Do you know mate, this famous South American drink particularly popular in Argentina? Do you want to discover this drink, know its history, master its preparation, know everything about its properties and virtues?
Here is a ba-ba, which will perhaps make you want to include this unusual drink in your daily routine.
BUT FIRST OF ALL... WHAT IS MATE?
Mate is to the Argentinians what tea is to the English, so we don't joke with it! It is a real traditional drink that is drunk in Argentina, but also in a large part of South America (Uruguay, Paraguay and part of Brazil).
Very often called Yerba Mate or Jesuit tea , this drink is consumed as an infusion and is drunk in a calabash (calabash cup, wood or even glass) using a bombilla , a kind of metal straw, which makes its consumption truly unique.
It is made using the leaves and thin stems of Ilex paraguariensis , a shrub which requires a humid or even very humid climate, and temperatures between 20°C and 30°C. It is for this reason that almost all of the world's production takes place in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, in the Upper Paranà region which benefits from a humid and warm subtropical climate, but also from favorable geological characteristics. thanks in particular to a land rich in iron.
A LITTLE HISTORY...
It is in Argentina that this drink is most consumed, so much so that it has become an essential element of local customs.
Drinking mate is not just a social habit, it is a philosophy that is deeply rooted in Argentine popular culture.
All the folklore around mate is inspired by legends, poems, songs, literature and Albiceleste history. Drinking mate means perpetuating this culture and thus finding a connection between generations and eras.
This drink is a true heritage of the Guarani culture , indigenous Amerindian people of the Amazon regions of Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay.
The word “mate” comes from the Guarani word “Caa-mati” literally meaning “calabash herb”. Within this culture, mate has long occupied a primordial place in terms of its fundamental social role, which allowed the tribe to unite during its evenings. Indeed, mate leaves represented a pillar in their diet, especially when they went on long walks lasting several days.
In Guarani culture , mate was the opportunity to create an essential social bond, which allowed everyone to come together with family or friends, and thus meet new people.
Even if Spanish colonization brought this drink to light, it was not until the appearance of the Jesuits in this region that mate was definitively democratized. The latter, who arrived during the 17th and 18th centuries to organize the evangelization of the Indians, in fact largely participated in the development of mate cultures in southern Latin America. Unfortunately, the secrets of the plant's cultivation processes have disappeared at the same time as their disappearance. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that a mate culture similar to that we know today appeared again.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR MATE AND HOW TO DRINK IT?
To drink your mate, simply infuse a dose of dried yerba mate leaves in boiling water for a few minutes, then filter and finally enjoy it like tea or herbal tea.
Nothing more classic you say? Yes, except that mate is not a classic drink and the use of certain accessories is essential for a proper traditional tasting.
To drink real mate you must use a specific container, the calabash as mentioned previously, and a metal filter straw, the bombilla. The latter plays the role of a tea ball thanks to its filter system which prevents the leaves from passing through. Several filtration systems exist but the most common is the spring system. A small spring is attached to the submerged end of the straw and that’s it!
But let's come back to the traditional preparation of mate. To do this, fill your calabash with yerba mate ¾, tilt your calabash to be able to insert the bombilla, then pour hot water (maximum 75°C) along the bombilla, avoiding “drowning” all the leaves, this will allow long-term consumption. In fact, you can easily last a whole day with the same cup (yerba mate loses very little of its taste and properties during consecutive infusions).
PROPERTIES OF MATE
But apart from the ritual, it must also be emphasized that mate has many beneficial properties.
Indeed, in addition to being a natural stimulating drink like coffee or tea, mate also contains magnesium , potassium , sodium , vitamins A, B1, B2, C , amino acids and mineral salts. essential . Its matein, a substance close to caffeine in which it is rich, gives it its energizing power without the side effects of coffee, namely stomach aches and acidity that we can sometimes encounter. It stimulates the central nervous system and promotes concentration in a progressive and constant manner unlike coffee which acts more in a “peak” (the famous “caffeine rush”).
Mate is also used as a detoxifier : its diuretic properties allow the drainage of the circulatory and renal systems, in addition to providing an excellent dietary supplement for the body, it promotes metabolic balance.
WHERE TO BUY YOUR MATE?
If all this information has made you want to try mate, here are some instructions on how to find it in stores. Mate is not yet very widespread in France. It is therefore quite difficult to find them in supermarkets! But that doesn't mean it's difficult to get hold of. You can easily find it at herbalists and in fair trade stores (where you will be sure to find an excellent and organic product). Otherwise you can also get some via the site https://yerbamaterana.com/ which offers a multitude of 100% natural yerba mate!