{"id":6342,"date":"2023-08-17T09:48:16","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T09:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chasdomundo.pt\/blog\/?p=6342"},"modified":"2025-04-17T15:04:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T15:04:55","slug":"yerba-mate-chimarrao-terere-caffeinated-drink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chasdomundo.pt\/blog\/en\/yerba-mate-chimarrao-terere-caffeinated-drink\/","title":{"rendered":"Yerba Mate, Chimarr\u00e3o, and Terer\u00e9: the caffeinated drink of South America"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yerba mate<\/b> is a plant native to South America, known scientifically as <\/span>Ilex paraguariensis.<\/span><\/i> It is widely consumed in the form of<\/span> tea or infusion<\/b>, especially in Argentina, Paraguay and southern Brazil. Originally from the Atlantic Rainforest, it can be consumed in <\/span>various types of drinks, hot or cold<\/b>. It is usually used in the preparation of two traditional drinks: <\/span>chimarr\u00e3o and terer\u00e9.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two varieties of <\/span>Ilex paraguariensisf: Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil <\/span><\/i>variety <\/span>paraguariensis<\/span><\/i> and Ilex <\/span>paraguariensis<\/span><\/i> variety <\/span>vestita.<\/span><\/i> Of the 68 species belonging to the <\/span>Ilex<\/span><\/i> genus, only 5 are used to make yerba mate.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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What is Yerba Mate<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The name yerba mate comes from the Quechua term “<\/span>mati<\/span><\/i>“, which used to refer to the container in which the herb was infused. This herb is harvested by “<\/span>yerbateros<\/span><\/i>” – growers – from <\/span>small farms and indigenous communities.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once harvested, the <\/span>leaves are dried and ground<\/b>, placed in a mate and poured over with hot water. Originally, the Guarani used the dried leaves to prepare a stimulating drink called “<\/span>ka’a<\/i><\/b>“, which means “herb” in the Guarani language.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of yerba mate goes back to the indigenous <\/span>Guarani people,<\/b> who have inhabited the South American region for thousands of years. For these people, yerba mate is a<\/span> sacred plant<\/b> and its consumption is part of their <\/span>culture and tradition<\/b>. It was they who discovered the <\/span>medicinal, energizing and refreshing properties of yerba mate.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yerba mate is <\/span>harvested by hand,<\/b> requiring skill, knowledge, and care. The leaves are harvested when they reach the ideal point of ripeness and go through a<\/span> drying process<\/b> to preserve their properties.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its unique properties and ancestral tradition, yerba mate and the drinks derived from it are appreciated not only for the drink itself, but also for the <\/span>historical connection <\/b>with the southern region of Brazil and neighboring countries.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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