Yerba Mate' versus Coffee

Since September of last year, I slowly weened my way off coffee and started drinking green tea. I have tried many varieties........many, many different ways.  Regular green tea, green tea with cinnamon, green tea with honey, etc.  But, by far the three best teas I have consumed are: Yerba Mate', Nettle & Tulsi

Here is another really good article on Yerba Mate' a little lengthy, but worth the read.

So, back to Yerba Mate' vs Coffee -

Once I totally kicked the morning coffee, I realized my favorite of all is Yerba Mate' with Nettle and/or Tulsi - sometimes, I will even incorporate some lemon grass tea with my Yerba Mate' for a light and airy flavor. In the winter, I like to add cinnamon for a wintry mixed flavor. If you add just a spoonful of cream/milk or coconut milk it helps to soften the flavor.  It is even great with freshly squeezed lemon.

Anyway ~ Here is what made me decide to write this article ~ This weekend, I decided to indulged in a few cups of coffee..........and to my surprise, I was not pleased with the after taste or how jacked up it made me feel.  When drinking yerba mate', you get the caffeine without the jittery side effects and best of all ~ no funky after taste! It really does lift your spirits while allowing you better focus and concentration.

Also noticed after a few minutes of drinking my coffee, I didn't feel as energized as I do when sipping my morning Yerba Mate'...... and, I actually could feel my heartbeat increase with the coffee intake, do not feel like this when drinking my green tea.

I know the traditional way to drink Yerba Mate' is through a gourd & bombilla - they say this is the best method in order to benefit from its nutritional and chemical content.

 

My preferred brand ~ last me about 2-3 months

Well, perhaps, but I prefer to place mine in a filter and brew with filtered water. I make a thermos full every morning and drink it throughout the day.  I also have a mesh filter to place over my cup to brew that way..... to get a more robust flavored tea (see below).

Since the new office we are working out of does not have a kitchen with water, I decided to just make a thermos full before leaving home and it carries me through the day. In my area, I have yet to find a place to purchase a gourd or bombilla....and well, I just like it this way.

If you are interested:

 Here is an illustration of the proper way to drink out of gourd with bombilla.

And here is a really good site on some Yerba Mate' FAQ's

Perhaps one day I will come across a store that carries the gourd and bombilla to see if drinking it this way makes a big difference. And, yes I know you can order anything off of Amazon, I just prefer to see it first.

As with anything in life, "To much of any thing is not always good for you!" with that being said, you should always take a break from your daily eating/drinking habits.....at least every 6 months and do a detox to freshen your system, and to make sure you reap all the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.....even if it is healthy food/drink you are consuming....your body needs a detox every now and then.

If you have any comments on other ways to prepare, please feel free to do so.