Yerba mate is a popular drink from South America. It’s a tea-like infusion, usually drank hot, and tastes somewhat like a cross between tea and coffee.
Unlike coffee, mate doesn’t have the traditional crash. As the drink gains popularity as a morning beverage in North America, people are also enjoying its health benefits:
Vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex
Minerals: Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc
Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols, Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids.
Coffee is often known as the way most Americans get their daily dose of antioxidants. While coffee has its health benefits, the rich vitamin and mineral ratio of mate as well as the amino acids make it a uniquely health coffee alternative.
So it may surprise you to realize that even His Holiness is a yerba mate fan.
Pope Francis, the first pope of Argentine descent, seems to enjoy a cup of mate now and then.
As the traditional drink of Argentina, mate is widely consumed. It’s also popular in other countries in the region, such as Paraguay and Brazil.
The beverage is traditionally consumed out of a gourd, which adds to its rich flavor profile.
Hey, if it’s good enough for the Pope, it’s good enough for us!