True connoisseurs of this drink prefer to refrain from buying this form of tea packaging. Real gourmets who know a lot about teas often prefer exotic varieties. For example, they do not need to be told what mate is and why it is so good.
A person inexperienced in these matters, such a huge variety of varieties of tea, which in beautiful packages and colorful jars stand in rows on the shelves in stores, can be confusing. Out of ignorance, many unfairly bypass exotic varieties. But some of them can benefit our bodies. For example, such a tea called mate, which is not very popular for our country, is very beneficial for health.
Tea, which came to us from South America, is sometimes called Paraguayan. And all because the tonic drink called mate is made from dried and crushed leaves and young shoots of the Paraguayan holly, which is also called "mate grass", mate and Paraguayan tea. The tree itself grows exclusively in Latin American countries.
Mate tea is very diverse. Paraguayan tea can be golden, green and brown. If the colors of the first two varieties of the drink are quite natural, then the tea leaves acquire a brown color after it is fried in a special way.
Whatever the mate variety, its taste is very unusual for a Russian person. It contains a little bit of bitterness, and at the same time a little sweetness - a rare combination, words cannot explain, you have to try it. The main thing here is to prepare the drink correctly. And there are a number of subtleties here.
Calabash and bombilla
It is not enough to buy mate tea itself. It is necessary to purchase special utensils for its use. First, you will need a vessel for making this type of tea, which is called calabash, or calabash. Initially, the Indians made them from gourds. Now, along with it, other materials are used. Such as, for example, oak wood, or porcelain, or ceramics. But if you cook mate according to all the rules, then you need to cook it in a calabash made from pumpkin.
Secondly, you will need something with which you will drink mate. This should be done with a special metal tube called a bombilla. Cane or bamboo reeds are also suitable. The second option is less preferable, since only the bombilla has a special strainer inside, thanks to which even the smallest particles of tea leaves are retained, as a result of which their entry into the mouth is completely excluded.
Not only do you need to use special equipment to prepare mate, it is important to follow the entire process correctly from start to finish. Especially if you use pumpkin calabash.
Before using this vessel for the first time, it must be "revitalized". To do this, fill the container with completely dry mate grass, pour hot water and insist about a day. Then pour out the drink, scrape the walls of the vessel from the inside to remove the top layer of softened wood.
After that, brew a new portion of tea in the container, which will be suitable for consumption. Such a long and, at first glance, unnecessary procedure for “revitalizing” the calabash is done so that the pores of the pumpkin are saturated with the substances contained in the mate grass, and henceforth you will not feel any extraneous tastes. A similar ritual should also be performed if the calabash has not been used for a long time.
But in no case do not leave the device filled for a long time. After standing for more than a day, the drink may become moldy, after which the vessel will have to be thrown away.
Calabash should not be stored not only filled, but also empty. Before putting it on the far shelf, it is recommended to fill the vessel with several grams of dry mate grass.
So, after the calabash has been infused for a day, the container is thoroughly cleaned and washed. After that, it is considered that it is ready for making a drink.
Everything according to the rules
There are many ways to brew mate tea. the classic way to prepare an unusual drink is this one: fill the calabash with dry mate by two thirds and shake it so that all the tea leaves are near one wall. After that, put the container on the table and insert the bombilla into it. Now you need to pour cold water into the calabash. But not to the top. Liquid should be a little more than half of the total volume of the entire calabash. The main thing is that the water slightly moistens the tea leaves, completely absorbed.
Readiness is determined by slightly tilting the jug. The tea leaves should swell a little and look like a thick green porridge.
Then pour some hot water or boiling water into the container. After a couple of minutes, the drink is ready. It is not recommended to insist the mate for a long time, otherwise it will be bitter.
With each subsequent brewing, the amount of hot water can be gradually increased until the calabash is completely filled and foam is formed. If part of the tea leaves on top of the jug is dry at first, it's okay. It will be re-brewed during the subsequent brewing process.
They also drink mate in a special way. It must be sipped in small sips, and the bombilla must always be at the very bottom of the calabash. That is, you should drink tea from the very thick. This will save you from the possibility of getting hot water.
The inhabitants of South America have another recipe for brewing mate tea. For this you need orange juice. It must be added to calabash instead cold water. After that just add hot water and put in a sugar cube. Well, now try it!
No orange juice? Then you can try another extremely interesting way of brewing mate tea. He cooks the other way around. In one liter of boiling water, add dry tea leaves of mate and the same amount of sugar. Let it brew for a few minutes, mix thoroughly and - you can drink.
You can also use milk instead of orange juice. For several cups of tea, you need half a liter, no more. Heat it on the stove without bringing it to a boil. Add about 30 grams of mate to hot milk and mix thoroughly. After that, bring to a boil and immediately turn off. Strain through a strainer and pour into cups. In this case, calabash is not required, but you should not forget the bombilla. Why - we will tell below.
For pleasure and health
Mate is drunk both for pleasure and for some of the beneficial properties of this drink. Paraguayan tea, in addition to its amazing taste, has a lot of useful properties. First of all, it is an excellent tonic that helps to restore strength and has a beneficial effect on the protective functions of the body. It is drunk to improve mood, relieve symptoms of nervousness and anxiety, and increase physical activity. If you regularly drink the drink, then the obsessive feeling of anxiety will gradually go away.
Experts recommend mate as a remedy that affects the general psycho-emotional state and helps to calm the nervous system. This drink helps to lower blood pressure and for the better affects the functioning of the heart.
The tonic effect is achieved thanks to the mateine contained in this herb. This substance is similar to caffeine, but more effective and does not cause side effects in the form of increased heart rate and nervous trembling. It allows you to increase the efficiency of the body and helps to increase its resistance to viral infections.
In terms of composition and trace elements, mate is comparable to ordinary black tea. It also contains vitamin A, E, C, P, B vitamins, as well as trace elements, including sulfur, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sodium, iron, copper, chlorine and some acids necessary for normal human life.
However, be careful!
With all the exceptional usefulness of Paraguayan mate tea, we must not forget that there are a number of restrictions and nuances that must be observed when drinking this drink.
Never drink mate tea on an empty stomach. Otherwise, unpleasant consequences from the stomach may occur.
You should not drink mate tea before going to bed, otherwise you will not fall asleep.
You can not drink this tea just from a cup. Improper use of mate without the use of bombilla can lead to deterioration of tooth enamel. Save your teeth! Do not let the drink linger in your mouth for a long time and do not drink it in large sips.
Do not drink hot mate. Scientists conducted studies during which some connection was found between the use of hot mate and cancer of certain organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
In general, as in everything, a measure is needed here. Try this amazing tea, enjoy and experiment! Drink by yourself and brew with friends. If you follow all the rules for the preparation and use of this drink, then soon you will certainly feel all its beneficial properties.
Julia Vern 21 714 1
Mate is a traditional drink in many South American countries, where it is an indispensable companion of the indigenous people throughout the day. With a sufficient concentration of caffeine and various vitamins, it serves as a serious source of energy, increasing the overall tone of the body. Mate infusion is officially recognized as the national drink in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chaco and southern Brazil. In addition, mate is very popular in southern Chile, Syria and Lebanon. The latter two countries are the largest importers of raw mate in the world.
The raw material for the preparation of the drink is crushed powder from the dried leaves of the IIex Paraguariensis tree, better known as Erva Partner or Paraguayan Holly. The powder is infused in hot water in a special vessel and served with a straw. A vessel for mate is called a "calabash" and a true calabash must be made from a special variety of gourd. The straw also has its own name - “bombilla”, or “bomb” - in Portuguese, or “massa” - in Arabic. Traditional bombilla is made of silver, more budgetary and household options are made of cupronickel or hollow reed.
Pumpkin calabash is a traditional South American historical utensil throwback. In some of the poorest regions of Brazil, gourd dishes are still used not only for drinking mate, but also as household utensils for eating and drinking, which is collectively called “tavern”.
The holly leaves are dried, finely ground into a powdery mixture called "Yerba" and poured into calabash. Pour in hot water and insert a bombilla, which, on the one hand, is a kind of mouthpiece, and on the other hand, it is pierced with small holes on the sides, which, like a sieve, filter the infusion from particles of tea raw materials.
Mate is a very ancient drink, beloved among the tribes of the Indians of South America, in particular - Guarani and Tupi, inhabiting the area of the modern territory of Paraguay, Southern Brazil, Southeast Bolivia, Northeast Argentina and Uruguay before the onset of the Paraguayan War (1864-1870) .
The Guarani have their own legend about the origin of mate. Once upon a time, the goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud descended to earth on the same day and they stumbled upon a very hungry jaguar who wanted to attack and tear them to pieces. One poor old man from the tribe saved the goddesses, for which he was given the seed of a tree, having prepared a drink from the leaves of which, he will create a "drink of friendship."
The consumption of mate became widespread due to the European colonization of Paraguay at the end of the 16th century, when the Spanish settlers began to adopt the best, in their opinion, preferences of the native Indians. Through the territory of Roi de la Plata, mate enters Chile by the beginning of the 17th century, where it becomes as common a commodity as tobacco, cotton and beef.
By the middle of the century, the Jesuits, penetrating everywhere and everywhere, appropriated one of the productions of raw mate tea, located on the territory of Misiones - one of the largest missionary reservations, which caused serious economic damage to the Spanish owners of the production of mate, who supplied tea raw materials to Europe on independent terms.
After the expulsion of the Jesuits from Paraguayan territories in the 1770s, missionary activity fell into decline, as did the Christian production of mate, which greatly supported the Paraguayan economy, which was based mainly on the export of raw tea, but was almost completely destroyed during the Paraguayan war. .
Such conditions allowed Brazil and Argentina to take a leading position in the production of mate late XIX, the beginning of the 20th century. Over time, as Brazilian entrepreneurs preferred coffee production, Argentina reclaimed former Jesuit plantations in the province of Minones, becoming the second largest exporter of mate after Brazil.
Paraguayan holly plant - raw materials for mate are made from it
Today, only three countries in South America supply true and high-quality mate tea - Brazil, whose exports account for 53% of the total mate supplies, Argentina - 37% and Paraguay - 10%.
Properties of mate tea
Mate is generally recognized as a safe drink for health, however, steaming the powder with too hot water, close to the boiling point, increases the risk of carcinogens in the finished drink. For this reason, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has placed mate tea in group 2A, which contains substances that can cause the development of cancer.
Mate contains a certain amount of vital vitamins and minerals for the human body, in particular - vitamins A, B1, B2, C, E, and sufficient to pay attention to the amount of phosphorus, iron and calcium.
Mate tea and cancer
A review of a number of population-based studies in 2009 revealed facts about the relationship between esophageal cancer and regular consumption of hot mate. Such studies, however, are not completed - it is necessary to prove or disprove the fact of the dependence of the appearance cancer cells from drinking mate, and not just hot drinks, which also increase the risk of neoplasms in the esophagus.
In addition, researchers from the US National Cancer Institute, with the support of their Brazilian colleagues, determined that under the influence of boiling water on yerba powder, after infusion in water, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - benzopyrenes, which have an active carcinogenic property, begin to appear and increase their concentration over time. certain harm to mate tea. Moreover, the concentration of benzopyrenes is much higher in tea raw materials processed with smoke at the time of preparation than in yerba raw materials, the harvesting technology of which does not regulate smoking. From which it was concluded that carcinogenic substances enter the drink due to combustion products and are not contained in the holly leaves themselves.
Calabash - traditional drinkware
Antioxidants in mate tea
Paradoxically, parallel studies show that the drink has a significant effect in the fight against cancer cells, due to the large amount of polyphenolic antioxidants, the concentration of which is much higher than in green tea, which indicates the benefits of mate tea.
Studies conducted at the University of Illinois in the United States from 2005 to 2011 found inhibition of the proliferation of colon and oral cancer cells.
On average, mate tea contains about 92 mg of the powerful antioxidant chlorogenic acid and no catechins, allowing it to significantly increase the drink's antioxidant level compared to classic teas.
Antimicrobial and antifungal properties of mate tea
An aqueous solution of mate shows high activity against the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli), which causes serious digestive pathologies, and the fungus Malassezia furfur, which is the cause of dandruff and similar skin diseases.
Cardioprotective effects of mate tea
American studies in 2007 found that daily consumption of mate tea in a volume of at least 0.5 liters increases the activity of an enzyme that stimulates the formation of substances that prevent the formation and accumulation of cholesterol - lipoprotein, which in large quantities leads to vascular sclerosis, which is fraught with strokes, heart attacks and other diseases based on vascular pathology.
Other beneficial properties of the chemical composition of mate tea
Mate contains polyphenols that benefit the immune system, reduce the risk of allergic reactions and diabetes by lowering total blood glucose levels.
Mate also contains calorie-burning chemicals that act as an appetite suppressant to prevent weight gain.
Due to a sufficient amount of caffeine, mate increases the overall tone of the body, increasing the amount of oxygen supplied to the heart muscle, helps to activate the central nervous system and, as a result, improves mood, the ability to concentrate and concentrate.
Use of mate in different countries
In addition to the classic mate, the raw material of which is poured with hot water, in Paraguay and the North-East of Argentina, a separate drink is prepared from it, called "terere". To make terrere, yerba calabash fill cold water or fruit juice, possibly with the addition of various spices and spices.
In Uruguay and Brazil, calabash always has a large hole, while in Argentina, especially in the capital, the vessel is smaller and the filling hole is much smaller. In addition, Argentine mate lovers prefer mate with sugar.
In all countries where mate is actively consumed, one can often meet on the streets a porter with a supply of utensils, raw tea and a thermos of hot water, who with great pleasure, for a small fee, will sell a complete set of ready-made drink to a weary traveler.
In some areas of Argentina, filling stations, provide free hot water, especially for travelers who might enjoy mate on the go. There you can also purchase special containers, the interior of which contains separate cells for transporting the necessary utensils, a thermos and tea raw materials.
In grocery stores in Argentina, you can always find bags of dry mate for disposable tea leaves in a regular glass or mug. Such bags are exported in large volumes to Europe, where the use of mate from traditional calabash has not come into fashion.
Some countries in the Middle East, such as Syria and Lebanon, are the largest importers of mate. Tea preferences appeared there thanks to the Arabs who moved to South America at the beginning of the 20th century and returned to their homeland again.
Today, ready-made mate makes up about 7% of the total volume of cold drinks on the shelves of grocery supermarkets in the United States and Canada. Mate in these countries is often sold in bottled form in plastic, glass and aluminum containers with and without gas.
How to brew mate tea
To properly brew mate tea, you will need: dry mate powder, calabash, bombilla, a flat disk - you can use a regular CD, Electric kettle with warm boiled water and a cup, preferably with a drain spout.
The water in the kettle must be heated to a temperature of no more than 75-85 degrees. You can navigate the required temperature level by the appearance of the first bubbles.
- Calabash must be filled with powder at least two-thirds of its total capacity.
- Cover the calabash with a disk and tilt it on its side. Shake several times to ensure that the larger particles of the powder are at the bottom of the calabash. This technique, in the future, does not allow small particles of powder to clog the holes of the bombilla.
- Return the calabash to the reverse position at an angle of 45 degrees, make sure that fine dust of tea powder has fallen off at the very top.
- Fill the calabash with hot water from a cup, along the inner wall. As the calabash fills up, gradually return it to a vertical position. You can pour water directly from the kettle, controlling the volume.
- Close the mouthpiece of the bombilla with your thumb, turn its curved end against the wall of the calabash and insert into the mass of mate to the very bottom.
- Rotate the bombilla 90 degrees to clear the hole.
In the homeland of mate, there is a ritual of drinking in the general circle of friends. The “tea master,” known as the “sevador,” always takes the first sip of the bombilla before passing the calabash around. It would be considered a great insult to come to the tea party with your bombilla, which could be done for hygienic purposes, since the drink is passed around and each guest should take only one sip before passing the calabash to a neighbor. Thank you for tea drinking should be only once - at the end of the ceremony, as this is considered a sign of departure.
The world-famous South American mate tea is a drink made from the leaves and shoots of a tree called Paraguayan holly, and also Paraguayan tea or mate. It is a drink with a long history, unique in its composition and tonic effect.
Paraguayan tea is spelled hierba mate in Spanish. In Russian, two spellings of the word are considered correct - “mate” and “mate”. They are pronounced the same - with a shock "e" at the end. Although the whole world pronounces the name of tea with an emphasis on the letter "a" (the first syllable).
The word "mate" also refers to a vessel for tea or other drinks, made from a hollowed and dried gourd. But in the Russian language, an analogue of the name of such a vessel has taken root - calabash (or calabash, calabash).
History of tea
The exact time of occurrence of mate has not been established, but this drink was valued by the Indian tribes of South America in the 16th century. The mention of the word "mate" as the name of the vessel is found in literary works beginning of the 17th century, "mate potion" - in the first half of the 18th century. But tea itself existed long before that.
The Gauranis of South America have a very beautiful legend. In it, the goddess of the Moon and the goddess of the Clouds descended to earth. Inadvertently, they were almost attacked by an angry jaguar, but were saved by an old man from the Gaurani tribe. As a reward, they gave the old man a Paraguayan holly seed and a recipe for amazing tea.
Since the end of the 16th century, the European colonization of South America has led to the popularization and distribution of this type of tea. Today it is considered Argentine, although its use is included in the national traditions of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
Properties and composition of tea
An infusion of holly leaves has unique tonic properties due to the chemical composition of the raw material from which it is made. In its composition there are:
- more than 10 acids useful for the human body, including nicotinic (vitamin PP), pantothenic (vitamin B5), ursolic;
- caffeine, tannin (tonic substances);
- protein;
- riboflavin (vitamin B2), rutin (vitamin P), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), choline.
Beneficial features
The list of beneficial properties of tea is very impressive. It is noted that as a result of its use:
- Normalizes blood pressure.
- The heart is better oxygenated.
- Stabilizes blood circulation throughout the body (including the brain).
- There is a decline advanced level cholesterol.
- The immune system becomes more resilient.
- The mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines are restored.
- The nervous system is strengthened, stress resistance increases.
- Increased potency in men.
- Reduced cravings for alcohol and smoking.
The main quality of tea is high tonic properties. Benefits of mate tea effective method relieve fatigue, refresh the head, give vigor and strength.
Is it possible to use infusion for weight loss
It is believed that mate infusion can be used for weight loss, it can help in the fight against extra pounds. It has a stimulating effect on digestion, improves metabolic processes in the body. Thus mate tea acts on weight loss.
Of course, it's ridiculous to expect a drink to magically "burn fat." Weight loss is a long process associated with food restriction and increased physical activity. And exotic tea can be a good helper in this.
Harm from use, contraindications
The benefits and harms of drinking tea are determined by the individual characteristics of the person, the state of health. Like any highly active agent of natural origin, tea has a number of contraindications for use:
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, childhood.
- The presence of an inflammatory process, accompanied by fever, high blood pressure.
- Kidney disease, stones in the urinary or gallbladder.
- Allergic reaction to tea components.
For serious health problems, it is better to consult a doctor about the possibility of regular tea consumption.
Reviews of doctors
In discussing the possible harm from drinking mate, a lot of controversy is caused by a large amount of carcinogens in the infusion. Carcinogens are poisonous and can trigger cancer. According to doctors, this effect is associated with the use of infusion of very high temperature.
Tea should be brewed at a temperature not exceeding 80 degrees Celsius, and drinking should be moderately hot (not boiling water).
The properties of yerba mate were tested by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization. According to research results, very hot tea was officially included in the list of carcinogens.
Calabash with bombilla
A real calabash (or calabash, calabash) is made from a certain variety of gourd. It was from them that the Indians made calabash, generously decorating the walls of vessels with scorched or carved patterns. Subsequently, the Spaniards, who adopted the mate recipe and dishes for it, began to make calabash from certain types of trees (rosewood, oak), as well as porcelain, ceramics and even silver.
In memory of the round pumpkin, the calabaza for brewing tea has the shape of a small pot-bellied pot. In order to drink calabash mate, he is supplied with either a cane or bamboo stick, or a special tube - bombilla.
Bombilla is made of silver or cupronickel. It is all permeated with small holes, which filter the tea when climbing it, clearing the infusion from small particles of tea leaves. Calabash and bombilla are essential attributes of a proper yerba mate tea brewing ceremony.
tea recipe
It is necessary to properly brew mate tea, armed with special utensils and brewing raw materials. To prepare a traditional mate, a “tea master” will need:
- calabash;
- bombilla;
- a flat lid that fits snugly over the top of the calabash.
Ingredients:
- mate powder;
- boiling water.
Although exotic, the brewing ritual is not that complicated and consists of the following steps:
Step 1. Pour mate into calabash. The vessel must be filled with tea raw materials by 65-70%.
Step 2 The throat of the calabash is tightly closed, and the vessel itself is vigorously shaken several times. This is necessary so that large parts of the tea leaves are at the bottom, and the “dust” is on top.
Step 3 The water temperature for brewing tea should not exceed 80 degrees. Since water boils at a temperature of 90 degrees, after boiling it is allowed to cool slightly.
Step 4 Boiling water must be poured so that the distribution of raw materials in the vessel is preserved. To do this, the vessel is tilted at an angle of 45 degrees, and boiling water is slowly poured along the wall. Gradually, the calabash takes up a vertical position, filling completely.
Step 5 To prevent the bombilla from clogging with tea leaves, its upper part is tightly clogged with a finger, the other end is inserted into the vessel, carefully leading it along the wall to the very bottom.
Step 6 The drink brews quickly. The recommended time is from 30 seconds to 2 minutes (no more than 5 minutes). Tea is prepared immediately before drinking, and the longer it is infused, the more bitterness will prevail in taste.
How to drink mate tea
Traditionally, all those gathered for a tea party drink mate directly from the calabash through one bombilla. The “tea master” takes the first sips, and then the calabash is passed around. It is slowly sipped, capturing the thick at the bottom.
It was considered indecent and even offensive to come to tea with your bombilla. Such a tea party was both a beautiful ceremony and a ritual of rallying friends, uniting people into a strong union.
How to make a drink without calabash
If there is no calabash and bombilla, it does not matter. Mate tea can be brewed in an ordinary porcelain teapot, and then poured into cups through a strainer. Of course, the tea ceremony will lose its South American charm, but the taste properties of tea will not suffer from this.
Types of mate tea
According to the territory of origin of raw materials, mate tea is divided into Argentinean, Brazilian and Paraguayan. To create raw materials, both a dry holly leaf and its stems are used:
- tea without stalks is stronger, richer and more fragrant (mate sin palo);
- the stalks in the tea leaves give the infusion a soft taste (con palo variety).
Other main varieties of mate:
- organic - the tea leaf is harvested by hand and “aged” for at least two years;
- traditional - the exposure period is equal to a year;
- "soft" - not as bitter as other varieties;
- “with smoke” (barbagua variety) - this feature is given by a special processing of the sheet.
For lovers, tea is produced with all kinds of fruit and berry additives. For example, popular varieties: with orange flavor - mate aguante tea, with cherry or raspberry, apple, lime, lemon. Another option is mate herbal tea. Mint leaves and lemon balm are added to the main raw material. For people with diseases of the cardiovascular system, ginkgo biloba mate tea will be especially useful.
Additional Information! Mate raw materials are also used to prepare another drink called "terere". To do this, calabash with tea powder is poured with cold clean water or juice, spices and spices are added.
Packed mate
Popular Argentine tea mate in bags for tea leaves in a regular cup. Today in Russia, all popular varieties of yerba mate can be purchased in packaged packaging.
Tea bags are also popular in European countries, where complex tea rituals are not respected, and people are used to brewing and drinking tea as simply as possible.
O step by step instructions mate brewing, about the devices that will be needed to prepare the drink, and about its taste characteristics in this video:
Mate tea is easy to prepare on your own, armed with special utensils and raw materials for brewing. It is popular due to its tonic, healing and taste properties. However, there are contraindications to the use of this drink.
Hot mate tea is interesting for its ancient history, and its brewing and drinking according to all the rules is a beautiful exotic ritual.
Fashion is not only for clothes and shoes. Exotic drinks are also fashionable, one of which is mate tea. South American today occupies almost the top line in the ranking of drinks. The raw materials for mate are young leaves and sprouts of the Paraguayan holly. This evergreen shrub, its height reaches 15 meters, grows in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Raw materials for tea are pre-dried and ground.
For Latin Americans, mate is like a gift from the gods. It was also used by the Indians of the Guarani tribe, curing them of all kinds of ailments. An interesting legend will tell us about the origin of this amazing drink. Once God went on a journey, he was accompanied by servants. The whole day the travelers overcame the dense jungle and by the end of the day lost their strength. But the path led them to a clearing, and the travelers saw a small hut. Here lived a decrepit old man with a daughter of extraordinary beauty. The hospitable hosts treated the tired travelers to dinner and provided them with a roof over their heads.
The next morning, God asked the owner why they live in solitude. The elder dejectedly said that he was afraid for his child, because her beauty could attract dashing people. God paused meaningfully, then said: “Yes, your daughter has extraordinary beauty, but all people should admire her. Old man, I can make your daughter's beauty admire the whole universe!” In the same instant, he turned the girl into a small tree that looked very much like a willow. From the leaves of this tree, they began to brew a pleasant and fragrant tea, which later received the name "Mate".
When did mate appear in Europe?
Mate tea appeared in Europe at the beginning of the 17th century. It was brought by the Spanish conquistadors. He fell in love with the conquerors of the seas and new, unknown lands, who appreciated not only the taste of the drink, but also its healing properties, since mate fought scurvy very effectively. But the Europeans themselves reacted coolly to the novelty. Paraguayan tea has not become an everyday drink. But the healers liked it: they used its leaves not as tea leaves, but as a fragrant additive to balms or to alcohol tinctures. They still did not know the chemical composition of holly leaves, but they appreciated its healing qualities. At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe forgets about this extraordinary drink. Today, however, scented tea is extremely popular.
How to brew mate tea
It is customary to drink mate not from cups or glasses, but from special jugs made from mati pumpkin (they differ in shape from an ordinary fruit and resemble a pear). Such jugs are called calabash. Thus, the mother gourd gave the tea its name. And you need to brew it only in calabash, in this case, the specific taste and healing qualities of the drink will be preserved.
How to make calabash? Very simple! At the pumpkin, you need to cut off the upper part, remove the contents, dry the container well. Craftsmen trim the edges of the container with metal, and decorative carvings are applied to the sides. Sometimes the vessels are enclosed in a silver and leather frame. Today on sale you can find calabash not made from pumpkin, but silver or wooden. And the vessels are different in volume: there are large ones, from which you can drink a group of friends; there are small ones designed for one person.
Bombilla is used to drink mate. This is a metal tube. It can be straight or curved. On the one hand, a mouthpiece is attached to the bombilla, and on the other hand, a strainer is attached, shaped like a pyramid. Of course, you also need a kettle. Otherwise, how to boil water? The procedure for making tea was called "sevar", and the one who brews tea became known as "sevador".
A quarter of the volume of calabash is covered with mate, after which the vessel is tilted, so the tea leaves are on one side of the vessel. Then a little cold water is poured into the container and the jug is left alone for a few minutes: they give the water the opportunity to soak the tea leaves, and the mate to take on a mushy consistency. After that, a bombilla is inserted into the vessel and water is poured, the temperature of which does not exceed 70-80 ° C, otherwise the tea may lose its beneficial properties and become bitter. In two minutes, the favorite drink of Latin Americans is ready. Drink mate in small sips.
The ceremony of drinking this tea has become a certain sacred rite for South Americans, which has been formed over several centuries. The process of brewing this divine tea does not tolerate haste and fuss.
To enjoy the taste of this extraordinary drink, you will have to spend about an hour and a half. Therefore, one should not be surprised that mate is drunk in the company of numerous friends, with relatives, leading a leisurely and sedate conversation.
No need to be upset if you cannot get calabash, bombilla and a special strainer, but you really want to taste this exotic drink. In this case, you can use this method. Do you cook for yourself every morning? Then you will perfectly cope with the preparation of mate. The proportions will be different. You will need a liter of water and five large spoons of mate. Well, I think there is a strainer in every house.
Do not love ? You can use cold mate. Pour 2 spoons of mate into a teapot, fill with water, the temperature of which is about 80 ° C, you can add sugar or honey. Tea should be infused for about 10-12 minutes. Before you start pouring tea, put a few pieces of ice in a cup or glass, you can also use vanilla.
Milk mate is also prepared. For half a liter of milk heated to a temperature of 60 ° C, take 2 tablespoons of mate, a little sugar (honey), mix, bring to a boil. Milk drink can be consumed both hot and cold.
Useful properties of mate
The mat contains a great many useful substances. These are tannins, and beta-carotene, B vitamins, vitamins E, C, P, as well as sodium, sulfur, potassium and other trace elements. All this makes mate tea extremely healthy drink. Regular consumption of mate tea normalizes blood pressure, improves heart function. Choline removes cholesterol from the body, pantothenic acid helps to restore damaged cells; the activity of the immune system is stimulated. In diseases of the stomach and intestines, mate is used as an antispasmodic, as it relieves inflammation of the mucous membranes, resulting in normal digestion.
Mate tea can be called an immunostimulant. The drink is good for toning. Using it, you will increase endurance, stress resistance, improve mood, strengthen the nervous system. Mate can be recommended to athletes, as it relieves fatigue and helps to eliminate lactic acid from the body, which accumulates in the muscles.
This tea can also be recommended to smokers and alcohol lovers, since its systematic drinking helps to eliminate bad habits, and for men it is also useful because it increases potency.
At the Pasteur Institute in France, they conducted a study, as a result of which they found another substance in the mat - matein. Matein is a natural stimulant, and its effect is comparable to that of caffeine. The difference is that matein does not cause tachycardia and overexcitation. And the stimulating effect of mateine is longer than that of caffeine. Despite this, mateine does not have a negative effect on sleep. Moreover, mate lovers have come to the conclusion that their sleep has become serene and strong, and their strength is restored much faster.
Harmful properties of mate
Undoubtedly, mate has many beneficial qualities, but it can also have a harmful effect. It has been found that there is a direct link between the consumption of mate tea and oncological diseases (in particular, cancer of the esophagus). This fact is explained by the fact that taking a hot drink leads to a burn of the esophagus and cell degeneration, and the carcinogens contained in the mat accelerate and aggravate the process. The researchers also suggested that carcinogens cause cancer in other organs, such as the bladder and lungs. These facts are the result of research conducted by Uruguayan scientists at the Institute of Oncology in Montevideo.
The results of these studies are topical primarily for residents of those regions where mate tea is drunk in large volumes. If you drink 1 cup a day, then this will not be a risk factor for you.
Red. But there is also a great variety of herbal infusions that enjoy no less popular love. Quite a significant place among them is occupied by ethnic teas, which appearance, the effect on the body, the method of use are very similar to their "classic" counterparts. These exotic drinks include African, honeybush, Brazilian catuaba. But a special place among them is occupied by Paraguayan mate - tea, the properties of which cause very conflicting reviews. By the way, almost equally common different forms spelling the name of this drink - both "mate" and "mate".
Tea from Indian legends
As befits any folk drink, mate is covered with legends, and the indigenous population of Latin America has long attributed literally magical qualities to it. It is believed that this drink is able to quench both thirst and hunger at the same time, as well as cause an extraordinary surge of vigor and strength.
The missionaries who discovered mate in the 16th century, of course, could not resist here, so as not to do business on gullible Indians: they liked the drink, they bought this “green gold” for nothing from the local population, sent it to Europe and decently on it earned. Sailors on their long voyages drank mate to escape scurvy and severe fever. During difficult transitions through impenetrable tropical forests, this tea invigorated and supported the strength of exhausted people.
True, for some time he was undeservedly forgotten for some reason. However, after the discovery in the 19th century of the plant Illex Paraguariensis, which began to be cultivated in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, the second coming of the original drink began. Mate tea began to be produced commercially from the leaves and crushed shoots of this plant, and its beneficial properties made it extremely popular on the South American continent.
There was even a kind of tea ceremony using special paraphernalia - calabash (containers from) and bombilla (cane tubes). Mate is prepared using a special technology:
- tea leaves are poured into the prepared calabash for 2/3 of the volume, shaken so that a void forms at one wall of the vessel, where the bombilla is inserted;
- then the calabash is installed vertically and no longer moves, it is very carefully boiled water is poured through a straw (80 degrees);
- tea is infused for 10 minutes, after which it can be drunk through a bombilla, which is equipped with a strainer on the bottom and a mouthpiece on top;
- this procedure is repeated until the taste of mate disappears.
In the absence of such specific dishes, you should not despair, because you can prepare this golden-green drink with a peculiar bitter taste in an ordinary teapot.
Useful properties and composition of mate
Latin Americans drink mate almost all day. In the morning, to get a charge of vivacity - bitter; during the day, to quench your thirst - cold; in the evening for a strong and healthy sleep- sweet.
This tea is credited with a number of healing properties, which are due to its richest chemical composition. Scientists from the Pasteur Institute found that there are over 190 components in the mate drink. It is rich in vitamins (A, C, E, group B, nicotinic acid), contains a whole bunch of organic acids (isovaleric, isocaproic, isobutyric, resinous), (, ), saponins (beta-amirin), tannins (tannin), micro -, macronutrients (magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, potassium, sodium and others).
If we compare mate with, then the following should be mainly noted:
- various methods of their manufacture (green undergoes accelerated drying at high temperature. Mate goes through several stages of slow drying in combination with smoking, which gives it a specific aroma and taste);
- the level of antioxidants (it has been found that it is much higher in mat);
- the content of alkaloids (in green - caffeine, in mat - its own, very specific, which experts call "matein").
This "alkaloid" difference deserves special attention. So matein. In its properties, it is similar to its "brother" - caffeine, but it has a milder and more gentle effect on the human body, without causing overexcitation and an increase in heart rate. And if caffeine is active for only 3 hours, then matein invigorates and tones 3 times longer. But the most important difference is that mateine does not cause sleep disturbances.
Such a rich collection of various substances is contained in mate tea, the benefits and harms of which have long been the subject of close attention of scientists from various continents.
And heals, and cripples?
The healing properties of this drink have been used since ancient times: the Indians actively used an infusion of Paraguayan holly leaves (this is one of the many names of Hierba mate) in the treatment of various diseases, including infectious ones.
The stimulating effect of mate tea on work was noted gastrointestinal tract. This drink has a very mild antispasmodic effect, is a good diuretic. Paraguayan tea raises immunity, reduces the permeability of blood vessels.
It is a proven fact that mate has a depressing effect on those parts of the brain that are “guilty” of the feeling of hunger. Reception of this tea reduces appetite, speeds up metabolism, promotes the burning of excess body fat.
It would seem, well, here it is, the long-awaited panacea was found! However, more recently, Uruguayan scientists have added a big fly in the ointment to this "honey barrel". Studies were conducted on the topic "Tea mate: harm and benefit" in those regions whose population cannot imagine their life without this drink. And the relationship between its use and the emergence of certain species was established. oncological diseases(oral cavity, larynx, esophagus and bladder).
Scientists have come to the conclusion that the well-established local centuries-old traditions, which are expressed in the regular intake of alcoholic beverages, active smoking, combined with the abundant use of mate, can actually become catalysts in the process of oncological diseases.
A very thorough analysis of the statistical data was carried out, the result of which was completely disappointing. It turned out that the cause of oral cancer is the tradition of drinking very hot mate, as in calabash for a long time heat tea. The same factor can increase the risk of occurrence and development of a similar disease and the bladder.
Another important point was revealed: almost 2 dozen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found in mate. So, these PAGs, in combination with similar compounds that are part of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, as well as grilled meat, are one of the reasons that create favorable conditions for oncological neoplasms.
Therefore, the Uruguayan "Ministry of Health warns": the combination of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, fried meat and a large amount of hot Paraguayan tea is dangerous to health. These are the contraindications for mate tea.
But if you drink it 2-3 times a week, in moderation and not very hot, then all the healing properties of this very controversial drink will be revealed in all its usefulness.
And finally - a video on how to cook mate:
