Yerba Mate: What It Is, Taste, Caffeine and How to Drink It
4 min read By Mataye
In brief
Yerba mate is a caffeinated South American drink made from the leaves of a holly plant. What it is, how it tastes, its caffeine, how to drink it, the evidence on benefits and the safety points.
Yerba mate is a caffeinated drink made from the dried leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, a holly plant that grows in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. It is drunk like tea, hot or cold, and has roughly as much caffeine as a mug of coffee. This guide covers what it is, how it tastes, how to drink it, what the research says and what to watch out for, with links to our more detailed guides on each topic.
What is yerba mate?
The leaves and small stems of the yerba mate plant are dried, aged and cut, then steeped in water. In South America the drink is simply called mate. It is the everyday drink of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, where it is shared from a gourd, and it is also widely drunk in Syria and Lebanon. "Mateine", a word you will see on packs, is just caffeine.
You can buy it as loose leaf (the traditional form), tea bags, ready-to-drink cans and powdered sachets like Super Yerba Mate.
What does yerba mate taste like?
Grassy, earthy and slightly bitter, a bit like a strong green tea with a woody edge. Two things change the taste a lot:
- Smoked or unsmoked. Some yerba is dried over wood smoke, which gives a smoky flavour. Unsmoked yerba tastes greener and lighter.
- With or without stems. "Con palo" (with stems) is milder; "sin palo" (leaf only) is stronger and more bitter.
If the bitterness puts you off, drink it cold or flavoured. Cold yerba mate, called tereré, is much smoother.
How much caffeine does yerba mate have?
A typical serving has roughly as much caffeine as a mug of coffee, often quoted at around 80 mg per cup, but it varies with how much leaf you use and how many times you refill. A Super Yerba Mate sachet has around 100 mg. Full numbers and daily limits are in our guide to yerba mate caffeine.
Yerba mate vs coffee vs tea
| Yerba mate | Coffee | Tea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | Similar to coffee | About 100 mg for instant (NHS) | About 75 mg (NHS) |
| Taste | Grassy, earthy, bitter | Roasted, bitter | Malty or grassy |
| Usually drunk | Hot from a gourd, or cold | Hot, with or without milk | Hot, often with milk |
| Also contains | Theobromine, polyphenols | Chlorogenic acids | Theanine, polyphenols |
If you are swapping out coffee, see our coffee alternatives sorted by caffeine.
How to drink yerba mate
There are four common ways, from most traditional to easiest:
- Gourd and bombilla. Fill a gourd about two thirds with leaf, add hot (not boiling) water and sip through a metal straw with a filter. Refill the water many times.
- Cafetière or tea bag. Brew like loose tea with water around 70 to 80°C for a few minutes.
- Cold, as tereré. Use iced water or juice instead of hot water. Smoother and less bitter.
- Sachets. Stir a powder into cold water. No equipment.
Step-by-step instructions for each are in how to drink yerba mate, and the cold method has its own guide: tereré, cold yerba mate.
Is yerba mate good for you?
The clearest effect is the one you get from its caffeine: you feel more alert. Yerba mate also contains polyphenols, and studies have looked at weight, cholesterol and blood sugar, mostly in animals or small groups of people. Mayo Clinic notes that some studies suggest helpful effects but that more research is needed. We go through each claim in yerba mate benefits: what is proven and what is not.
Safety: what to know
- Moderate amounts. According to Mayo Clinic, a daily cup made with about 3 g of leaves may be safe for up to 12 weeks, and drinking yerba mate is not linked to health problems in most adults.
- Large amounts over years. Studies link drinking about 1 to 2 litres a day over a long time with a higher risk of mouth, throat and lung cancers, and the risk rises further with smoking or alcohol (Mayo Clinic).
- Temperature. The World Health Organization's cancer agency classes very hot drinks, above about 65°C, as probably carcinogenic. Let hot mate cool a little, or drink it cold.
- Caffeine. Adults should stay under 400 mg a day from all sources (EFSA); 200 mg in pregnancy (NHS). Check with your midwife or GP before drinking it if you are pregnant.
- Medicines and conditions. Ask a pharmacist if you take medicine that interacts with caffeine or have a heart condition, high blood pressure or anxiety.
Buying yerba mate in the UK
- Loose leaf: from specialist shops and some supermarkets, often around £5 to £10 for 500 g to 1 kg. Cheapest per cup, needs a gourd or cafetière.
- Tea bags: easy, weaker.
- Cans: convenient, but check the sugar.
- Sachets: Super Yerba Mate is a cold-mix sachet with yerba mate, ashwagandha, lion's mane, vitamin D3 and magnesium, raspberry lemonade flavour, 2 g of sugar, £26.99 for 30 with free UK delivery. Read what is Super Yerba Mate and its ingredients explained.
Common questions
Is yerba mate a tea?
It is drunk like a tea, but it does not come from the tea plant. It is a herbal infusion that happens to contain caffeine.
Is yerba mate an energy drink?
Not in the canned, sugary sense, but its caffeine gives a similar lift. Some brands sell it as a natural energy drink.
Is "mate" the same as yerba mate?
Yes. Mate is the drink, yerba mate is the plant. "Club-Mate" is a brand of fizzy drink made with mate.
Can you drink yerba mate every day?
Most adults can drink a moderate amount daily, keeping total caffeine under 400 mg and avoiding scalding temperatures. Very large daily amounts over many years are where the cancer link appears.
Sources
- Mayo Clinic, Yerba mate: is it safe to drink?
- IARC (World Health Organization), Monographs evaluate drinking coffee, mate, and very hot beverages
- European Food Safety Authority, Caffeine
- NHS, Foods to avoid in pregnancy: caffeine
