How to drink Mate during summer

Even though it is customary a hot beverage, Mate has a cooler and refreshing version for the summer too, named “Tereré”. It is a more nourishing and cheaper option than other beverages in the market.

What is Tereré?

Tereré is an infusion which mixes yerba mate, ice and water, and it is typically consumed around warm times in countries such as Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil. Natural flavours and herbs like mint, cedron and citrus fruits are often mixed with the yerba… A lot of Tereré lovers also add taste with powder juice, this being a practical and easy solution to enjoy the infusion.

A poll by Taragüi showed some data of interest about the intake of Mate during the summer:

• 40% of Argentine people take Tereré and 3 out of 10 state they are taking more and more.
• The drink is increasingly popular among the youth: half of the Argentine people aged 18-34 take Tereré in the summer.
• Based on the study, orange juice powder is the mostly chosen flavouring for Tereré, followed by cold water and flavoured water.

How to prepare a good Tereré for the summer?

To make a good orange flavoured Tereré you can use the same gourd as that for the traditional mate, though any glass will do the job! Place yerba in the container and shake it a little, in order for the dust to go up. While doing this, you should prepare the powder juice with cool water and lots of ice in a flask or jar.

Firstly, fill the mate cup with juice. Be generous the first time you put the yerba: it needs to be totally covered with liquid and it should sit for a few minutes. Afterwards we put the “bombilla” (straw) in and add some ice cubes. Done! Enjoy!

The benefits of Tereré

When it’s really hot, we need extra hydration, which is perfectly offered by Tereré. This also has the renowned benefits of yerba mate: a light, antioxidant, purifying and invigorating drink, fit for avoiding diseases and bettering health. It is the ideal revitalising drink, for any age and at any moment of day.