EL MATE

(Ilex paraguariensis)

The expression "mate" is rooted in the quechua word "mati" that means gourd. The conquerors used THIS word to talk about what the guaranies named "caigua"(Kaa= yerba, y =agua, gua= is a suffix of origin) that means, "what belongs to yerba".

For extension they used the name for the drink made with yerba (ilex paraguaiensis). The gourd is the fruit of lagenaria vulgaris. To suck the infusion we use a straw ( bombilla) but at the BEGINING the people used a PIECE of cane named tacuari with a bored seed BOTTOM as filter. In the conquer times the church prohibited the mate because IT WAS CONSIDERED an herb from a demon" .

The ritual practiced BY the native people was a threat TO THE European people WHO just arrived. THEY didn't know the practice and ITS effects. They punished THE NATIVE PEOPLE for FOLLOWING THIS CUSTOM because they STOPPED WORKING to drink mate.

The native people of Banda Oriental ( uruguay) got yerba earlier because of the trade with THE guarani population. Since then the inhabitants of this countRY HAVE PRACTICED the ceremony of sharING the infusion. In the COUNTRYSIDE and in the cities, before, after, and during work, at the beach, in the street, the Uruguayans drink mate.

The bitter taste comes from tanines, foam and glicosides.

If ONE drinks mate two times a day, ONE WILL consume 14grams of caffeine a year.A Kilo of yerba mate contain 2.5 gr of caffeine. A kilo of coffee contain 2.6 gr. of caffeine.

Uruguay is the principal consumer of yerba mate of the world. The tradition of drinkING mate represents their national identity.

Althoug Uruguay doesn't produce yerba nate, PARAGUAY and BRAZIL export 200 000 kilos a year to the Uruguayans spread all over the planet.