Argentine mate. The consumption of mate dates back to the Guarani people (indigenous natives who were in some countries of South America). They chewed the leaves directly or put them in a pumpkin with water and sipped them. In fact, the word “mate” comes from the guaraní “Caamate”. “Caa” would be a plant or herb, and “mate” refers to the pumpkin where they drank it. Other peoples such as the Incas, the Charruas, and even the Araucanians adopted the mate thanks to exchanges with the Guarani. For the natives, the mate tree was a sacred gift from the gods. And, in fact, the mate had a special and spiritual meaning for them, as well as its nutritional value.
In Argentina, we grow Yerba mate, and also in Paraguay, and southern Brazil, where the conditions of terrain, temperature, and humidity are ideal. Like those gauchos of yesteryear, mate is part of the daily life of an average Argentine. We normally consume equally in homes, offices, parks, universities, and plazas. Not only because of its properties as an infusion but also because of its role as a social link.
Mate contains a stimulant called mateína that improves mental activity, increases energy, improves concentration, is anxiolytic as well as a stimulant that increases resistance to mental and physical fatigue is an antidepressant. It has 15 different amino acids, vitamins B1, B2 (riboflavin), C, A, carotene, and minerals. For example, potassium, magnesium, and manganese that prevent lactic acid in the muscles, being a natural energizer indicated for athletes.
Taking mate is a historical ritual that reminds us of the essence of being and Argentinean traditions.
