We explain what mate is, how it can be prepared and what benefits this infusion has. In addition, we tell you its origin and its history.
What is mate?
The mate It is a type of infusion that is made with cut, dried and ground yerba mate leaves (Ilex paraguariensis), a plant native to the South American region of the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, also known as Paraguayan tea, green gold or Brazilian tea. With a characteristic bitter taste, due to the tannins present in the leaf, mate has a stimulating effect due to its caffeine content although it was formerly thought to contain a supposed energizing agent called “mateine”.
It is, above all, a popular drink, typical of the South American regions of Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, as well as regions of Bolivia, Brazil and Chile. It is also widely consumed in Syria and Lebanon, although it is not native to these areas. The history of mate consumption dates back to pre-Columbian times, although it was quickly adopted by Spanish colonists and conquerors.
Its preparation is simple, usually the mate is done in a container which can be made of metal, plastic, glass, wood or other plant fibers, which is known as mate, porongo, cuia either guampa depending on the region. In fact, the name of the drink comes from the Quechua word Matiwhich means “pumpkin,” since these containers were usually made from stuffed pumpkins.
To ingest it, a tubular wooden or metal tool is usually used, known as lightbulb either bomb and it is common to mix it with other aromatic or digestive herbs, or with milk, coffee or juice.
Mate is a social drink, consumed both individually and shared, in everyday and exceptional moments. The ritual of its preparation and consumption involves taking turns from the same container, replenishing the hot water (usually at 80 °C) after each intake, until the herb loses its flavor and is discarded. The social importance of mate in the region is such that it represents a significant percentage of the agricultural production of Argentina (60% of the total yerba produced per year), Brazil (30%) and Paraguay (10%).
See also: Cocoa
Origin and history of mate
The first to prepare and consume yerba mate were the Guaraní peoples of South America who used it in infusions and even chewed it, in the same way as it is done with the coca leaf in Bolivia and Peru. The European conquerors knew it in this way and initially observed it with distrust, coming to nickname it “devil's herb” and associating it with lazy habits.
However, The invigorating effect of mate was soon noticed, and the drink found its place among the habits of Creole culture. Of special importance in its cultivation and promotion were the cities of Santa Fe and Asunción (Argentina and Paraguay respectively), as well as the Argentine province of Misiones, where the Jesuit priests had some of the largest plantations until their expulsion from the country in the 19th century. XVIII.
The recovery of yerba mate production in Argentina, after the devastation during the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), was due to the studies of the Franco-Argentine landscape painter Carlos Thays (1849-1934), who investigated new methods of plant germination. So, From less than 1 million kilos produced in 1898, Argentina went on to produce 20,000,000 kilos in 1929 only in the province of Misiones.
Countries with the highest consumption of mate
Mate is consumed mainly in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay the western regions of Bolivia and Chile and the southern region of Brazil. However, its main global exporters are Brazil (49.7 million kilograms), Argentina (41.4 million kilograms) and Paraguay (21.1 million kilograms), while the largest importers of yerba mate in the world are Uruguay. (32.2 million kilograms), Syria (31.4 million kilograms) and Chile (6.6 million kilograms).
Benefits of drinking mate
The consumption of mate is associated with certain beneficial effects on the body, including:
- It has a diuretic effect that is, it stimulates the urine production mechanism and thus contributes to the detoxification of the body and reduction of blood pressure.
- It has antioxidants such as paraoxonase-1, capable of influencing the accumulation of low-density cholesterol (LDL). In this it is similar to green tea.
- Has essential nutrients such as iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, C and E.
- Increases glucose tolerance and therefore reduces basal blood glucose (triglycerides).
- It has a neuroprotective effect in a certain set of neurons associated with locomotion and mobility, which could contribute to the prevention of diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
Types of mate preparation
Mate can be ingested in different ways, depending on the town and the environmental conditions. Among its best-known preparation variants are the following:
- bitter mate. As its name indicates, it is the consumption of the unadulterated and unsweetened infusion, which is why it is the most common and common preparation, known as maroon in Brazil.
- sweet mate. It differs from bitter mate in that a little sugar, honey or some sweetener is added (usually stevia) when it is prepared, always to the consumer's taste.
- Mate with milk. Prepared with hot milk instead of water and usually sweetened with sugar, and sometimes with grated coconut. Like sweet mate, it is not usually prepared in the same container as bitter mate, since there is a tradition that it contaminates the flavor of future preparations.
- Mate with herbs. It consists of adding different “yuyos” or herbs to the yerba, either for medicinal purposes or to alter the flavor through the mixture. It is normal to use coca leaf, peperina, pennyroyal, lemon balm, lemon balm, horsetail, wormwood, saffron, lemon, eucalyptus, among others, for these purposes.
- tea mate. It consists of using black tea leaf instead of mate leaf (or some mixture of both), as well as sugar and a little lemon juice. It is considered a variant of sweet mate and is also usually accompanied with other herbs.
- cooked mate. This is a different preparation from yerba mate, for which bags or some type of infusorium are used that are immersed in water about to boil, and allowed to rest for a few minutes. It is usually consumed with breakfast or a children's snack.
- Tereré. Typical of Paraguay and northeastern Argentina, this drink consists of preparing mate with cold water instead of hot, to which different condiments are added such as mint, lemon verbena, peperina or lemon, as well as several ice cubes. It is a way of drinking mate typical of summer.
- Syrian mate. In the Syrian regions of Daraa and Latakia, mate is consumed in a very different way than in the Southern Cone. It is served in a small glass cup, with a small bulb, and is eaten without sharing, stirred with a teaspoon of sugar.
- Yerba mate beer. Made in Brazil by the manufacturer Dado Bier, it is an alcoholic drink based on fermented yerba mate, along with hops and a mixture of malts. It has an average alcohol content of 7°.
Continue with: Tradition
References
- “Mate (infusion)” on Wikipedia.
- “History of yerba mate” on Wikipedia.
- “What is not known about drinking mate and what, according to experts, is good for your health” in La Nación (Argentina).
- “The benefits of drinking mate” (video) on CNN Chile.
- “Mate (beverage)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
