Consuming Yerba Mate the Traditional Way

Mate is also known as chimarrao. It's the South American prepared beverage. The mate drink is served in a special and unique way. It is served with a metal straw from a shared calabash gourd. In Latin American countries it is known as bombilla. The modern design of a bombilla is a straight tube with tiny holes on the end so when you sip the yerba mate you filter the Yerba Mate leaves.

Mate is the national drink of Argentina nevertheless it is highly regarded in other countries all over the world. The yerba mate drinking ritual is considered to be good not only for body but also for the soul. Friends drink yerba mate as a sort of social entertainment. It is intensely popular in student activities such as sports occasions, work, and so on.

Yerba mate is enjoyed in the morning and afternoon between meals. According to tradition, a Mate cup or gourd and bombilla set is a common gift for family and friends. To drink yerba mate according to the traditions you want a Bombilla. This helps filter leaves out from the yerba mate tea. It is made from all kinds of different rare metals, from nickel, bronze, stainless steel, gold plated and silver plated. A bombilla made with tougher metals can last for many decades of daily use. Many Gourd and bombilla sets are decorated by hand. This gives each set a very unique look. No 2 sets are the same.

Yerba mate tea leaves comes from "Ilex Paraguariensis" and are cultivated in the South America rainforests. The leaves are first dried and crushed. A premium yerba does not contain any stems because the stem can lessen the quality of blend. The "Nativa" is the best blend of 100% yerba mate leaves. These are cultivated from mature, wild trees.

Each culture has its deep-routed preferences as to temperature, taste and size of the Mate gourd. You may want to add honey or sugar to the yerba mate to enhance the flavour to fit your individual preference. Yerba mate is a healthy alternative option to coffee. Yerba mate can be enjoyed on daily basis. You can also add other medically active herbs for different health reasons. During the past, it was common to add these herbs in the thermos. But now in the present day, many tea companies simply add them to their unique yerba mate blend.

Enjoying yerba mate in the traditional way can have a powerful earthy taste that could be a touch overpowering. Drinking it this way has more medical effects but you might need to work your way up to this point.