Mate

Mate (from Spanish [yerba] mate; Portuguese: erva-mate) is a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused drink. It is made by soaking dried leaves of the holly species Ilex paraguariensis in hot water and is served with a metal straw in a container typically made from calabash gourd.

History

Mate was first consumed by the indigenous Guaraní and also spread by the Tupí people who lived in southern Brazil and Paraguay. They called the drink caá, which means "plant" and "drink" in Guaraní. Mate consumption spread in the Spanish colony of Paraguay in the late 16th century, both among Spanish settlers and indigenous Guaraní, who had, to some extent, before the Spanish arrival, consumed it.

Preparation

Mate is traditionally consumed in a particular social setting, such as family gatherings or with friends. The same gourd (cuia) and straw (bomba/bombilla) are used by everyone drinking. One person (known as the cebador) assumes the task of server. Typically, the cebador fills the gourd and drinks the mate completely to ensure that it is free of particulate matter and of good quality. The cebador subsequently refills the gourd and passes it to the drinker to his or her right, who likewise drinks it all (there is not a set amount to drink; however, it is considered rude to drink too little), and returns it without thanking the server; a final thank you implies that the drinker has had enough.

Health effects

Studies of mate, though very limited, suggest that mate consumption may be associated with cancer and other health problems. The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified mate as "probably carcinogenic to humans".

See also

• Yerba mate
• Ilex paraguariensis
• Guaraní people
• Tupí people
• Caffeine
• Cancer

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