It’s like a bitter, astringent tea. Some people add a bit of sugar or citrus rind on top. If you do want to try it I recommend finding someone else to share it with, and look up a good tutorial on how to prepare it. Water shouldn’t be boiling, you need a mate straw, pick the right container, place the yerba the right way. Etc.
What really makes mate stand out is two things: it’s a stimulant, like coffee (ymmv- I don’t notice it waking me up but a lot of people do) but above all, it’s a social drink. You are meant to share it around with people. Literally. I’ve had more than one English speaker express their surprise when they realize they are supposed to be drinking from the same cup and straw as everyone else around them, unlike tea or coffee with which you get your own cup.
You can also prepare it just like regular loose tea in a cup, removing the leaves once the infusion is made. This is called mate cocido and is heavenly with honey.
It’s supposedly chemically similar to matcha green tea because you ingest some quantity of the leaves much like matcha. The plant leaves contain different chemicals that regulate caffeine uptake in sort of similar but different ways.
Yerba mate typically contains 70–90 mg of caffeine per serving, depending on the product and how it’s brewed. In loose-leaf form or in products like Unimate, that amount can go even higher—especially if is highly concentrated extract. Yerba mate also contains theobromine, a compound found in dark chocolate that provides a smooth, mood-enhancing energy boost without the spikes and crashes associated with coffee.
Matcha green tea, by comparison, delivers around 30–70 mg of caffeine per serving, depending on how much powder you use. But what makes matcha unique is its high content of L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes calm, focused alertness. The result is a gentler energy curve that supports mental clarity and reduces stress, making it a favorite among those seeking a more mindful boost.
I’ve never had the traditional yerba mate, but I’ve used matcha powder and non-traditional yerba mate, and they are indeed smoother caffeine delivery than regular coffee of tea.
Non traditional yerba mate? You mean the bottled sort too or something else?
TIL matcha also has caffeine. Guess I’ll have to try that, where I am I’ve seen it as a flavor in a thousand things but I’m not aware of what a proper cup of matcha tastes like.
Yea it’s pretty good! Not everyone likes it, same as coffee and tea. It has its own herbal taste distinct from tea, but is closer to tea than coffee. I have it every once in a while, but have never had it the traditional way as shown in the image above, just the bottled stuff.
I tried to drink mate to cut down the coffee and it’s taste like weak diluted coffee. Drinking with lemon or orange was okay but I prefer to just drink lemonade. But I don’t like bitter stuff anyway, I drink coffee with sugar and milk.
It’s good! If you like coffee and tea without milk or sugar, you’ll probably like it too!
Word? I’ll give it a shot
It’s like a bitter, astringent tea. Some people add a bit of sugar or citrus rind on top. If you do want to try it I recommend finding someone else to share it with, and look up a good tutorial on how to prepare it. Water shouldn’t be boiling, you need a mate straw, pick the right container, place the yerba the right way. Etc.
What really makes mate stand out is two things: it’s a stimulant, like coffee (ymmv- I don’t notice it waking me up but a lot of people do) but above all, it’s a social drink. You are meant to share it around with people. Literally. I’ve had more than one English speaker express their surprise when they realize they are supposed to be drinking from the same cup and straw as everyone else around them, unlike tea or coffee with which you get your own cup.
You can also prepare it just like regular loose tea in a cup, removing the leaves once the infusion is made. This is called mate cocido and is heavenly with honey.
It’s supposedly chemically similar to matcha green tea because you ingest some quantity of the leaves much like matcha. The plant leaves contain different chemicals that regulate caffeine uptake in sort of similar but different ways.
https://www.dougcollinsonline.com/blog/matcha-green-tea-vs-yerba-mate-health-benefits-guide
I’ve never had the traditional yerba mate, but I’ve used matcha powder and non-traditional yerba mate, and they are indeed smoother caffeine delivery than regular coffee of tea.
Non traditional yerba mate? You mean the bottled sort too or something else?
TIL matcha also has caffeine. Guess I’ll have to try that, where I am I’ve seen it as a flavor in a thousand things but I’m not aware of what a proper cup of matcha tastes like.
Bottled stuff, and there’s various grades of matcha powder quality, and it matters more when doing the simple recipe.
TIL. Somehow, I never realized yerba mate has caffeine. I’ll have to try some eventually.
Yea it’s pretty good! Not everyone likes it, same as coffee and tea. It has its own herbal taste distinct from tea, but is closer to tea than coffee. I have it every once in a while, but have never had it the traditional way as shown in the image above, just the bottled stuff.
TIL mate is sold bottled… mixed feelings about this
Yea I’m aware that that’s not a good version of it, haha.
Chimarrão is quite different than the mate tea and there’s a version that you drink with cold water.
I dislike every version of it.
Even with cold juice? My spouse struggles to drink regular mate but they love tereré
I tried to drink mate to cut down the coffee and it’s taste like weak diluted coffee. Drinking with lemon or orange was okay but I prefer to just drink lemonade. But I don’t like bitter stuff anyway, I drink coffee with sugar and milk.
Hahaha, fair! I’ll have to try it one day!
If you enjoy it then, go for it
I do, would just be nice to try the real deal someday!
If you’re ever in Argentina I can prepare some for you!
Thanks! I’ll keep that in mind!