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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Yerba Mate - Liquid Vegetable of the Gaucho

Author: Arbor Teas
Original Source: Traditions

Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a small tree native to the subtropical highlands of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. In much of , leaves of this plant are infused in water in a dried calabaza gourd and sipped through a filtered straw, called a "bombilla." This healthful brew is considered "the drink of the gods" by many indigenous peoples in South America, and is a staple in the of many South American cattlemen, or "gauchos," being a food product of high nutritional value that can stand up to the rigors of . So prevalent is the consumption of yerba mate in South America, that mate bars are as widespread as coffee shops in the US. Traditionally, mate is often shared among close friends and family. The gourd and are passed around and around, refilling from time to time, in an act celebrating companionship.