A couple years ago, I discovered Yerba Mate tea. I love brewing tea in the Fall and Winter seasons and it's fun to try different varieties. I stock wide varieties in the pantry in case I have a craving for chamomile, green tea, or mint and it's great for guests to choose their favorites. Then, I spotted Yerba Mate one day and I was intrigued by smoky flavor and the health advantages like antioxidants, improving digestion, aiding mental clarity, and boosting your natural energy. Maybe that energy comes from the natural caffeine, but I do enjoy the flavor!Yerba Mate is grown in South America and enjoyed by the people of Argentina, Uraguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil.
I buy the Guayaki brand pictured on the right because it's a fair-trade product and it supports the native people to grow and harvest the plant.
To brew, I warm the water in a tea kettle on the stove. I use an average size tea pot and place 2 tea bags at the bottom. Pour the hot water in the tea pot with the bags and brew for 3-5 minutes.
Try it with sweetener (sugar, honey, stevia extract) and even a splash of vanilla soymilk or milk. The smoky flavor is very soothing and rich.
You can buy it in the natural foods section of your local store, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods.
I'm going to try this next trip to Trader Joe's!
ReplyDeleteSo, you like stevia in yerba mate? Fyi, Wisdom of the Ancients' yerba mate royale has SweetLeef stevia in it. I just thought I'd mention it, I know you like Guayaki--that's cool!
ReplyDeleteFyi, Yerba mate seems to have mateine, a xanthine like caffeine, but without the adverse effects of caffeine.
There's some great information on yerba mate at www.fullyflexed.com/yerba-mate