Loco Over Maté

by WiredBerries Editors — October 19, 2007

Sick of feeling sick every time you overindulge in coffee? Maté is the latest coffee-house craze, and it claims to offer the buzz of coffee without the frantic shakes. Traditionally prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba maté in hot water and served from a hollow gourd through a metal straw called a bombilla, it is the national drink in Argentina and Uruguay and a common social practice in Paraguay and parts of Brazil, Chile, eastern Bolivia, Lebanon, and Syria.

Maté is said to offer many health benefits ranging from digestive aid, laxative, appetite suppressant, and immunity booster, and is even said to combat the effects of aging. Although these claims are currently unfounded, the drink is chock full of antioxidants. Intimidated by the idea of drinking from a gourd? Maté is now available at some local grocery stores and most health-food emporiums in pre-mixed form that you simply add to steamed or chilled milk or even ice cream. Who could pass up a chance for an age-fighting, figure slimming, South American buzz?