Interesting facts about yerba mate

Yerba mate comes from South America and it is becoming more and more popular all over the world. Although it is still far from being as popular as coffee or tea, there is probably no one who has not heard these two words: "yerba mate". However, whether you are just beginning your adventure with the "drink of friendship" or you are already an experienced mateist, you might not have known some interesting facts about yerba mate.

4 facts about yerba mate you should be interested in

1. Yerba mate is not only a drink served in a gourd and drunk with a bombilla. Many people experiment with yerba mate by adding it to various dishes. Adding an infusion of mate to a smoothie or lemonade, or adding powdered mate into cake, are fairly simple and easy recipes to come up with. But have you heard for example about yerbaburgers? They are nothing more than veggie burgers made with yerba mate! The many precious properties of yerba mate make it perfect not only as an infusion that we drink or as an ingredient in the dishes that we prepare, but also as an additive in the cosmetics that we use in our daily lives. Powdered mate can be added to your favourite cream, oil, scrub or mask, giving them new properties. There are also more and more made-up products you can buy in stationary or online shops. A lot of soaps, hair shampoos or face creams with yerba mate in their ingredients can easily be found.

2. Yerba mate can be grown in a flowerpot. Seeds of illex paraguariensis are covered with a thick layer that prevents the embryo from sprouting. In the wild, the fruits of illex paraguariensis are eaten by certain species of birds, which then spread them with the damaged layer, allowing seeds to grow. Nowadays, suitably prepared seeds can be bought in shops and planted by yourself. This makes it possible to grow yerba mate even in a pot! Of course this plant will not grow in your room to the same size as the wild illex paraguariensis, nor will it have the same properties, so it is unlikely that we will be able to prepare an infusion from its leaves.

3. The first sip of yerba mate is for Saint Thomas. Traditionally, yerba mate is prepared by first pouring a small amount of cool water over the dried mate and then adding warm water to the full amount. In this way, the water from the first pouring "disappears" in a mysterious way. In the past, in the countries where yerba mate originated, it was believed that the first pouring of the infusion was drunk by Saint Thomas. This legend was spread by the Jesuits. The local people believed that it was Saint Thomas who brought the illex paraguariensis into the world and showed people its properties. He was surrounded by an extraordinary aura and was not attacked by wild animals - pumas, jaguars and vipers. The first sip of yerba was therefore "given" to Saint Thomas in gratitude for receiving the gift. Now we know that the water from the first pour is simply absorbed by the dry mate and there is no magic in it, but the whole culture of brewing and drinking yerba mate is so fascinating that it is nice to add an element of mystery to the story sometimes.

4. You can drink yerba mate as you like! On the internet you can find lots of articles and guides on how to prepare and drink yerba mate. You will learn from them that you need the right tools, such as a gourd or a bombilla, you have to pour about ¾ of its capacity into the container, the water has to be at the right temperature etc. Especially if you are just beginning your adventure with this wonderful "drink of friendship", you may think that there are so many rules that it is difficult to remember them all. The truth is that you don't have to stick to them all. If you don't like the "strength" of yerba, you can put just a little bit of the mate in the gourd. You don't have to put up with its bitter taste at all - you can add some honey, juice, sugar or other sweeteners you like, as well as any other additives. What's more, you don't need a gourd and a bombilla to drink yerba! You can brew it as well in your favourite mug or cup, using a brewer, French Press or Aeropress. Yerba mate is also available in instant form and in teabags.