WanderWanderWander

Just wanted to share one of my favorite drinks: yerba maté. I've been drinking the loose leaves in a French press for a couple of years.

For writers, you can't beat this drink. Here's why, according to the New York Times:

"Yerba maté gets its pep from caffeine. But it also contains theobromine, the stimulant in dark chocolate, and theophylline, tea’s pick-me-up. “Because caffeine isn’t the sole stimulant,' said Timothy Ferriss, a neuroscientist who has studied the effects of natural stimulants on athletic performance, 'maté drinkers don’t experience the rapid upward trajectory and then the quick crash of coffee.'"
from an article by Sarah Bowen Shea found at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/17/fashion/17Physical.html

Mate got me through a very long all-nighter editing a nonfiction project I unwisely took on. I was alert but didn't have the coffee jitters and was able to sleep the next day.

To augment its health benefits, drink it with xylitol as a sweetner. Then you get only the mate slow stimulant without the quick uptake and crash of refined sugars.

My mom (and husband) thinks it tastes a bit "grassy." To take care of that, Guayaki has several kinds of loose tea, as well as a myriad of other products. I just buy the plain mate and add lemon juice and xylitol. Good iced or hot.

Here are the instructions for loose yerba mate from Guayaki's site:

"Loose Mate

French Press: Place 3-4 tablespoons of loose yerba mate or Java Mate in the French press (use more or less depending on desired strength). Add enough cool water to moisten the mate. Then add hot water. Steep for 3-10 minutes. The longer, the stronger.

Coffee Maker: Place loose yerba mate in filter basket. Add enough cool water to moisten the mate. Then run the machine as usual.

Espresso Maker: Yerba mate brews well in most espresso makers. Place yerba mate in a double espresso portafilter. Pull a long shot for a total of 4 oz. Great for making mate lattés. Some baristas choose to grind the mate before using in portafilter.

Tea Pot or Tea Ball: Add loose mate or Java Mate to tea pot and moisten with cool water before adding hot water. The mate will sink to the bottom in a few minutes. Pour through a fine metal mesh strainer if one is not built into the tea pot. (When using a tea ball, a fine-mesh filter is most effective.) This method also works great with a reusable tea sack."
http://www.guayaki.com/

Great stuff!