your caffeine as part of a balanced diet.

How to prepare yerba mate

There are two easy ways to prepare yerba mate at home: the traditional preparation in a gourd, or brewed like loose leaf tea.

The traditional way, with a gourd and bombilla

1. Fill the gourd. Fill a gourd or mug about half to two-thirds full of loose yerba mate.
2. Tilt and settle. Cover the top with your hand, shake gently, then tilt the gourd so the leaves pile up on one side.
3. Add cool water first. Pour a little cool water into the low side and let the leaves absorb it for a minute. This protects the flavour.
4. Insert the bombilla. Push the bombilla into the damp side, filter end down, and don't stir it once it's in.
5. Add hot water. Add hot water, around 70 to 80°C, not boiling, into the same spot. Sip through the bombilla until it gurgles, then refill. The same leaves give many refills before the flavour fades.

The easy way, like tea

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of loose yerba mate to a French press or tea infuser, add hot water just off the boil, steep for 3 to 5 minutes and pour. A squeeze of lemon, a sprig of mint or a little honey softens the bitterness. For iced mate, cold brew a few tablespoons in a jar of water in the fridge overnight, strain and serve over ice.

Loose leaf yerba mate and tea bags we carry

Mateina is a Canadian company. Its Organic Yerba Mate Loose Leaf is a classic Argentine-style cut, con palos, from a single family farm in northeastern Argentina that grows it organically and sells it fair trade. The stems make it smoother and naturally sweeter than a leaf-only mate. Lemon Lily Tea, which blends organic loose leaf tea in Toronto, supplies the organic yerba mate in our bulk section, so you can buy a small amount by weight and try it first.

If you'd rather use tea bags, Celebration Herbals packs certified organic herbs in Canada. Its Roasted Yerba Mate is complex and full-bodied, a natural coffee substitute, and Yerba Mate with Morning Mint blends mate with organic peppermint and spearmint.

Canned yerba mate and mate lattes

Ready-to-drink mate is the easiest way to try it. Mateina Energy Infusions are cold-brewed organic yerba mate sweetened with organic stevia and fruit juice instead of cane sugar, made in Canada, in flavours like Raspberry Yuzu. Guayaki makes organic canned mate: Classic Gold is sparkling and lightly sweetened with organic cane sugar, lime and ginger, and Berry Lemonade is still, tart and fruity. For a warm, creamy option, Organic Traditions Yerba Mate Latte blends yerba mate and matcha with coconut milk powder, mint and vanilla.

Yerba mate vs green tea, black tea, chai and coffee

Yerba mate isn't technically tea, since it doesn't come from the tea plant. It's an herbal tea, or mate infusion, but it sits alongside the caffeinated teas in our aisle. Here's how they compare:

If you like a bold morning cup, Nova Scotia's own Just Us!, a worker co-operative in Grand Pré that became Canada's first fair trade coffee roaster, makes Maritime Breakfast, an organic, fair trade black tea. Stash Organic Premium Green Tea is fresh and smooth; steep it below the boil for one to three minutes. Bisou, an Ontario tea company, blends an organic Masala Chai with black tea, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon, and Pluck makes a smooth organic pekoe. For caffeine-free options, see our herbal tea guide, and for matcha, our matcha guide.

Is it safe to drink yerba mate daily?

Yerba mate is a daily drink for millions of people in South America, often shared with friends throughout the day. Like coffee and tea, it contains caffeine, so most people enjoy it in moderate amounts and earlier in the day. Brewing with hot water rather than boiling water also gives a smoother, less bitter cup.

Why is yerba mate so addicting?

Part of it is caffeine, which many of us enjoy every morning in one form or another. The rest is ritual: preparing a gourd, refilling it and passing it around is a big part of mate's appeal, and its smooth lift and earthy taste win over a lot of coffee drinkers.

Is yerba mate like Ozempic?

No. Yerba mate is a caffeinated plant drink, not a medication, and it doesn't work like one. Enjoy it for its flavour and its natural lift.

Yerba mate questions we hear in the store

Can you add milk to yerba mate?

Yes. Mate cocido, mate brewed like tea, is often served with warm milk and a little sugar or honey. The Organic Traditions Yerba Mate Latte is a ready-made version with coconut milk.

Do I need a gourd and bombilla?

Not to start. A French press, tea infuser or tea bag works fine. A gourd and bombilla are part of the tradition and the fun, and they let you refill the same leaves many times.

How should I store yerba mate?

Keep loose yerba mate in a sealed bag or airtight container away from light, heat and moisture, like any loose leaf tea.

Shopping for yerba mate at Luminate

You'll find yerba mate with our teas in the coffee and tea aisle at both stores, loose leaf mate in our bulk section, and canned mate with our cold drinks. Shop online in our tea collection and coffee, tea and substitutes. Loose leaf, tea bags and cans are shelf stable and ship across Atlantic Canada in 1 to 3 business days, with free shipping in Canada on orders over $80, or come the same day across Halifax, Bedford and Dartmouth with Luminate Express when you order by 11 am.

Product details come from our own product listings and brand pages. Caffeine amounts vary by brand and how you brew. This article is general information, not medical advice.