Maté

Maté(/ˈmɑːteɪ/MAH-tay; Spanish:mate[ˈmate], Portuguese:[ˈmatʃi]) is a traditional South Americancaffeine-rich infusedherbal drink. It is also known aschimarrãoin Portuguese,cimarrónin Spanish, andkaʼayinGuarani.It is made by soaking driedyerba-maté(Ilex paraguariensis) leaves in hot water and is traditionally served with a metal straw (bombilla) in a container typically made from acalabash gourd(also called themate), but also made from a cattle horn (guampa) in some areas. A very similar preparation, known asmate cocido, removes some of the plant material and sometimes comes in tea bags. Today, maté is sold commercially in tea bags and as bottlediced tea.
Maté has been originally consumed by theGuaraníandTupipeoples native to Brazil and neighboring countries. After European colonization, it was spread across theSouthern Conecountries, namelyArgentina,Paraguay,UruguayandChile, but it is also consumed in theSouth of Braziland the BolivianChaco. Maté is thenational beverageof Argentina,Paraguay and Uruguay. In Chile, maté is predominantly consumed in thecentralandsouthernregions. Maté is also popular in Lebanon and Syria, where it was brought by immigrants from Paraguay and Argentina.
The metal straw is known as abombillaorbombaand is traditionally made ofsilver. Modern straws are typically made ofnickel silver,stainless steel, or hollow-stemmedcane. Thebombillafunctions both as a straw and as asieve. The submerged end is flared, with small holes or slots that allow the brewed liquid in, but block the chunky matter that makes up much of the mixture. A modernbombilladesign uses a straight tube with holes or a spring sleeve to act as a sieve.
The container themateis served in is also known asmate.It is commonly made fromcalabash gourdbut may also be made out of other materials.
Maté was first consumed by the indigenousGuaraníwho live in what is now Paraguay, southeastern Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay,and was also spread by theTupí peoplewho lived in neighbouring areas. After, it was commercialised to part of southern Brazil and northeast Argentina, mostly some areas that were Paraguayan territory before theParaguayan War.Therefore, the scientific name of the yerba-maté isIlex paraguariensis. The consumption of yerba-maté became widespread with the European colonization in the Spanish colony of Paraguay in the late 16th century, among both Spanish settlers and indigenous Guaraní, who consumed it before the Spanish arrival. Yerba-maté consumption spread in the 17th century to theRío de la Plataand from there to Peru and Chile.This widespread consumption turned it into Paraguay's maincommodityabove other wares such as tobacco, cotton and beef. Aboriginal labour was used to harvest wild stands. In the mid-17th century,Jesuitsmanaged to domesticate the plant and establish plantations intheir Indian reductionsin the Argentine province ofMisiones, sparking severe competition with the Paraguayan harvesters of wild strands. Aftertheir expulsionin the 1770s, theJesuit missions– along with the yerba-maté plantations – fell into ruins. The industry continued to be of prime importance for the Paraguayan economy after independence, but development in benefit of the Paraguayan state halted after theParaguayan War(1864–1870) that devastated the country both economically and demographically.
Brazil then became the largest producer of maté. In Brazilian and Argentine projects in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the plant was domesticated once again, opening the way for plantation systems. When Brazilian entrepreneurs turned their attention to coffee in the 1930s, Argentina, which had long been the prime consumer, took over as the largest producer, resurrecting the economy ofMisiones Province, where the Jesuits had once had most of their plantations. For years, the status of largest producer shifted between Brazil and Argentina.
As of 2018, Argentina was the largest producer with 56–62%, followed by Brazil, 34–36%, and Paraguay, 5%.Uruguay is the largest per capita consumer, consuming around 19 liters per person per year.
The English word comes from the Frenchmatéand the American Spanishmate, which means both maté and the vessel for drinking it, from theQuechuawordmatifor the calabash gourd used to make it.
Both the spellings "maté" and "mate" are used in English. The acute accent indicates that the word is pronounced with two syllables, likecafé, rather than like the one-syllable English word "mate".Anacute accentis not used in the Spanish spelling, because the first syllable isstressed; "maté" with the stress on the second syllable means "I killed".
In Brazil, traditionally prepared maté is known aschimarrão, although the Portuguese wordmateand the expression "mate amargo" (bitter maté) are also used in Argentina and Uruguay. The Spanishcimarrónmeans "rough", "brute", or "barbarian", but is most widely understood to mean "feral", and is used in almost all of Latin America for domesticated animals that have become wild. The word was then used by the people who colonized the region of theRío de la Platato describe the natives' rough and sour drink, drunk with no other ingredient to sweeten the taste.
Maté has a strong cultural significance for both national identity and society. Yerba-maté is the national drink of Paraguay, where it is also consumed with either hot or ice cold water (seetereré);Argentina;and Uruguay. Drinking maté is a common social practice in all of the territory of Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, southern Chile, and eastern Bolivia. Throughout theSouthern Cone, it is considered to be a tradition taken from the Guaraní people and drank by thegauchosorvaqueros, terms commonly used to describe the old residents of the South Americanpampas,chacos, orPatagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, southeastern Bolivia, southern Chile and southern Brazil. Argentina has celebrated National Maté Day every 30 November since 2015.
Parque Histórico do Mate, funded by the state ofParaná(Brazil), is a park aimed to educate people on the sustainable harvesting methods needed to maintain the integrity and vitality of the oldest wild forests of yerba-maté in the world.
Maté is also consumed as aniced teain various regions of Brazil, originating both from an industrialized form, produced byMatte Leão, and from artisanal producers. It is part of the beach culture inRio de Janeiro, where it is widely sold by beach vendors;the hot infused variation being uncommon in the area.
The preparation of maté is a simple process, consisting of filling a container withyerba, pouring hot, but not boiling, water over the leaves, and drinking with a straw, thebombilla, which acts as a filter so as to draw only the liquid and not the yerba-maté leaves. The method of preparing the maté infusion varies considerably from region to region, and which method yields the finest outcome is debated. However, nearly all methods have some common elements. The beverage is traditionally prepared in a gourd vessel, also calledmatein Spanish andcuia(= gourd) in Portuguese, from which it is drunk. The gourd is nearly filled withyerba, and hot water,typically at 70 to 85 °C (158 to 185 °F), never boiling,is added. The drink is so popular within countries that consume it, that several national electric kettle manufacturers just refer to the range 70 to 85 °C on its thermostat as "mate" temperature.
The most common preparation involves a careful arrangement of theyerbawithin the gourd before adding hot water. In this method, the gourd is first filled one-half to three-quarters of the way withyerba. Too muchyerbawill result in a "short"mate; conversely, too littleyerbaresults in a "long"mate, both being considered undesirable. After that, any additional herbs (yuyo, in Portuguesejujo) may be added for either health or flavor benefits, a practice most common in Paraguay, where people acquire herbs from a localyuyera(herbalist) and use themateas a base for their herbal infusions. When the gourd is adequately filled, the preparer typically grasps it with the full hand, covering and roughly sealing the opening with the palm. Then themateis turned upside-down, and shaken vigorously, but briefly and with gradually decreasing force, in this inverted position. This causes the finest, most powdery particles of theyerbato settle toward the preparer's palm and the top of themate.
Once the yerba-maté has settled, themateis carefully brought to a near-sideways angle, with the opening tilted just slightly upward of the base. Themateis then shaken very gently with a side-to-side motion. This further settles the yerba-maté inside the gourd so that the finest particles move toward the opening and theyerbais layered along one side. The largest stems and other bits create a partition between the empty space on one side of the gourd and the lopsided pile ofyerbaon the other.
After arranging theyerbaalong one side of the gourd, themateis carefully tilted back onto its base, minimizing further disturbances of theyerbaas it is re-oriented to allow consumption. Somesettlingis normal, but is not desirable. The angled mound ofyerbashould remain, with its powdery peak still flat and mostly level with the top of the gourd. A layer of stems along its slope will slide downward and accumulate in the space opposite theyerba(though at least a portion should remain in place).
All of this careful settling of theyerbaensures that each sip contains as little particulate matter as possible, creating a smooth-runningmate. The finest particles will then be as distant as possible from the filtering end of the straw. With each draw, the smaller particles would inevitably move toward the straw, but the larger particles and stems filter much of this out. A sloped arrangement provides consistent concentration and flavor with each filling of themate.
Now themateis ready to receive the straw. Wetting theyerbaby gently pouring cool water into the empty space within the gourd until the water nearly reaches the top, and then allowing it to be absorbed into theyerbabefore adding the straw, allows the preparer to carefully shape and "pack" theyerba's slope with the straw's filtering end, which makes the overall form of theyerbawithin the gourd more resilient and solid. Dryyerba, though, allows a cleaner and easier insertion of the straw, but care must be taken so as not to overly disturb the arrangement of theyerba. Such a decision is entirely a personal or cultural preference. The straw is inserted with one's thumb and index finger on the upper end of the gourd, at an angle roughly perpendicular to the slope of theyerba, so that its filtering end travels into the deepest part of theyerbaand comes to rest near or against the opposite wall of the gourd. It is important for the thumb to form a seal over the end of the straw when it is being inserted, or the air current produced in it will draw in undesirable particulates.
After the above process, theyerbamay be brewed. If the straw is inserted into dryyerba, thematemust first be filled once with cool water as above, then be allowed to absorb it completely (which generally takes no more than two or three minutes). Treating theyerbawith cool water before the addition of hot water is essential, as it protects the yerba-maté from being scalded and from the chemical breakdown of some of its desirable nutrients. Hot water may then be added by carefully pouring it, as with the cool water before, into the cavity opposite theyerba, until it reaches almost to the top of the gourd when theyerbais fully saturated. Care should be taken to maintain the dryness of the swollen top of theyerbabeside the edge of the gourd's opening.
Once the hot water has been added, themateis ready for drinking, and it may be refilled many times before becominglavado(washed out) and losing its flavor. When this occurs, the mound ofyerbacan be pushed from one side of the gourd to the other, allowing water to be added along its opposite side; this revives thematefor additional refillings and is called "reformar o/el mate" (reforming themate).
Maté is traditionally drunk in a particular social setting, such as family gatherings or with friends. The same gourd (cuia/mate) and straw (bomba/bombilla) are used by everyone drinking. One person (known in Portuguese as thepreparador,cevador, orpatrão, and in Spanish as thecebador) assumes the task of server, which most of the time is the house owner in family gatherings. Typically, thecebadorfills the gourd and drinks the maté completely to ensure that it is free of particulate matter and of good quality. In some places, passing the first brew of maté to another drinker is considered bad manners, as it may be too cold or too strong; for this reason, the first brew is often calledmate del zonzo(fool´s maté). Thecebadorpossibly drinks the second filling as well, if they deem it too cold or bitter. Thecebadorsubsequently refills the gourd and passes it to the drinker to their right, who likewise drinks it all (there is not much; themateis full ofyerba, with room for little water), and returns it without thanking the server; a finalgraciasorobrigado(thank you) implies that the drinker has had enough.The only exception to this order is if a new guest joins the group; in this case the new arrival receives the next maté, and then thecebadorresumes the order of serving, and the new arrival will receive theirs depending on their placement in the group. When no more tea remains, the straw makes a loud sucking noise, which is not considered rude. The ritual proceeds around the circle in this way until the maté becomeslavado(washed out), typically after the gourd has been filled about 10 times or more depending on theyerbaused (well-aged yerba-maté is typically more potent, so provides a greater number of refills) and the ability of thecebador. When one has had one's fill of maté, they politely thank thecebador, passing themateback at the same time. It is impolite for anyone but thecebadorto move thebombillaor otherwise mess with themate; thecebadormay take offense to this and not offer it to the offender again. When someone takes too long, others in the round (rodain Portuguese,rondain Spanish) will likely politely warn them by saying "bring the talking gourd" (cuia de conversar); an Argentine equivalent, especially among young people, beingno es un micrófono("it's not a microphone"), an allusion to the drinker holding thematefor too long, as if they were using it as a microphone to deliver a lecture.
Some drinkers like to addsugarorhoney, creatingmate dulceormate doce(sweet maté), instead of sugarlessmate amargo(bitter maté), a practice said to bemore common in Braziloutside its southernmost state. Some people also like to add lemon or orange peel, some herbs or even coffee, but these are mostly rejected by people who like to stick to the "original" maté.
Traditionally, natural gourds are used, though wood vessels, bamboo tubes, and gourd-shapedmates, made of ceramic or metal (stainless steel or even silver) are also common, as are vessels made from cattle horns. The gourd is traditionally made out of the porongo orcabaçafruit shell. Gourds are commonly decorated with silver, sporting decorative or heraldic designs with floral motifs. Some gourdmateswith elaborated silver ornaments and silverbombillasare true pieces of jewelry and are sought after by collectors.
Traditional preparation of yerba-maté leaves involvessmokingthem and for this reason they contain a high number ofpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs), such asbenzo(a)pyrene, which arecarcinogenic.It has been suggested that this may explain cancers associated with maté consumption, such aslungandbladder cancer, that cannot be attributed to its hot temperature. Instead, the hot temperature of maté (above 65°C) is specifically linked tooesophageal cancer.However, the occurrence of PAHs in yerba-maté leaves and infusion is based on small studies with non-representative sampling.In any case, the use of maté with potentially lower PAHs content, such as unsmoked maté, has been suggested as a preventive approach.
Maté is a rich source ofcaffeine. On average, maté tea contains 92 mg ofchlorogenic acidper gram of dry leaves, and nocatechins, giving it a significantly differentpolyphenolprofile from other teas.
According to Argentine culture in part promoted by marketers, the stimulant in maté is actually a substance calledmateína(named after the drink). However, analysis of the activechemicals in yerba-matéhas found thatmateínais caffeine.
The Guaraní people started drinking maté in a region that currently includes Paraguay, southern Brazil, southeastern Bolivia, northeastern Argentina and Uruguay. They have a legend that the Goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud came to visit the Earth one day. An old man saved them from ayaguareté(jaguar) that was going to attack them. The goddesses gave him a new kind of plant, from which he could prepare a "drink of friendship" as compensation for his actions.
There various types of yerba-maté used to make the drink, depending on the processing and composition. Some key types include:
Another drink can be prepared with specially cut dry leaves, very cold water, and, optionally,lemonor another fruit juice, calledtereré. It is very common in Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and in the state ofMato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. After pouring the water, it is considered proper to "wait while the saint has a sip" before the first person takes a drink. In southern Brazil,tererêis sometimes used as a derogatory term for a not hot enoughchimarrão.
In Uruguay and Brazil, the traditional gourd is usually big with a corresponding large hole. In Argentina (especially in the capitalBuenos Aires), the gourd is small and has a small hole and people sometimes add sugar for flavor.
In Uruguay, people commonly walk around the streets toting amateand athermoswith hot water. In some parts of Argentina, gas stations sponsored by yerba-maté producers provide free hot water to travelers, specifically for the purpose of drinking during the journey. Disposable maté sets with a plastic maté and straw and sets with a thermos flask and stacking containers for the yerba-maté and sugar inside a fitted case are available.
In Argentina,mate cocido(boiled maté), in Brazil,chá mate, is made with atea bagor leaves and drunk from a cup or mug, with or without sugar and milk. Companies such as Cabrales fromMar del PlataandEstablecimiento Las Maríasproduce tea bags for export to Europe.
Travel narratives, such asMaria Graham'sJournal of a Residence in Chile, show a long history of maté-drinking in central Chile. Many rural Chileans drink maté, in particular in the southern regions, particularlyMagallanes,AysénandChiloé.
In Peru, maté is widespread throughout the north and south, first being introduced toLimain the 17th century. It is widespread inrural zones, and it is prepared with coca (plant) or in a sweetened tea form with small slices of lemon or orange.
In some parts of Syria, Lebanon and other Eastern Mediterranean countries, drinking maté is also common. The custom came from Syrians and Lebanese who moved to South America during the late 19th and early parts of the 20th century, adopted the tradition, and kept it after returning to Western Asia. Syria is the biggest importer of yerba-maté in the world, importing 15,000 tons a year. Mostly, theDruzecommunities in Syria and Lebanon maintain the culture and practice of maté.
According to a major retailer of maté inSan Luis Obispo, California, by 2004, maté had grown to about 5% of the overall natural tea market in North America.Loose maté is commercially available in much of North America. Bottled maté is increasingly available in the United States. Canadian bottlers have introduced a cane sugar-sweetened, carbonated variety, similar to soda pop. One brand, Sol Mate, produces 10-US-fluid-ounce (300 ml) glass bottles available at Canadian and U.S. retailers, making use of the translingual pun (English 'soul mate'; Spanish/Portuguese 'sun mate') for the sake of marketing.
In some parts of theSouthern Conebitter maté is preferred, especially in Paraguay, Uruguay, the south of Brazil, and parts of Argentina and Bolivia. This is referred to in Brazil and a large part of Argentina ascimarrón–which also an archaic name for wild cattle, especially, to a horse that was very attached to a cowboy – which is understood as unsweetened maté.Many people are of the opinion that maté should be drunk in this form.
Unlike bitter maté, in every preparation ofmate dulce, or sweet maté, sugar is incorporated according to the taste of the drinker. This form of preparation is very widespread in various regions of Argentina, like in theSantiago del Esteroprovince,Córdoba,Cuyo, andthe metropolitan region of Buenos Aires, among others. In Chile, this form of maté preparation is widespread in mostlyrural zones. The spoonful of sugar or honey should fall on the edge of the cavity that the straw forms in theyerba, not all over themate. One variation is to sweeten only the first maté preparation in order to cut the bitterness of the first sip, thus softening the rest. In Paraguay, a variant ofmate dulceis prepared by first caramelizing refined sugar in a pot then adding milk. The mixture is heated and placed in a thermos and used in place of water. Often, chamomile (manzanilla, in Spanish) and coconut are added toyerbain the gumpa.
In the sweet versionartificial sweetenersare also often added. As an alternative sweetener, naturalka'á he'é(Stevia rebaudiana) is preferred, which is an herb whose leaves are added in order to give a touch of sweetness. This is used principally in Paraguay.
The gourd in which bitter maté is drunk is not used to consume sweet maté due to the idea that the taste of the sugar would be detrimental to its later use to prepare and drink bitter maté, as it is said that it ruins the flavor of the maté.
Matervais a sweet, carbonatedsoft drinkbased on yerba-maté. Developed in Cuba in 1920, and produced since the 1960s inMiami, Florida, it is a staple of the Cuban culture in Miami.