Hand-picked Maté tea, Weight 70 g

Maté is the most popular South American drink, prepared from the leaf of the Paraguayan holly, an evergreen tree about 15 m tall. It is grown mainly in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. Traditional drink of the Paraguayan Indians.

An infusion with a pleasantly bitter taste, smoky aroma. It is traditionally drunk from a hollowed-out pumpkin (calabassa) with a metal straw topped with a strainer (bombilla).

Maté is known primarily for its strong stimulating effects. It contains the alkaloid caffeine (referred to as matein in connection with mate), minerals (magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, silicon, phosphorus, etc.), vitamins A, B, C, E, beta-carotene and antioxidants. Maté supports kidney function, improves metabolism, normalizes blood sugar levels and strengthens the immune system. The inhabitants of South America also suppress the feeling of hunger by drinking mate, which helped them survive in times of need. Nowadays, this property is used in various reduction diets.

Ingredients: 100 % unroasted (green) shoots of Paraguayan holly (Yerba mate - Ilex paraguensis)

Origin: Brazil

Classic preparation: Pour about 4 grams (2-3 teaspoons) of mate into a teapot and pour a small amount of cold water to make a "thin slurry". This is so that the high temperature does not destroy the taste and content. Then boil approx. 250-300 ml of water, let it stand at approx. 80 °C, and pour over the prepared maté and infuse to taste. Strain and drink.

Traditional preparation: For this you need a calabash (gourd container) or other container and a bombilla (a straw with a strainer, usually metal). Fill the container to about 2/3 of the mate. Then cover the container with your palm, turn it to a horizontal position and shake it gently so that the fine parts of the matte get to the bottom. This increases the chance that the bombilla will not clog. Then put the container back in its original position, so that the mate remains at an angle of about 45°. Then put the bombilla in the part where there is no matte. Then pour warm water (around 50 °C) over the mate and let it soak completely into the mate. Pour water of approx. 70-80 °C warm into the place where the bombilla is, and you can already sip through the bombilla. After drinking to the bottom, you can refill the Yerba with warm water several times. Do not stir the drink after adding water. The first infusion is very strong. Then you can just sit back, add water and enjoy.