Have Your Tried Yerba Mate?

There’s a new caffeinated beverage disrupting the food and beverage industry —yerba mate. Yerba mate gives you the energy that coffee and tea provide you, but without the crash or jitters. There are also tons of health benefits associated with this drink, so keep reading to find out more about yerba mate!

What’s Yerba Mate?

Yerba mate is a leafy shrub variety similar to the holly plant and it’s native to South America. Not to be confused with tea, it’s brewed like the beverage and drank from a yerba mate straw with a filter called a bombilla. The bombilla prevents the leaves from seeping through.

The taste is a bit earthy and bitter and it takes some getting used to.

Caffeine Content

Yerba mate doesn’t have quite as much caffeine as coffee, but it has more than tea. An 8-ounce serving of yerba mate has around 85 mg of caffeine and the same size serving of coffee has around 130 mg and green tea has around 50 mg. Although yerba mate has less caffeine than coffee, the energy you get from the drink lasts longer and you won’t feel jittery after consuming it.

Health Benefits

Yerba mate is known as the “Gift of Gods” in South American history because of its healing powers. The beverage contains 24 vitamins and minerals and 15 amino acids! It’s also associated with good heart health, weight loss, and blood sugar management.