Its origins date back to the history of the Amazon. The Guarani indigenous people used it, and with the arrival of the conquistadors, it spread to Uruguay, Argentina, southern Brazil, and Paraguay. It was prepared in a gourd container. It was used for rituals, ceremonies, for health, to cover the body, to provide energy, and in spiritual rituals.
Mate is an herb consumed as a stimulating and energizing beverage, as an infusion with hot water. It contains theobromine, which helps lower bad cholesterol. It's an ideal drink for weight loss, as it decreases appetite and supports diets. It's an excellent fat burner. It contains flavonoids that help boost the immune system, are anti-inflammatory and antiviral, promote energy, and activate the central nervous system. It reduces fatigue and oxidative stress, and is a serotonin inhibitor, increasing attention, concentration, and perception.
Because it's an herb, it's not heavily processed, which favors its natural use. It contains caffeine, which helps maintain memory and other mental processes. It has nutritional properties, bioactive compounds, saponins, antioxidants, healthy carbohydrates, and biochemical compounds
such as theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine,
which are stimulants. It also contains vitamin C,
calcium, and potassium.
Recommendations: Use it fresh, natural, without
additives, with lukewarm water, avoid added sugars,
and combine it with natural foods. Traditionally, it is
drunk hot through a straw called a bombilla, placed in a small container called a mate, which holds the infusion. It is widely consumed in Argentina and Uruguay, where the custom is to share it with friends. The mate is filled with
hot water, the drink is consumed, and then it is refilled and passed to the next person in the circle. When someone doesn't want any more, they simply say "thank you" when offered, a sign that they have had enough.
The country with the highest total consumption of mate in the world is Brazil, although only 20% of its population consumes it. In contrast, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay stand out for having a higher percentage of mate consumers relative to their total population.