What is Yerba Mate? Well, this is a herbal tea made from the leaves and twigs of a particular plant called Ilex paraguariensis.
You can buy it from different places around the US, Particularly Walmart and Amazon.
It has been seen as an ancient ritual to enjoy this tea with friends, but it also has some fantastic health properties such as anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering compounds.
Overall, this is a great little addition to your diet.
But where can you get Yerba Mate over the counter? Can you buy it at a grocery store or do you have to get it from specialist wholesalers?
Well, we’ve got a condensed guide to this herbal tea, which will help you get started.
What Exactly Is Yerba Mate?
Well, if you can get past the exceedingly strange name, Yerba Mate is actually an amazing herbal remedy that some people swear by for curing their various illnesses and ailments.
This comes with stimulants that are very similar to caffeine, although in truth it is more similar to herbal teas such as green tea. This will give you that boost of energy without the caffeine hangover.
This also comes chock full of antioxidants, which will help you recover from illness and keep your immune system healthy. This is a great drink to have during the winter when colds are rife.
This drink has also been shown to stop the effects of cardiovascular disease and to prevent the onset of diabetes. It has also been said that this drink will help you to maintain your weight.
Where Can I Find Yerba Mate?
Now we’re going to give you a comprehensive rundown of where to find this delicious herb.
Some of them are obvious, whereas others will require a little bit of hunting:
Amazon
This first store will probably have sprung to mind straight away, but it is a place where you can get Yerba Mate from.
They also offer many different brands of Yerba Mate, including EcoTeas, Cruz de Malta and Taragui.
Walmart
Another classic, Walmart is where you can buy most things, although the added benefit of this store is that you can walk in to pick up your Yerba Mate straight away, rather than having to wait to get it delivered.
You can get this in the form of loose leaves or you can get them in tea bags. You can get these online or in store, although the former will probably allow you to buy more in bulk.
Whole Foods
If you want your healthy foods, then there’s only one place you’ll need to go: Whole Foods. This place does many varieties of great-tasting Yerba Mate.
Whole Foods also specializes in Yerba Mate made from 100% organic ingredients.
Publix
If you are looking for somewhere that values customer service and will help you find the Yerba Mate that you’re looking for, then we would certainly recommend Publix. This place serves traditional Guayaki tea bags.
Kroger
This is a nationwide retailer that specializes in herbal drinks such as Yerba Mate. One of its signature brands is the Mate Factor, which is a very unique type of organic Yerba Mate.
Ethnic Markets
Finally, if you want to shy away from the big box chain stores, then we would definitely recommend that you tet your Yerba Mate from an ethnic market.
Brazilian-oriented markets will stock plenty of Yerba Mate, usually selling them in a certain weight.
Where Can I Find Yerba Mate In My Supermarket?
If you are searching through a large supermarket trying to find this rare herbal tea, then you might be left scratching your head as to where to start. Will it be in the tea aisle or the world foods aisle?
Well, the truth is that this type of tea can be found in both of these sections.
We would suggest that you first try to tea aisle, but if you cannot find it there, then we would recommend that you try the world foods aisle.
If you are in a supermarket that organizes its world food by country, then you should try and find the section labeled South American, as this is the distinctive part of the world that Yerba Mate comes from.
How Do I Enjoy Yerba Mate?
Traditionally this type of tea is served in a gourd and sipped through a metal straw. It is more of a communal drink that is passed around by people. This is to encourage and forge friendships.
However, if you want to enjoy this tea in a conventional way, then you can. All you have to do is put a small pinch in your cup and add some hot water.
If you are going to be brewing it in this way, then we would suggest that you use a tea bag.
This tea is very strong, so if you are going to choose the loose-leaf approach, then you should only go for a smaller amount.
What Is Similar To Yerba Mate?
As we mentioned above, green tea is the one that is most similar to Yerba Mate. This includes both the ingredients, the medicinal properties and the taste.
If you are looking for a herbal method of reducing any inflammation in your joints, then Yerba Mate has been said to relieve the pain and reduce a lot of the swelling.
A lot of people who drink Yerba Mate regularly have also said that they have improved immune systems and that they don’t get ill as much.
It also reduces some of the symptoms of diabetes, especially if you combine it with a change in your diet.
Conclusion
We hope that our guide to Yerba Mate and where you can get it has given you a better idea of what this herbal supplement exactly is.
Just remember that there are many different versions and brands of Yerba Mate out there and you’ll need to know whether you want organic or synthetic Yerba Mate before you go out looking for it in the store.
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