All about yerba mate

Yerba mate is harvested exclusively from the Ilex Paraguariensis tree, which grows in South America. Once the leaves are harvested they are dried and chopped up, then matured for 12-24 months before being packaged. In Argentina, one of the largest commercial producers of yerba mate, the collective production of yerba mate will be about 50 million tons in 2013. Socially the tea is known simply as mate (pronounced, "maté") and is drunk mainly in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, and Brazil. In the former three countries mate is consumed more than beer and coffee combined. What is perhaps the most fascinating fact about this drink, is that it is still consumed by the vast majority as per the traditional method of preparation, however yerba mate is also available in tea bags and as a water-soluble powder.