Mate FAQ                                Mate House Special
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Regarding the Tea:

What is in the yerba mate tea?
"Yerba" is not a mix. It is a different plant altogether from regular black or green tea (camilla sinensis). The latin name of yerba mate is Ilex Paraguariensis, common names are Paraguayan tea or Jesuit tea, and it only grows in Uruguay, Paraguay, Southern Brazil, and Northern Argentina.


Is Yerba Mate a diet tea?
Yes. It is known to lessen appetite--but it is certainly no substitute for a good diet and ample exercise, etc. Yerba does, however, contain a high percentage of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well. It is a great addition to a healthful diet.


Is Yerba Mate caffeinated?
Yerba mate contains caffeine or "mateine" and is a stimulant beverage. The component chemicals are one of a category of chemicals found naturally in some plants and which are classified as Xanthines. Mateine is a mild stimulant, does not tend to interrupt sleep patterns nor cause "jitters" or the "crash" associated with the caffeine of coffee. It also contains bromelain; the same chemical found in chocolate. Unlike coffee yerba mate also contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Much of the energy and "high" associated with yerba mate is from this nourishment. For more information see properties or links.


Can I just try yerba in a tea bag?
Yes you may place the mate in a tea bag but traditionally a bombillia is used..


Which tea do I need to use for drinking from a gourd?
All of our Mates are great.  "The House" has a variety of flavors including: Orange, Mango, Ambrosia, Yerba, Lemon and Rio Mate.

What is the best method to store my yerba?
Cool and dry. Dry above all. Do not store in the freezer like coffee. A glass jar or clean container on the shelf or pantry is fine. If you use the yerba pretty quickly in the bag on the shelf is fine.


The Bombillas:

What... are these... and what are they used for?
They're tea filter straws--bombillas (pronounced "bohm--beezhas" or "bohm--beelee-us"). You can drink any kind of tea with them (not just yerba mate) and you won't need tea bells, tea balls, or tea bags.


Do I need to do anything to my bombilla? What about cleaning?
Mostly the bombillas don't need any kind of service... however we advise that you clean it well before you use it the first time to wash off any possible residues from the metal fabrication--or any bit of metal which may remain.  An occasional rinse is all that's necessary--sometimes with a bit of vinegar.


The Mate Gourd:

How do I clean my Mate Gourd (cup)?

First of all the mate gourd should never, of course, be put in a dishwasher--and one should never use soap with it. That said it leaves us a few options for cleaning. Mostly we just rinse ours out with water. If a gourd is left with yerba for several days, moist, and begins to mold... we rinse it and scrub it inside with water only--and then coat the inside with baking soda. This can then, after it dries, be rinsed out with vinegar.  After this you can rinse it out with water again. Rinsing, scrubbing and thoroughly drying your gourd with a paper towel or cloth will help keep the mold from growing. The cloth will turn green, but this is from the yerba residue--not the mold. If you are more careful than we are you will never leave one of your gourds with wet yerba for long periods of time. Also--as much as we become attached to any one of our mate gourds--the fact remains that gourds were not meant to last forever.


Mold in my mate (cup)?

Mold will grow in any humid condition where it has a growth medium. You either need to eliminate the moisture or the growth medium. Letting the mate dry out between use will help. Scrubbing it out with a clean, abrasive dish sponge and water (no soap) will help. Don't ever let the mate sit with yerba in it after use (like we do)--except during the curing process. After it has been "washed out" by many mate drinkings the wood or gourd should lose its ability to harbor mold.

When the gourds are finished curing they will be completely green/black inside. Most of this coloration is due to the tea itself--though I would be unscientific to state that there was no mold at all; it is nearly impossible to not have any mold at all. The stain occurs mostly under the rim due to the strong concentration of tea that rises to the surface of the mate there.