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An organic herb prepared from the leaves of an evergreen, Illex paraguayensis, a relative of the common holly. It is rich in caffeine and was used as a caffeinated beverage by the native population of Latin America centuries before the European settlers arrived to establish coffee plantations. Grown on a family farm in Northern Argentina. Organic Certification: Oregon Tilth (OTCO), USDA Accredited. The traditional native procedure involves making a cold water infusion in a small bowl and inserting a hollow tube or straw into the bowl, through which the tea is sipped. Some of the tubes are made of silver with a perforated strainer at the bottom to prevent the mate leaf particles from being sucked into the mouth. The bowl, called a cuya, and the tube, or bombilla, are used in ceremonies at which participants take turns sipping mate through the silver straw. Yerba Mate leaves are processed somewhat like tea leaves. The tips of the branches are cut just before the leaves reach full growth. The leaves are then hot- air dried and sifted to remove stems and powder. The caffeine content of mate is comparable to that of coffee. Click on thumbnail image for enlarged view. |
