Clean Energy Drink- Yerba Mate
Rounding out the clean energy drinks series is none other than…..and it was mentioned briefly in the last post.….is….Yerba Mate!!! Yerba Mate is a drink I’ve been drinking for a little while now. I alternate it with matcha (even though lately I’ve been drinking more matcha than yerba mate). Like guayusa, yerba mate is from the species of the plant holly. So basically they’re like cousins. They both have a very similar taste however guayusa is sweeter. With yerba mate there are different types of yerba mate plants which will give different tastes such as bitter, sweet and sour. For example yerba mate from Argentina, the country which produces the most yerba mate tastes grassy similar to matcha. Yerba mate from Paraguay has bolder and stronger tastes and can vary from bitter to sweet.
Yerba mate is indigenous to South America. It was a drink cultivated and consumed by the Guarani people way before European cultivation. The yerba mate plant varies in caffeine strength and flavor depending on whether it’s a male or female plant. The female plant is grown more in the wild and is milder in flavor and has less caffeine.
A combination of leaves and stems from both male and female plants are gathered during cultivation. The leaves are strong and bitter and the stems are soft in flavor providing a nice balance. After picked the leaves are cured for up to twenty four months and then milled.
The Benefits of Yerba Mate
- Aids in digestion.
- Regulates appetite.
- Provides antioxidants.
- Contains B vitamins.
- Helps with concentration.
- Increases energy.
- Helps to lower bad cholesterol.
Just like matcha there are ceremonial ways to consume the tea. You can find them here and here. One day I’ll make and drink my yerba mate in the ceremonial fashion with the traditional gourd and metal straw. But for now the way I drink my yerba mate is by scooping a tablespoon of tea and placing it in a small pot. I pour filtered water over top then heat the tea up right before boiling point. I strain the tea and it’s ready. I prefer not to sweeten it but you can add sweetener and/or nondairy milk depending on your taste.
So this ends my clean energy drink series.
Final Thoughts
Consider trying at least one if not all of the drinks blogged about and if you’re a coffee drinker try an experiment. One day substitute your coffee for a clean energy drink . See how long your energy lasts, see how you feel, you might decide to incorporate more clean energy drinks into daily regimen.
Peace & Wellness!
