Yerba Mate Herbs – Enhancing the Brew

Yerba Mate Herbs: What? Why? How?

For centuries, along with yerba mate, the Guarani Indians have used various herbs for medicinal purposes. Ranging from easing stomach cramps, treating colds and flu, to aiding sleep problems and respiratory complaints, these herbs could just do the trick, and they taste great!

Today, the process of adding herbs to yerba mate is more popular than ever! With more and more people turning to yerba mate, the prospect of increasing the health benefits by combining with medicinal herbs is certainly appealing.

Yerba mate is also quite an acquired taste – very bitter, and not to everyone’s liking. However, when blended with some delicious refreshing mint, relaxing chamomile and slightly sweetened, most would agree this is a delicious brew.

The yerba mate herbs can be added in one of three ways:

1. The most popular method is combining the fresh herbs with the loose leaf yerba in the mate cup or gourd
2. Herbs can be added directly to the water in the flask
3. Many yerbas now come pre-blended with various herbs and flavours, so no need to do any work – just serve!

Adding herbs enhances yerba mate, and also tereré (yerba mate brewed with ice cold juice)

 

Medicinal Herbs

Here is a simple list of some of the most common herbs added to yerba mate. This list is by no means exhaustive, and anything goes! Not included in this list are added extras that are exclusively for flavour such as lemon/orange etc.

Cedron

Spanish Name: Cedron

Name of Plant: Simaba cedron

Traditional Uses: Helps with Digestion and related ailments such as stomach pains. Relaxing/calming/anti-stress

Mallow

Spanish Name: Malva

Name of Plant: Malva sylvastris

Traditional Uses: Diuretic. Eases stomach pains (coats mucous membranes of the digestive tract). Mild laxative

Marcela

Spanish Name: Marcela

Name of Plant: Achyrocline satureioides

Traditional Uses: Antioxidant. Anti-inflammatory

Chamomile

Spanish Name: Manzanilla

Name of Plant: Matricaria chamomilla

Traditional Uses: Relaxant, can aid sleep. Alleviate cystitis

Lemon Verbena

Spanish Name: Hierba Luísa

Name of Plant: Aloysia citrodora

Traditional Uses: – Antioxidant

Horseweed

Spanish Name: Simonillo

Name of Plant: Conyza canadensis

Traditional Uses: – Aid blood coagulation, ease rheumatoid complaints

Linden

Spanish Name: Tilo

Name of Plant:

Tilia cordata

Traditional Uses: Treatment of disorders of the respitory tract, colds and flu

Mint

Spanish Name: Menta

Name of Plant: Mentha longifolia

Traditional Uses: Diuretic, ease stomach pains (relaxes the muscles of the stomach)

Peppermint

Spanish Name: Hierbabuena

Name of Plant: Mentha Piperita

Traditional Uses: Diuretic, ease stomach pains (relaxes the muscles of the stomach)

Spearmint

Spanish Name: Menta Romana

Name of Plant: Mentha spicata

Traditional Uses: Diuretic, ease stomach pains (relaxes the muscles of the stomach)

Pennyroyal

Spanish Name: Poleo

Name of Plant: Mentha pulegium

Traditional Uses: Treating colds/flu, easing abdominal cramps

 

Now to get started!

We recommend mint and lemon verbena, with a spoonful of sugar or a pinch of stevia to sweeten – yerba mate heaven!