The indigenousGuaraní and someTupi communities (whose territory covered present-dayParaguay) first cultivated and consumed yerba mate prior toEuropean colonization of the Americas. Its consumption was exclusive to the natives of only two regions of the territory that today is Paraguay, more specifically the departments ofAmambay andAlto Paraná.[6][7] After theJesuits discovered its commercialization potential, yerba mate became widespread throughout the province and even elsewhere in the Spanish Crown.[7]
Mate is traditionally consumed in central and southern regions of South America, primarily in Paraguay, as well as in Argentina, Uruguay,Southern Brazil, theGran Chaco of Bolivia, andSouthern Chile.[8] It has also become popular in theDruze andAlawite community in the Levant, especially in Syria and Lebanon, where it is imported from Paraguay and Argentina, thanks to 19th-centurySyrian immigrants to Argentina.[9] Yerba mate can now be found worldwide in variousenergy drinks as well as being sold as a bottled or canned iced drink.
The name given to the plant in theGuaraní language (of the indigenous people who first used mate) iskaʼa, which has the same meaning as 'herb'.[10][11]Congonha, in Portuguese, a term describing several herb species,[12] is derived from theTupí expressionkõ'gõi, meaning something like 'what keeps us alive', but is rarely used nowadays.[13]Mate is from theQuechuamati,[14] a word that means 'container for a drink' and 'infusion of an herb', as well as 'gourd'.[15] The wordmate is used in modern Portuguese and Spanish.
The pronunciation ofyerba mate in Spanish is[ˈɟʝeɾβaˈmate], with the stress on the first syllable ofmate.[14] The wordyerba is Spanish for 'herb', a variant spelling ofhierba used throughout Latin America.[16]Yerba may be understood as 'herb', but also as 'grass' or 'weed'. It may also be used in reference to marijuana (Cannabis sativa). In Argentina,yerba refers exclusively to theyerba mate plant.[16]Yerba mate, therefore, literally means the 'gourd herb'; i.e., the herb one drinks from a gourd.
The Portuguese name for the plant is pronounced[ˈɛɾvɐˈmate] or[ˈɛɾvɐˈmatʃi] in the areas of traditional consumption. The drinks are usually calledchimarrão[ʃimaˈʁɐ̃w] (hot; traditionally served in a gourd),tereré[teɾeˈɾɛ] (cold; traditionally served in a bull horn), orchá mate[ˈʃaˈmate] (hot or cold; lit. 'mate tea', served in cups or glasses). Whilechá mate is made with roasted leaves, the other drinks are made with raw or lightly toasted green leaves, and are very popular in the south and center-west of the country. Most people, colloquially, call both the plant and the beverage by the wordmate.[17]
In English, both the spellingsmate andmaté are used to refer to the plant or the beverage. Theacute accent over the final '-e' was likely added by analogy with words of French origin like café, not to mark stress but to indicate that the '-e' is notsilent as it is in the English wordmate (partner or friend);[18][19] indeed French also uses the spellingmaté with an accent.[20] In Spanish, the spellingmaté is an unrelated word meaning 'I killed', a conjugation of the verbmatar.[21]
Ilex paraguariensis begins as ashrub and then matures to a tree, growing up to 15 meters (50 ft) tall. The leaves areevergreen, 7–110 millimeters (1⁄4–4+3⁄8 in) long and30–55 millimeters (1+1⁄8–2+1⁄8 in) wide, with serrated margins. The leaves are often calledyerba (Spanish) orerva (Portuguese), both of which mean "herb". They containcaffeine (known in some parts of the world as mateine) and relatedxanthinealkaloids, and are harvested commercially.[citation needed]
Theflowers are small and greenish-white with four petals. The fruit is a reddrupe4–6 millimeters (5⁄32–1⁄4 in) in diameter.
Mate was first consumed by the indigenousGuaraní people and also spread in theTupí people that lived in the departments ofAmambay andAlto Paraná[6] the territory of Paraguay.[7] Its consumption became widespread during European colonization,[23] particularly in the Spanish colony of Paraguay in the late 16th century, among both Spanish settlers and indigenous Guaraní, who had, to some extent before the Spanish arrival, consumed it.[23] This widespread consumption turned it into Paraguay's main commodity above other wares, such astobacco, and the labour of indigenous peoples was used to harvest wild stands.[citation needed]
In the mid-17th century,Jesuits managed to domesticate the plant and establish plantations intheir Indian reductions[23] inMisiones, Argentina, sparking severe competition with the Paraguayan harvesters of wild stands.[citation needed] It is here when the plant began its incursion into other non-Paraguayan territories. Aftertheir expulsion in the 1770s, their plantations fell into decay, as did their domestication secrets.[citation needed] The industry continued to be of prime importance for the Paraguayan economy after independence, but development in benefit of the Paraguayan state halted after theWar of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870) that devastated the country both economically and demographically.[citation needed] Some regions with mate plantations in Paraguaybecame Argentine territory.[24]
Brazil then became the largest producer of mate.[25] 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.[citation needed] When Brazilian entrepreneurs turned their attention tocoffee in the 1930s, Argentina, which had long been the prime consumer,[26] took over as the largest producer, resurrecting the economy inMisiones Province, where the Jesuits had once had most of their plantations. For years, the status of largest producer shifted between Brazil and Argentina.[26] Today, Brazil is the largest producer, with 53%, followed by Argentina, 37%, and Paraguay, 10%.[27][28]
In the city ofCampo Largo, state ofParaná, Brazil, there is a Mate Historic Park (Portuguese:Parque Histórico do Mate), funded by the state government to educate people on the sustainable harvesting methods needed to maintain the integrity and vitality of the oldest wild forests of mate in the world. As of June 2014, however, the park is closed to public visitation.[29]
The yerba mate plant is grown and processed in its native regions of South America, specifically in Paraguay, some parts of northern Argentina (Misiones), Uruguay, and southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul,Santa Catarina,Paraná, andMato Grosso do Sul). Cultivators are known asyerbateros (Spanish) orervateiros (Brazilian Portuguese).
Seeds used to germinate new plants are harvested after they have turned dark purple, typically from January to April. After harvest, they are submerged in water in order to eliminate floating non-viable seeds and detritus like twigs, leaves, etc. New plants are started between March and May. For plants established in pots, transplanting takes place April through September. Plants with bare roots are transplanted only during the months of June and July.[30]
WhenI. paraguariensis is harvested, the branches are often dried by a wood fire, imparting asmoky flavor. The strength of the flavor, caffeine levels, and other nutrients can vary depending on whether it is a male or female plant. Female plants tend to be milder in flavor and lower in caffeine. They are also relatively scarce in the areas where yerba mate is planted and cultivated.[32]
According toFood and Agriculture Organization in 2012, Brazil is the biggest producer of mate in the world with 513,256 tonnes (565,768 short tons) (58%), followed by Argentina with 290,000 tonnes (320,000 short tons) (32%) and Paraguay with 85,490 tonnes (94,240 short tons) (10%).[27]
Steaming mateinfusion in a cup that resembles agourd, the customary vessel
The infusion, calledmate in Spanish-speaking countries andchimarrão in Brazil, is prepared by filling a container, traditionally a small, hollowed-outgourd (described below), up to three-quarters full with dry leaves (and twigs) ofI. paraguariensis, and filling it up with water at a temperature of 70–80 °C (160–175 °F), hot but not boiling. Sugar may or may not be added. The infusion may also be prepared with cold water, in which case it is known astereré.[33]
Drinking mate is a common social practice in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Southern Brazil, and Southern Chile among people of all ages, and is often a communal ritual following customary rules. Friends and family members share from the same container, traditionally a hollow gourd (also called aguampa,porongo, or simplymate in Spanish, acabaça orcuia in Portuguese, or azucca in Italian), and drink through the same wooden or metal straw (abombilla in Spanish orbomba in Portuguese). The gourd is given by the brewer to each person, often in a circle, in turns. The recipient drinks the few mouthfuls in the container, and then returns the mate to the brewer, who refills it and passes it to the next person in clockwise order. The recipient is not supposed to give thanks until they are done drinking the beverage, and if they do, they will not be served any moremates. Although traditionally made from a hollowed calabash gourd, these days mate "gourds" are produced from a variety of materials including wood, glass, bull horns, ceramic, and silicone.[34]
In the same way as people meet for tea or coffee, friends often gather and drink mate (matear) in Paraguay, Argentina, Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Southern Chile. In warm weather the hot water is sometimes replaced bylemonade. Paraguayans typically drink yerba mate with cold water during hot days and hot water in the morning and during cooler temperatures.
Yerba mate is most popular in Paraguay and Uruguay, where people are seen walking the streets carrying themate and often atermo (thermalvacuum flask) in their arms. In Argentina, 5 kg (11 lb) of yerba mate is consumed annually per capita; in Uruguay, the largest consumer, consumption is 10 kg (22 lb).[35] The amount of herb used to prepare the infusion is much greater than that used for tea and other beverages, which accounts for the large weights.
The flavor of brewed mate resembles an infusion of vegetables, herbs, and grass and is reminiscent of some varieties ofgreen tea. Some consider the flavor to be very agreeable, but it is generally bitter if steeped in hot water. Sweetened and flavored mate is also sold, in which the mate leaves are blended with other herbs (such as peppermint) or citrus rind.[36]
Selection of yerba mate gourds and bombillas at a street vendor in Buenos Aires, Argentina
In Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina, a version of mate known asmate cocido (or justmate orcocido) in Paraguay andchá mate in Brazil is sold in teabags and in a loose-leaf form. It is often served sweetened in specialized shops or on the street, either hot or iced, pure or with fruit juice (especiallylime, known in Brazil aslimão) or milk. In Paraguay, Argentina, and Southern Brazil, this is commonly consumed for breakfast or in a café for afternoon tea, often with a selection of sweet pastries (facturas).
An iced, sweetened version ofmate cocido is sold as an uncarbonatedsoft drink, with or without fruit flavoring. In Brazil, this cold version ofchá mate is especially popular in the south and southeast regions, and can easily be found in retail stores in the same cooler as other soft drinks.[17]Mate batido, which is toasted, has less of a bitter flavor and more of a spicy fragrance.Mate batido becomes creamy when shaken and is more popular in the coastal cities of Brazil, as opposed to the far southern states, where it is more commonly consumed in the traditional way (green, with a silver straw from a shared gourd), and calledchimarrão (cimarrón in Spanish, particularly Argentine Spanish).[37]
In Paraguay, Southern Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, west ofSão Paulo andParaná), and theArgentine littoral, a mate infusion, calledtereré in Spanish and Portuguese or sometimestererê inGaúcho,Caipira and Sulista Portuguese, is also consumed as a cold or iced beverage, usually sucked out of a horn cup called aguampa with abombilla. The Guarani drank it in this format, but without ice, as they lacked the technology to create or store it. Thus,tereré is accredited to be the first and original way of consuming mate.[7]Tereré can be prepared with cold water (the most common way in Paraguay and Brazil) or fruit juice (the most common way in Argentina). The version with water is more bitter; fruit juice acts as a sweetener (in Brazil, this is usually avoided with the addition of table sugar). Medicinal or culinary herbs, known asyuyos (weeds), may be crushed with apestle and mortar and added to the water for taste or medicinal reasons.[38]
Yerba mate shop, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina
Paraguayans have a tradition of mixing mate with crushed leaves, stems, and flowers of the plant known asflor de agosto[39] (the flower of August, plants of the genusSenecio, particularlySenecio grisebachii), which containpyrrolizidine alkaloids. Modifying mate in this fashion is potentially toxic, as these alkaloids can causeveno-occlusive disease, a rare condition of theliver which results in liver failure due to progressive occlusion of the smallvenous channels.[40]
Mate has also become very popular outside of South America. In the tiny hamlet ofGroot Marico,North West Province, South Africa, mate was introduced to the local tourism office by the returning descendants of theBoers, who in 1902 had emigrated toPatagonia in Argentina after losing theAnglo Boer War. It is also commonly consumed in Lebanon, Syria, and some other parts of the Middle East, mainly byDruze andAlawite people. Most of its popularity outside South America is a result of historical emigration to South America and subsequent return. It is consumed worldwide by expatriates from theSouthern Cone.[41][42]
Materva is a sweet, carbonated soft drink based on yerba mate. Developed in Cuba in 1920, and produced since the 1960s inMiami, Florida, it is a staple of the Cuban culture in Miami.[43][44]
Yerba mate contains threexanthines:caffeine,theobromine, andtheophylline, with caffeine content varying between 0.7% and 1.7% of dry weight[46] (compared with 0.4–9.3% fortea leaves, 2.5–7.6% inguarana, and up to 3.2% for groundcoffee).[47][48] Theobromine content varies from 0.3% to 0.9%; theophylline is typically present only in small quantities or sometimes completely absent.[49] In some circles, mateine is a referential term for caffeine when found present in yerba mate (similar to theine from tea or guaranine from guarana).[50] Yerba mate also containsminerals, such aspotassium,magnesium, andmanganese.[51]
Column chart displayingBenzo(a)pyrene concentration in processed yerba mate leaves sampled in 2006, 2008, and 2010:
2006 batches
2008 batches
2010 batches
Hot mate consumption is associated withoesophageal cancer. Very hot beverages (above 65 °C) are classified by theInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) asprobably carcinogenic to humans (group 2A), which also includes hot mate, as it is typically consumed at a temperature of 70 °C. This classification indicates that the link between very hot beverage consumption and cancer is likely, but the proportion of oesophageal cancer cases due to drinking very hot beverages is not yet known.[54] There is no such association for cold mate and, in general, preparations under 65 °C are not considered carcinogenic and are evaluated asnot classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans (group 3).[55][56][57][58]
^"Parque Histórico do Mate" [Mate Historic Park] (in Portuguese). Paraná State Secretariat for Culture. Archived fromthe original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved3 June 2014.
^Folch, C. (2009). "Stimulating Consumption: Yerba Mate Myths, Markets, and Meanings from Conquest to Present".Comparative Studies in Society and History.52:6–36.doi:10.1017/S0010417509990314.S2CID145175412.
^Wong, Samantha."Materva: Un Buchito de Cuba"(PDF).Johnson and Wales: Student Food Writing. p. 8 (PDF p. 11). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 13 January 2014. Retrieved10 September 2020.
pyrene_Concentration_in_Processed_Yerba_Mat%25C3%25A9_Leaves_Sampled_in_2006%2c_2008%2c_and_2010_-_Column_Chart.svg)
