Yerba mate ia popular tea-like drink to aid in weightloss

The first time I tried mate was in Montevideo. On a break during a bus tour,
the guide and driver offered me my first taste. They stared at me, wide eyed,
as I started sipping. Out of politeness, I told them that it had an unusual
taste (in fact, it was bitter and grassy). They insisted that I have more.
I declined. That was before I knew the rules of drinking mate.

Yerba mate is a popular tea-like drink enjoyed in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay,
Paraguay, and Brazil. It originated with the Guarani Indians of Paraguay and
Argentina. Yerba Mate is a tree, a member of the holly family. The plant needs
about 25 years to develop in the wild.

You can recognize a mate drinker by the thermos nuzzled in the crook of his
arm while the gourd and bombilla are held in the opposite hand.

A "snoring" sound is expected as you finish the last drops of the tea from the
hollow gourd or mate. If you don't hear the noise, then you have broken one of
the drinking rules--never sip only once; sip it all.

Prepared in a cured gourd, the minced leaves are first steeped with hot or cold
water. Next, hot water is poured to cover the leaves. Take a sip through the
bombilla (a wooden or metal decorated straw). It has a strainer at the bottom
to keep leaf pieces out of the drink.

Mate is traditionally shared between close friends and family. The ceremony
begins with the host--he or she is the only one who pours the hot water from
the thermos. They will then sip the infusion until there is air coming from the
bombilla. The next person takes their turn with additional hot water poured over
the leaves. It is usually passed around until there is no flavor left.

Mate is a taste many people try to acquire since it is known as a healthy drink.
It is attributed to improving digestion, sustaining energy levels, detoxifying
blood, and inducing mental clarity.

While practicing the art of drinking mate, be gracious--keep to yourself any
worries about the germ aspect of sharing, do not complain that it is too hot,
do not ask for sugar. A professional user will not stir the gourd nor change
the order of sharing. It is a time to be together, laugh, and tell stories
with friends or family. Whatever etiquette mistakes you make, do not complain
about the host getting the first sip since it is the strongest!

Sandra Kennedy,
For International Living

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