Yerba Mate plant, scientific name Illex Paraguariensis, has been known for a few centuries, and is native to South America, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. It is an evergreen member of the Genus Holly. It was cultivated by Guarani Indians in Paraguay and Uruguay. The drink is made by brewing finely chopped leaves and thin branches of this tropical evergreen tree.

This stimulating herbal drink has a unique ability to awaken the mind and improve one’s mood. Unlike coffee, it does not cause nervousness and pressure gradients. The Indians called mate "Nectar of the gods”, and in the 17th century the first Europeans, familiar with mate, named it "the green gold of Indians". Mate has many health benefits, which more and more attract the attention of scientists and consumers around the world.

Sometimes, in trade labels of mate, such names as "Paraguay tea", "Brazilian tea" etc. are used. But the only thing that unites mate and tea is the appearance and colour. Yerba Mate is not a tea culture. It is prepared from dried leaves of an evergreen tropical tree Illex Paraguariensis.

Drinking mate by using gourd and bombilla is the best way to get the maximum amount of nutrients. But there are other ways to drink mate. For example, boiled mate, mate with milk, cold mate, fruit mate or mate with herbs. You can even prepare mate like an ordinary tea. Using various supplements, one can create the drink to one’s own unique taste. There is also packaged mate, but it is cleared of twigs, and they have high concentration of beneficial substances.

Yerba Mate should be stored in a dry and dark place. For storage it is best to use a glass jar with a tight-fitting cover. If kept in a tin, Yerba Mate absorbs the taste of iron, and contact with moisture leads to bitterness.

Yerba Mate has slightly bitter taste, with slightly sweet aftertaste. One can also add to mate a bit of honey, milk, lemon, mint or any other ingredients to create a unique taste.

Yes. Instead of hot water, one can pour cold water or orange juice. Cold mate has to be infused for longer. This method is good in hot weather. Cold mate quenches thirst and fills the body with energy.

Boiling water kills the vital nutrients in the mate and makes it bitter. After boiling, one must wait until water is slightly cooled.

The most important thing is never to use dishwasher and soap. Simply rinse it with water and wipe it dry with a paper towel or cloth. Then flip the gourd upside down and put it down in such a way that the air can freely circulate inside. Do not leave the gourd with the brew for long periods of time, because the inside of the walls may become mouldy. With proper care the gourd will serve you for a long time.

For this one should heat a teaspoon on a flame and use it to scrape the mouldy upper layer from the walls.

Bombilla is a special tube-filter, through which mate is drunk. At the top of the tube is a flat mouthpiece, and at the bottom (which is lowered into the water) - a spherical bulge with many small holes, i.e. kind of strainer. For bombilla not to clog, it has to be properly rinsed with water after each use.

According to an Indian legend, the slightest wobbling of bombilla creates chaos in the universe. Moving the tube, of course, will not cause a galactic crash. But harmony in the gourd will be disturbed, and bombilla will get clogged.

According to the results of research centres, such as the Paris Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific Society, mate contains virtually all vitamins and substances, necessary to sustain vital functions of a human body. The ingredients contained are resins, fibre, volatile oils, and tannins. Mate also contains carotene, vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, unique complex of B group vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, silicon, phosphates, sulphur, hydrochloric acid, chlorophyll, choline, and inositol. In their conclusions, the scientists noted that a plant with so many important and vital nutrients is extremely rare in nature. Indeed, it is difficult to find in the world a plant with similar nutritious properties to mate.

Popular notion that Yerba Mate contains no caffeine is incorrect. Average leaf of Yerba Mate contains about 1% caffeine. But the main active substance in mate is mateine. Mateine is similar to caffeine, but it has a more powerful and, at the same time, more safe and beneficial properties, and it has no side effects such as jitters or increased heart rate.

Yes, since mate doesn’t break the sleeping cycle. Drinking mate lifts fatigue, and immersion in a calm and deep sleep comes easier. It helps the body to completely relax during sleep.

Mate is an indispensable aid for dieters, because it contains almost no calories, and at the same time, it eliminates the feeling of hunger. Drinking Yerba Mate allowed Indians to go without food for long periods of time, sometimes replacing such important foods like bread and vegetables. Whilst lowering appetite, at the same time mate provides the necessary elements and improves digestion, by compensating the reduction of calories consumed. Mate is a wonderful addition to a healthy diet. It provides an opportunity to reduce weight without losing strength.