Yerba mate 101
Yerba Mate 101
Yerba mate (yer-bah ma-tay), known scientifically as Ilex paraguariensis, is a tree of the holly family that is native to the Atlantic Forest of South America [1–5]. In Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, yerba mate is commonly cultivated [1,6–15], but in the forest, a mate tree can grow up to 30 meters (almost 100 feet) in height [1–5].
The consumption of yerba mate is related to the unique relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their forest environments developed over millennia through the constant interaction, foraging, and management within the forest and construction and exchange of knowledge and practices for generations, between and among peoples [¹⁶–²⁴]. The knowledge that enabled the dissemination of the consumption and use of yerba mate originates from the Guarani (/ɡwɑːrɑː'ni/) people [²⁰,²¹,²⁵–²⁷].
Indigenous Peoples, including Guarani [²⁰,²¹,²⁵–²⁷], Kaingang (/kaɪnˈɡɑːŋ/)[²⁸], Aché (/ɑːˈʃeɪ/) [²⁹], and other cultures, continue to value the plant for its sacred properties [²³,²⁵–³⁰] and its ability to naturally energize. The practice of producing and consuming yerba mate was quickly adopted by settlers throughout the 17th, 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and has become a significant part of cultural identities in the South American countries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay [²³,³⁰–³⁴]. Today, yerba mate is consumed around the world, and a gourd circle (ronda/roda de mate), the cultural practice of sharing yerba mate among friends, has the power to bring people together [²³,³⁵–³⁷].
From the rainforest to your gourd
Cultivating
Our yerba mate is grown in its native home in the Atlantic Forest [1,2] in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, where we partner with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs)[1], who continue to use traditional cultivation and promote regenerative, organic [5–12] and fair trade practices [12–15].
Unlike conventional, monoculture, high-input, sun-grown yerba mate [16–23], regenerative, organic shade-grown yerba mate is cultivated (planted and managed) within natural forest or restored areas, helping to protect important forest ecosystems and support the continuation of traditional cultural practices [8,24–31]2.
Harvesting
Mature leaves and branches from yerba mate trees are harvested manually every one to three years [8,24,26,35].
Harvesters rely on a wide range of knowledge passed down for generations to prune and manage trees. They take care to leave enough foliage on each tree to ensure healthy resprouting for the next harvest [8,26].
Processing
The transformation of green leaves into yerba mate is a traditional process developed by the Guarani Indigenous Peoples hundreds of years ago, and today, a similar process continues using heat to dry green leaves [9–11,35–37].
For our yerba mate, the leaves are dried after harvesting at different partner facilities in Argentina and Paraguay, and at our own facility in Turvo, Paraná, Brazil. Guayakí Yerba Mate is air dried so it is smoke-free and safe from PAHs, which are chemical substances resulting from burnt matter that can be harmful to health. Drying follows the traditional process and is done in two steps: a first flash drying, called sapeco, and then slow drying, or secado, that can take several hours [9,26].
Dried leaves and stems are ground into yerba canchada, a course grind, before being aged for 6-12 months to acquire the desired flavor and color.
After aging, yerba canchada goes through final grinding, a careful process to reach the right particle size and balance between leaves, stems and powder.
Consuming or Drinking
There are many ways to consume yerba mate. Many people enjoy it as mate or chimarrão, a hot infusion of the loose leaves in a gourd (mate [ma-tay] or cuia [ku-yah]) with a metal straw called a bombilla (bom-bee-yah) or bomba (bom-ba), as a cold infusion, called tereré, or as a hot or iced tea [5,11,38].
Our yerba mate is ready to be enjoyed with friends in its traditional loose leaf form out of a gourd, as a tea in individual yerba mate tea bags, or infused into our line of cold ready-to-drink beverages.