The origin of tea is China, but now it has been sold in more than 150 countries and regions around the world, becoming the world's top three beverages alongside coffee and cocoa. No matter where you are, when you talk about tea, you think of China. However, not everything called tea in the world is Chinese. Today, let’s talk about a drink that is also named tea, but has nothing to do with China. It is a specialty of South America and the favorite of Argentines. During the 2018 World Cup, Messi held a drink every day, which is also the favorite of many players. Its name is yerba mate, and some people even say that if you travel to Argentina, "you don’t come to Argentina if you don’t drink yerba mate."
1. Yerba mate is one of the four auspicious treasures of Argentina
In Argentina, football, tango, barbecue and mate tea have become the four treasures , Are the favorite things of the people. Although yerba mate is also called tea, in fact, it is completely different from Chinese tea. Everyone needs to be clear about it. Chinese tea trees belong to the Camellia family, while Yerba mate belongs to the Holly family. The two are not a family of plants, neither distant relatives nor close neighbors. As early as hundreds of millions of years ago, the two plants had formed their own unique genes.
Then, why is there such a name for Yerba Mate?
According to data records, yerba mate is derived from the word "mati" in Quetzal, meaning "瓜芦". Later, after the New World Exploration Movement, after Europe discovered South America, Spanish colonists occupied the area and discovered the magical effects of yerba mate, so they called this tea "馬黛茶". However, the locals call it "caiguá", which means "things related to Paraguay tea ". Therefore, Yerba Mate has other names, such as " Jesus会茶", " Paraguay来的茶", and "传教士的茶".
Generally speaking, yerba mate is a perennial woody plant with a height of 3~6 meters, belonging to the Holly family, and it is made into yerba mate tea with leaves. Since South Americans treat this kind of leaves similarly to Chinese tea, this kind of American-specific leaves are called "馬黛茶" in China.
2. How to brew yerba mate
yerba mate is the favorite of the people in South America, and it is almost universally consumed in countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. Speaking of it, the brewing method of yerba mate is relatively simple, suitable for all ages, so that it is good for promotion. Cool down the boiling water a little bit. When the temperature drops to about 80~90 degrees, the brewing effect is best. Because the temperature is too high, it is easy to destroy the nutrients contained in Yerba Mate. This is a bit similar to our Chinese green tea brewing, both pay attention to water temperature control.
When the water temperature is right, pour it into the container with Yerba Mate tea, brew it for about 2~3 minutes, and drink it. In addition, according to your own tea drinking habits, you can add honey, lemon, milk and other fruit juices for mixing.
Yerba Mate’s tea making utensils are mainly a teapot, which is generally made of wood or metal. Originally, traditional teapots used gourds in the early days, but metal teapots are now more common. In addition, with a straw. After the tea is brewed, drink it with a straw and filter the powder. However, with the advancement of technology, there have been many innovations and improvements in brewing methods. Yerba mate has similar Chinese tea bags and Kung Fu tea brewing methods, which are loved by many people.
In many countries in South America, yerba mate is a daily drink and an important means of maintaining affection and affection, just like the custom of serving tea in traditional Chinese tea ceremony culture. In South America, many admiration and friends will make yerba mate tea to greet everyone. Moreover, they also have a special habit of sharingDrink a cup of yerba mate to show that the family relationship between you is stable, harmonious and loving. Put a straw on a cup of brewed yerba mate, everyone sits together, each takes a sip, and passes it one by one until the last one. When drinking tea, gossiping and sharing friendship together. This is called sharing with each other in the cultural atmosphere of South America.
Third, the outstanding effects of yerba mate
When we watch a football match, many South American stars like Messi, Cavani and Suarez like to play after the pre-match A cup of yerba mate. This is because yerba mate has other outstanding effects besides its good taste. Next, let's take a look at the effects of Yerba Mate.
Yerba Mate is rich in antioxidants, amino acids, tea polyphenols, vitamins and minerals, which can help the body's protein conversion, lower blood pressure and promote digestion The role of.
First of all, Yerba Mate is rich in antioxidants, which can enhance the body’s immune system, promote blood circulation, delay aging, maintain healthy body functions, and prevent many diseases.
Secondly, yerba mate tea can enhance endurance. Studies have shown that long-term consumption of yerba mate tea can enhance the efficiency of carbohydrate use in the body, improve new metabolism, ensure that more calories are burned during exercise, and accelerate muscle recovery.
Third, yerba mate tea can promote digestion. The active ingredients contained in yerba mate can stimulate the increase of gastric acid and bile, and help the intestines and stomach to digest better. South America itself is dominated by meat, supplemented by vegetables, so often drinking yerba mate can not only help digestion, but also lose weight and control body weight.
In addition, yerba mate has certain effects in regulating the nervous system and preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Therefore, in South America, Argentina and other countries, yerba mate has been used as a traditional daily drink. In addition to its own drinking value, there are many medicinal values to improve and help the body become healthier. Okay, that's all for today's sharing about yerba mate. If you have any good comments and suggestions, please leave a message below to share.
