Yerba Mate (pronounced yerva matay) was taken for its soothing yet stimulating properties by the Guaraní peoples of sub-tropical South America long before the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century, but the romantic image of itinerant gauchos (cowboys of the Argentine Pampas) sharing a communal cup of the brew around the campfire is very much part of the mystique of this infusion.

Mate (as the infusion itself is known) is stimulant drink, which helps eliminate fatigue, and stimulates mental activity. In moderate doses, much like tea, it has a beneficial calming effect on the nerves. Yerba Mate is also used specifically as a tonic, diuretic, appetite suppressant, and digestive aid in both traditional and modern herbal medicine systems in South America, and also is quickly gaining popularity as an approved beverage ingredient in Europe and North America.

The bushy shrub, curiously a member of the holly genus (Ilex), is cultivated in various parts of the “southern cone” of South America, principally Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil and  of course Paraguay where the plant has its native roots (hence its Latin name Ilex paraguensis). Upon harvesting, the leaves and stems are either dried for sale (either toasted or green), or they are steeped in hot water to create a strong infusion which is subsequently spray-dried into a powder extract.

Yerba Mate naturally contains caffeine, occasionally referred to as mateine (beware this is a synonym: do not be misled into thinking that Yerba Mate is caffeine-free!), and also contains high levels of polyphenol antioxidants. As such, it is a close-match alternative to green tea extract in health and energy beverages where a touch of the exotic is desired! In fact, from a health perspective, it is now known that Yerba Mate contains around 35% more active compounds, vitamins, minerals and amino acids (as a combined total) than Green Tea: that’s a total of nearly two hundred compounds.

Here at FDL we work closely with growers and producers at origin, including Paraguay, to bring you the highest quality water-soluble Yerba Mate extracts for your beverage formulation. We are also highly experienced at incorporating botanicals such as Yerba Mate, Guaraná, Ginseng, to name but a handful, into customized ingredient pre-mix packages for our customers.

• Yerba Mate Extract (green)        
• Yerba Mate Extract (toasted)