Caffeinated and trendy beverages come in many forms, from beans to leaves. Matcha is as essential as coffee, but here is another traditional drink that is catching up, it is yerba maté from South America. Brewed from the dried leaves of an evergreen shrub, Ilex paraguariensis. It is popularly extended to parts of Syria and Lebanon.
Why is this drink getting recognized? Well, if you’re someone who is also chronically online. Football players like Messi have been captured several times so it is impossible not to jump into the “hype” or get curious about the benefits of ingesting it.
Yerba contains caffeine, riboflavin, thiamine, phosphorus, iron, calcium, vitamins C, and B6. That’s more than enough as a coffee alternative, although it is primarily described as bitter, yerba has different types of processing and drying periods depending on its brands of the country it came from:
In Brazil, it is called “chimarrao” and they only get the unaged leaves of the tree which results in a sweeter taste and appears as a brighter green color but it is harder to strain because of its fine cut process.
In Argentina, they have a wider cut of yerba and tend to have mild brands which is better for those just starting out.
While Uruguayan brands of yerba are the strongest option for experienced yerba drinkers, it involves a wood fire drying process of herbs before grinding it and also they use aged leaves, which results in a more earthy and robust taste.
How to prepare it?
For beginners, use a french press or tea bags and steep around 3-5 minutes of hot, not boiling water.
Make sure it is only around 70 degrees celsius warm so you won’t burn the leaves and make it more bitter.
To drink it traditionally, a gourd made out of calabash or the “mate” and bombilla (metal strainer straw) is the way to go.
Fill the cup with ¼ of yerba, cover it with your palm and shake it sideways to form a mountain so you could insert the straw before steeping the herbs with room temperature water for 5 minutes before adding hot water for every sip until the flavor is out.
During warm weather, an iced version of this drink is called tereré. You can put in some lemon slices or mint, and even pour any fruit juice of your choice to cool down during the summer.
Researchers say drinking liters of yerba can be unhealthy, but here is the catch.
Culturally, yerba maté is considered a social drink to pass it around every sip from the server. This leafy drink is more than just an energizer, it brings family, friends, and even strangers together.