Have you been seeing a canned drink popping up around town in local stores like Target, Jensen’s, or even on college campuses? Or has your hipster roommate been drinking a greenish looking tea that’s not actually green tea? These drinks are called Yerba Mate which is a caffeinated drink with a similar amount of caffeine as coffee. There are two different styles of Yerba Mate drinks: Canned Mate Tea with many different flavors and loose-leaf Mate tea.
I have been drinking coffee for about one year before coming to college. I still enjoy having a hot cup of jo during breakfast. But one day after my writing 110 class, my friend Liam came up to me and showed me this new drink he tried. He said it was like tea but had a much better taste to it. I tried it and it didn’t even think I was drinking tea. The next day I went into Breakers Market on Campus and purchased the same drink. As I drunk my Yerba Mate while walking to class, I felt a huge boost of energy that I have only mildly felt from drinking my first cup of coffee. I was wide awake in class and felt wide awake!
You may be wondering what the difference between yerba mate tea and your average cup of green tea. Well, the both contain an abundance of vitamins and minerals; they are both high in antioxidants. The big difference you will feel between yerba mate and green tea is the quick energy boost in yerba mate over green tea.
If you are a coffee snob, I am not telling you to quit coffee completely, but rather try a yerba mate and see how you like it. Everyone knows coffee can give you a little bit more energy when you’re feeling tired. Yerba Mate is almost the same feeling. When I drink coffee, I feel a quick caffeine fix for an hour or two, but I always get a crash in the middle of the day. When I drink yerba mate, I feel a quick energy boost but it feels like it sustains me all day long!
Coffee is the go-to drink choice for many people needing a caffeine boost throughout the day but is it as good for your health as yerba mate. Coffee is highly acidic which can cause you to have acid reflux, heartburn, and can stain your teeth. It can also cause energy crashes in heavy coffee drinkers who drink daily. Yerba Mate’s only true negative is that it can irritate people who are sensitive to caffeine.
My friends and I love drinking yerba mate when we need to study, go surfing, or whenever we want to get amped up! I highly recommend yerba mate to anyone who would like to drink a nice caffeinated beverage for their everyday needs.
Written by: Chase Sojka
Katie Kepler 
Steve Anderson 
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