Yerba Mate Caffeine Posted on 23 Apr 12:18

A tea bag of ECOTEAS yerba mate contains 20 mg of caffeine. This puts our yerba mate tea bags on par with green tea. Our tea bags are about half as strong as black tea, and one-fourth as strong as coffee.

How Yerba Mate Is Made Posted on 9 Apr 09:21

Yerba Mate tea is made from the leaves of a small holly tree native to the semi-tropical forests of South America. At every stage of cultivation and processing, our family farm partners employ techniques they have perfected over four generations to produce unsmoked yerba mate of outstanding quality. 

Where Does Yerba Mate Come From? Posted on 12 Mar 08:34

Yerba mate comes from the South American countries of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Yerba mate’s natural range includes an oval-shaped area that overlaps the northern tip of Argentina, southwestern Brazil, and southeastern Paraguay. At the geographical heart of this region where the three countries meet is the famous Falls of Iguazú, truly one of the great wonders of the natural world.

It's Time for Tereré! Posted on 3 Apr 13:45

The days are getting longer and warmer. As I work up a sweat in the garden, or play outside with my family in the lingering dusk, I start to get excited for tereré.

Tereré (say tay-ray-ray) is an iced yerba mate tea from Paraguay. It's refreshing, invigorating, and delicious. Best of all, unlike regular iced tea which takes hours to make, you can make tereré in a minute.

Here's the gear you need:

• A pitcher or wide-mouthed thermos
• A bombilla
• A small glass or metal cup

And here are the ingredients:

• Loose yerba mate
• A fresh lime or lemon
• Sweetener
• Ice

1. First, fill your small cup with loose yerba mate.
2. Next, insert your bombilla filter-end-down into the cup, all the way to the bottom.
3. Now put the cup aside for a moment.
4. Fill the pitcher with ice.
5. Squeeze in a fresh lime or two.
6. Fill the pitcher with fresh water.
7. Finally, stir in some of your favorite sweetener to taste.

That's it! Easy peasy. Pour little sips from the pitcher into the cup, then sip until it gurgles. Pass it around in a circle with your friends, just like hot mate.

(In case you're wondering, you don't need hot water to extract caffeine or nutrition from the herb. The cold water will slowly extract yerba mate's goodness with repeated pours.)

Do you have your own favorite tereré recipe? Like to use soda water for a bit of fizz? Like to use orange juice, crushed raspberries, or pear juice instead of lime? Let us know in the comments thread below.

Yerba Mate with Tulsi and Peppermint - Heaven in a Cup! Posted on 17 Nov 10:45

It's a rainy afternoon in the middle of winter. You can't seem to stay awake. If you drink a cup of coffee, you'll be up all night. You need something gentle yet potent. You need Holy Mate!

1. Holy Mate! is Delicious - Holy Mate! is a blend of our signature ECOTEAS unsmoked yerba mate with tulsi and a pinch of peppermint. Holy Mate! is deeply satisfying yet light on its feet.

2. Holy Mate! Works - Holy Mate! will give you the energy boost you're looking for. Gram for gram, Holy Mate! has about as much caffeine as green tea. But unlike green tea, you can brew it "yerba mate strong."

3. Holy Mate Reduces Adrenal Fatigue - Many people mistakenly think of tulsi as a sedative. Tulsi will not make you sleepy. Tulsi reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Chronic excess cortisol can contribute to many maladies, from hypertension and heart disease to obesity and suppressed immunity. By reducing cortisol, tulsi opens the window for your body's natural energy to return. Tulsi is a great herb to blend with yerba mate's balanced medley of stimulation, nutrition, and antioxidants!

I'm particularly fond of Holy Mate! in the doldrums after lunch, or when I go out dancing. It's also great when I didn't get enough sleep the night before, or when I'm coming down with something. Holy Mate! is also the world's best hangover tea. Holy Mate! picks me up without letting me down afterward.

 Here's where you can get yourself some Holy Mate! today. 

Yerba Mate For Weight Loss Posted on 19 Oct 12:25

Yerba Mate can be a helpful tool in your weight loss regimen. Yerba mate naturally raises metabolism, reduces appetite, provides abundant natural energy, and aids elimination.

Four Fall Flavors for Yerba Mate Posted on 30 Sep 09:28

Yerba Mate + Cinnamon + Cacao

Feeling snoozy with the sudden loss of daylight? Missing those warm days by the riverside? Here's a little something to warm your bones. Use a heaping tablespoon of raw cacao powder and a dash of cinnamon. Sprinkle them onto the loose yerba mate in your French press, or add them right to your mug if you're using a bombilla. Cacao and Yerba Mate go together like a happy old couple that's still in love.

Yerba Mate + Tulsi + Peppermint

Holy Mate! We liked this combo so much that we made it into a product. The tulsi supports your adrenals and strengthens your immune system. The peppermint adds a refreshing brightness. Drink it after lunch, after a night of dancing, or anytime you need a balanced boost.

Yerba Mate + Hibiscus + Lemongrass

Uh Oh. Starting to feel a little beleaguered? You're not sick yet, but you can feel it coming on. You need some bioavailable vitamin C and you need it fast. Don't take a handful of pills from that bottle in the back of your cupboard. Just brew some lemongrass and hibiscus into your morning yerba mate. Brew it strong and dark as red wine in moonlight.

Yerba Mate + Lemon + Ginger

It happens to everyone once in a while. You've been working hard, getting things done. You left the window open last night because you love the cricket song. Now your throat is dry and scratchy. Your limbs ache. You can't quite seem to get warm. Dice a pinkie-sized chunk of fresh ginger into a pot of boiling water. Squeeze in a whole, fresh lemon. Use this water to brew your mate. Put on some slippers and your favorite fluffy hat. Take the morning off.

Incidentally, here's a great deal on some great yerba mate...

Why does some yerba mate have stem & powder while others are pure leaf? Posted on 20 Sep 12:43

Not all loose yerba mate looks the same. There's a wide range of varieties out there, from emerald-green Brazilian yerba mate to tawny, smoky Paraguayan yerba mate.

All Yerba Mate Starts out Looking Like This!

Let's put aside questions of drying and aging methods for a moment, which determine a yerba mate's color and aroma, as we consider the types of yerba mate "cuts" that are available.

In our warehouse in southern Oregon, we keep three different yerba mate cuts in stock. The first variety is a finely milled pure-leaf cut that we use for manufacturing tea bags. Our Tea Bag Cut brews fast and strong, which makes it ideal for use in our Pure Yerba Mate and Holy Mate! Tea Bags. This blend is not available to individual consumers, but you can shoot us an email at info@yerbamate.com if you're a manufacturer seeking supply.

Pure Leaf Yerba Mate is a Great Choice for the Coffee Maker

The second cut we keep in stock is our signature Pure Leaf Cut that you will find in our Pure Leaf One-Pounders and Five Pounders. A Pure Leaf Cut has little to no stem in it, and very little powder as well. Pure Leaf Yerba Mate is a nice choice when you're brewing yerba mate in a French Press, espresso machine, or coffee percolator. It's easy to work with, and it makes a strong, bright cup of mate.

Finally, check out our Leaf/Stem Yerba Mate, which I prefer whenever I am making a traditional mate or terere. Also known as Yerba Mate Con Palo (Spanish for "Yerba Mate With Stem"), Traditional Whole Plant Yerba Mate contains stem and powder as well as leaf. Its flavor is milder (suave in Spanish) than Pure Leaf Yerba Mate. The stems add a subtle roundness to the flavor, while the powder lends a frothiness that some people compare to Japanese matcha tea. 

Choose a Whole Plant Cut when Drinking Mate Traditional-Style

Whole Plant Yerba Mate contains about 85% the caffeine of Pure Leaf Yerba Mate, but Whole Plant is actually higher in antioxidants. Because Whole Plant Yerba Mate uses more of the harvest, it is more ecological as well as economical. Compare prices here!

Burning the Midnight Mate Posted on 18 Aug 10:11

Yerba mate makes me happy. I love the way yerba mate smells and tastes. I love the way it feels.

Sometimes, when I'm getting into bed at night, I get excited because I know that I will soon be drinking yerba mate when I wake. As this wave of anticipation hits me, I actually smell yerba mate in my imagination, the way I sometimes smell the pine trees in a mountain range I climbed long ago, or the way I smell a lost beloved in a stranger's fragrant perfume. 

Speaking of nostalgia, I sometimes wish I were back in college. Not only because then I could shamelessly spend my afternoons reading books under a sugar maple. If I were back in college, and I needed to study for a test or write a paper, I could pack myself a gourd, and I wouldn't have to wait til morning.

And so, in honor of college kids everywhere, we are offering a sale on yerba mate starter kits here. Ends on Monday night, so grab one while you can!

Some things NOT to do with your bombilla Posted on 7 Apr 10:13

When you realize you forgot to pack a butter knife on your trip to Castle Crags, do not use your bombilla to spread almond butter on flatbread. 

Your bombilla is only to be used for enjoying yerba mate. (and other tea too)

Do not use your bombilla as a screwdriver. It is not a Swiss army knife.

Your bombilla is only to be used for enjoying yerba mate. (and other tea too)

When you get a flat tire and you need to patch your tube and it's raining and almost dark, do not use your bombilla as a tire iron.

Your bombilla is only to be used for enjoying yerba mate. (and other tea too)

Do not use your bombilla as a makeshift pipe on a road trip in the Central Valley. Unless you are very careful, you will end up with a mouthful of flaming herb.

Your bombilla is only to be used for drinking yerba mate. (and other tea too)

Drink hot yerba mate with ginger and cinnamon.

Drink iced yerba mate with honey and lime.

Share yerba mate with your husband, your brother, your friend.

Keep a mug of yerba mate nearby while you work, and add fresh water whenever you need inspiration. 

Keep a bombilla in your glove box, your bike bag, your backpack, your silverware drawer.

It's a metal straw. With a filter on the bottom. For drinking tea. How cool is that?

Do not borrow your friend's bombilla. Buy one here instead.