What is yerba maté? Yerba maté is a South American drink brewed from dried leaves and twigs of the holly genus plant, with the botanical name Ilex paraguariensis.
Yerba maté grows as a shrub or small tree that can reach up to 15 meters high. This evergreen tree is a species of holly that produces small greenish white four petal flowers and a red berry.
When the yerba mate leaves and twigs are brewed, the tea is similar to green tea. It is said to be best brewed in hot, not boiling, water. Yerba maté has become known as the national drink of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina.
Known in some areas of South America as “The Drink of the Gods”, yerba mate is thought to possess a host of health benefits. Most of which help prolong life.
Today, the cultivation of yerba maté continues in parts of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay and the custom of drinking yerba maté tea has gone global.
