 Yerba Mate (pronounced "yerba mahtay") is a cultural and medicinal drink of ancient origins. Introduced to the world by the Guarani Indians of South America, Mate contains ingredients that help keep its drinkers healthy and energetic. Yerba Mate is becoming a cultural phenomenon throughout the world. Its health benefits are many. In Buenos Aires, where people carry their Mate with them throughout the day, the site of an obese person is rare. Yerba Mate is considered to be a natural stimulant which invigorates your mind and body while providing additional nutrition and other health benefits. It's actually included in many weight loss products because of the stimulating effects, and it's said to inhibit the appetite as well. Scroll down to see our Yerba Mate products. More about Yerba Mate. What is a Yerba Mate Gourd? Our Yerba Mate goes through an initial flash-drying process to break open the pores. In the old days it was done by passing it over flames, but modern equipment protects it from the heat, preserving the freshness and preventing any burning of the leaves.
The second stage is the slow-drying process. The heat source comes from a tube about 1/4 mile long and the ashes are filtered before it reaches the drying building, where the leaves go down 5 floors on a conveyor belt, taking about 5 hours.
The third stage is aging the Yerba Mate, where they let it rest for 6-12 months in cedar storage areas so it is properly dried before packaging it.
Other suppliers cut a lot of these steps out, which can result in improperly-dried Mate that smells of mildew. Our Yerba Mate is wild harvested from mostly female plants, resulting in a much smoother flavor. |