Yuyos – herbs in yerba mate. Discover new flavours and properties!
Yerba mate is taking the hearts of foodies around the world by storm. No wonder! This aromatic drink not only energises and stimulates the taste buds, but also conceals a host of beneficial properties. How about enriching mate tea with herbal notes and discovering a whole new dimension of pleasure? Meet yuyos – traditional herbs that will transport you to sunny South America and transform your yerba mate experience. If you're ready for an unforgettable taste adventure, then buckle up and let's get going!
Summary:
- An herbal speciality from South America. What are yuyos?
- Yerba mate with herbs – benefits for body and spirit
- What do Latinos put in their calabashes? Popular herbs added to yerba mate
- Yuyos and tereré
An herbal speciality from South America. What are yuyos??
Have you ever wondered what makes yerba mate so special? It's not just a drink, but an entire culture that crosses borders and brings together people from all corners of the world! The green elixir of energy is winning the hearts of mate drinkers thanks to its extraordinary properties and variety of flavours. But did you know that the taste of yerba mate can be even more interesting? By selecting the right ingredients, you can enrich the traditional brew with a whole range of new sensations! Yerba mate blends perfectly with a variety of additives: fruits in any form, aromatic spices, natural oils... The infusion can also be enriched with the sweet taste of sugar or honey, or even prepared with the addition of milk instead of water. However, nothing combines as well with yerba mate as other herbs. Mate con yuyos, or yerba mate with herbs, is a well-tested recipe for delicious mate by the people of South American countries!
Adding herbs – yuyos to yerba mate is deeply rooted in South American indigenous traditions. But what exactly is hidden under this exotic term? It is not the herbs themselves that are at stake, but the unique flavour and aroma compositions that can be created with them and, above all, the whole range of health benefits they introduce into the brew. The history of yuyos dates back to pre-Columbian times, when indigenous South Americans discovered the magical properties of local plants. Yuyos were used as “cures” for a variety of ailments – although their effects have not been scientifically proven in every case. Fresh leaves picked straight from the bush or pre-dried herbs were also used as a daily addition to yerba mate to improve the taste and aroma of the beverage. The ancient knowledge of medicinal herbs, handed down from generation to generation, has survived the centuries and is still alive in Latin mate tea culture. To this day, in Paraguayan or Argentinian markets, one can still find stalls of yuyeros – local herbal traders who offer fresh or dried, hand-prepared herbal compositions. What's more, enjoying the benefits of yuyos is not just a matter of tradition, but also a way to personalise your own brew. By adding herbs to yerba mate, anyone can create a blend perfectly suited to their taste preferences and health needs. Whether it's refreshing mint, calming lemon balm or introducing a hint of sweetness with stevia, yuyos allow for endless mixing and matching fun, creating drinks that are as unique as the people who drink them!
Yerba mate with herbs – benefits for body and spirit
As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, drinking yerba mate with herbs is not only a pure pleasure, but also offers a range of health benefits. Yerba mate itself is a powerful source of nutrients that positively affect various areas of the body's functioning. The herbs further enrich the infusion with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that strengthen immunity, aid digestion, and have diuretic and purgative effects. Some yuyos also have calming and relaxing properties, while others are stimulating and energising. Put simply: the yuyos in yerba mate can work miracles!
What do Latinos put in their calabashes? Popular herbs added to yerba mate
The rich South American flora abounds with almost countless plant species – many of which have served as herbal additives to yerba mate for centuries. Some of the herbs are also well known to us Europeans, but the names of many of them are completely foreign to us. Fortunately, thanks to globalisation and the growing popularity of mate, even herbs that grow only in remote South America have become available to mate drinkers around the world, encouraging experimentation and the discovery of new flavours. Many herbs, in dried form, can easily be found in specialist online or stationary herbal or health food shops and, and thanks to the creativity of yerba mate manufacturers, we can enjoy ready-made herbal mates with the addition of a variety of yuyos. What are the most popular herbs in South America? We have made a small overview for you, adding, by the way, information on which yerba mate with herbal additives you can find in our shop:
Peppermint
The taste and aroma of peppermint probably needs no introduction! Mint leaves added to yerba mate – both in warm and cold form – bring a pleasant refreshment. But these are not all its benefits. Mint is also added for better digestion, and it can also support the metabolism and immunity. Its flavour combines well with other additives, such as dried lemon peel, eucalyptus or boldo. Just how popular an herbal addition to yerba mate is mint is evidenced by the huge number of flavour variations available in our shop in which it is included. We would like to draw your attention to the immortal combination of mint and lemon in Verde Mate Green Menta Limón, the Paraguayan Guarani Fresco – a very refreshing herbal combination in which eucalyptus leaf plays the first fiddle alongside the mint, and Selecta Menta Peperina Poleo, which contains three species of mint.
Boldo
The popularity of boldo in the native yerba mate countries is almost on the same level as that of the aforementioned peppermint – the herb, however, is practically completely unknown in Europe. The Latin name of the plant is Peumus boldus. It has a very characteristic, intense and slightly bitter taste, while its aroma is reminiscent of camphor. Like mint, boldo is added to infusions to improve the digestive process – after all, it is in its company that it often appears in ready-made yerba mate compositions. In our shop with boldo added, you will find, among others, the Paraguayan Guarani Boldo Menta or the double mint, strongly refreshing Campesino Double Menta Mate.
Cedrón
Under the common-sounding Spanish name cedrón is the lemon verbena (Latin: Aloysia citrodora). Lemon verbena is native to Argentina, and was only brought to Europe in the 17th century by Spanish travellers. The leaves of this plant are abundant in valuable essential oils, rich in bioactive substances. Amongst other things, it is said to have anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, digestive and relaxing effects. In addition, due to its intense flavour and aroma, it simply pairs perfectly with yerba mate! Lemon verbena in its composition has available in our shop: Rio Parana Compuesta con Hierbas, Campesino Cedrón and Ruvicha Pantanal.
Stevia
Stevia, more precisely described by its Latin name Stevia rebaudiana, is an extremely interesting plant, native to Brazil and Paraguay. Like any plant-based product, it is rich in valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but what makes it particularly special is its taste – stevia is sweet! When added to a yerba mate infusion, it introduces a pleasant sweet aftertaste, making it an excellent, low-calorie sugar alternative. Of course, our shop couldn't miss out on yerba mate variations with its addition – it's found in Argentina's famous CBSé Endulife con Stevia and Paraguay's Colón Compuesta con Stevia. These yerba mates really are sweet. Try it for yourself if you don't believe it!
Carqueja
Carqueja (Latin: Baccharis genistelloides) is another South American herb whose name sounds completely exotic to us, while it often appears in herb compositions sold by Latin American yuyeros. Carqueja has been used in folk medicine for centuries as a “remedy” for digestive ailments. It improves the digestive system, protects the liver and relieves discomfort after meals. An example of a yerba mate with this original ingredient is the Uruguayan-style Brazilian mate Barão De Cotegipe Export Compuesta. Highly recommended!
Lemon balm
Finally, an herb that we know quite well, but we think deserves special attention because of the unique synergy it creates with yerba mate. Lemon balm is known for its gentle effects on the nervous system – it soothes the nerves, promotes calmness and relaxation, and makes it easier to fall asleep. How does this relate to the energetic effects of yerba mate? An fusion of Ilex paraguariensis and lemon balm is stimulating, but in an even more harmonious way, pleasantly relaxing and induces a blissful state of tranquillity. Among other things, lemon balm was included in the composition of the strongly herbal and highly aromatic CBSé Hierbas Cuyanas – right next to coriander, fennel, mint, poleo and boldo.
Yuyos and tereré
Tereré, is nothing more than a cold version of yerba mate – a real, cool oasis on hot days! This is how yerba mate has won the hearts of the Paraguayan people, as a way to cool down and an opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Tereré can be prepared in the classic way – with cool water and ice cubes. Alternatively, the water can be replaced with frozen fruit juice and fresh pieces of fruit can be added to the vessel. Inherent in the culture of drinking tereré are yuyos, which not only play a flavourful role by introducing crisp, herbal notes, but are also added to the drink for their medicinal properties. Fresh herb leaves, purchased in ready-made bunches from local yuyeros, can be dropped straight into the calabash with the cold yerba mate. Most often, however, the herbs are first crushed in a mortar to fully extract their aroma, added to cold water in a large thermos to release their juices and only then the water, thus enriched with flavour and aroma, is poured into a mate cup filled with dried mate.
To conclude our journey through the green lands of yerba mate and its herbal companions, the yuyos, it is worth highlighting how unusual and versatile this combination is. The herbs not only enrich the taste and aroma of the traditional drink of the Guarani Indians, but also introduce a range of health-promoting properties. We hope we have inspired you to explore and experiment further. The addition of yuyos can transform a brew into a truly magical elixir!
Source of information:
- Wikipedia: Mate, Hierba, Tereré, Melissa officinalis, Baccharis genistelloides, Stevia rebaudiana, Aloysia citrodora, Boldo.
- C.I. Heck, E.G. De Mejia, Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): A Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Health Implications, and Technological Considerations, Journal of Food Science, 2007.
- M. Rigotti et al., Plantas Medicinais “Yuyos” Utilizadas na Bebida do Tereré na Fronteira entre Mato Grosso do Sul e Paraguai, Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research, 2022.
