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Herbs & Cultures

The Guaraní and the mate tradition →

Tereré, cold mate with yuyos

Paraguay's national drink: yerba mate with ice-cold water and fresh herbs.

Traditional use

Time
10 minutes
Makes
For a small group, passed around
Image of Tereré, cold mate with yuyos
TitiNicola · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Guaraní drank yerba mate long before the Spanish arrived. In hot Paraguay it is drunk cold as tereré, from a shared cup with a metal straw (bombilla). The water often holds yuyos, fresh herbs bruised in a mortar, such as mint or lemon verbena.

Ingredients

  • Yerba mate (cup two-thirds full)
  • A handful of fresh mint and lemon verbena
  • 1 litre ice-cold water
  • Optional: slices of lemon

Step by step

  1. Bruise the herbs in a mortar and put them in a jug with the ice and water.
  2. Fill a cup or beaker two-thirds with yerba mate, tilt it and push the bombilla into the empty side.
  3. Pour a splash of cold herb water onto the mate, drink the cup empty and pass it on.
  4. The one pouring refills it each time for the next person.

Tips

  • Orange or grapefruit juice instead of water is also common in Argentina and Brazil.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    South America · Food · № 15

    Yerba mate

    Ilex paraguariensis

    The leaves contain caffeine, theobromine and polyphenols; the drink is stimulating and dispels tiredness, like coffee or tea. It is a beverage and social drink, not a medicine.

    Kallawaya healing knowledge+1
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 3

    Mint

    Mentha × piperita

    Peppermint oil has been studied in irritable bowel syndrome and may reduce abdominal pain. The tea is used for a full stomach and nausea. With heartburn peppermint can make complaints worse.

    Greco-Roman medicine+4Folklore
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 378

    Lemon verbena

    Aloysia citrodora

    Traditionally attributed effects: relaxing, helps you fall asleep.

    The Guaraní and the mate tradition+4Folklore

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.