Mate, or Yerba Mate, is a tree from the genus Bugenia, whose leaves are used to make Mate tea. Yerba mate has been drunk in South America for centuries, even before Spanish colonisation. Mate was first consumed by chewing the green leaves, but from the 17th century onwards, when the Jesuits arrived in the area, it was first banned and then encouraged as the health benefits of Mate were discovered.
It is rich in vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, riboflavin, biotin, magnesium, calcium, iron, amino acids and many other substances.
In recent decades, attempts have been made to fully investigate the benefits of Mate for the body. One of the most important discoveries has been that the energising substance in Mate, mateine, acts in a similar way to caffeine, but is not addictive and does not interfere with sleep, but instead promotes it.
Mate acts as a diuretic, stimulates mental activity, speeds up metabolism, strengthens the immune system, protects against oxidative stress and is ideal for anxious people.
