The One Thing I Never Travel Without
El Mate.
Yerba Mate gives me life. Coffee people will understand; It’s the very first thing I think about and I’m boiling water before I even open my eyes. It’s what I sip on while I make breakfast and get my day started. And in the afternoon. And if I need to focus or get anything done. And anytime, really.
Mate is a green tea we drink in South America, brewed in a Mate cup and sipped out of a metal straw with a filter at the bottom.
It’s a bonding experience when shared (we literally drive across town to have Mate with friends) or it’s a companion if you’re alone. You’ll literally never see me without it on my desk, on my nightstand, by my books or in my carry on. I made the mistake of leaving it at home when I studied in India and they were the hardest months of my life- never again!
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
The benefits of Mate:
∘ antioxidants
∘ stimulates digestion
∘ dopamine production
∘ increased energy
∘ nerve tonic
∘ grounding
∘ improves mood
∘ boosts immune system
∘ vitamins, minerals, micronutrients
∘ culturally bonding!
It has become popular in the states lately as a coffee alternative and rightfully so since it’s less stimulating and “cleaner,” but it’s mostly available in tea sachet form or in a cold bev in the energy drink aisle. But it’s so much more than that - drinking Mate is an experience. It’s a feeling, it’s a culture, it’s a bond. With the people you love, or with yourself.
Mate is such a big part of my daily life! Have you ever tried it the traditional way?
xo