Frequently asked questions about yerba mate

Ilex paraguariensis, by its botanical name, or yerba maté, is a tree that grows in southern countries of South America, mainly Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Yerba Mate leaves are naturally caffeinated and picked and dried for consumption, traditionally infused in a calabash (small container), using the bombilla (filtering straw) and by adding hot water.

Mate Libre uses these same leaves to offer a refreshing, tangy, floral, slightly sweet and energizing beverage. Learn more about what is Yerba Mate

Yes! Just like tea or coffee, yerba mate can be consumed regularly. However, it’s best to start gradually, especially if you’re not accustomed to caffeine. Feel free to incorporate yerba mate beverages into your daily routine according to your preferences.

Instead of a morning coffee, after lunch to avoid the digesting crash, before a night out... and the next morning!

Mate Libre is available across Canada in a huge selection of retailers!

Visit the retailers page

The natural occurring caffeine infused from the yerba mate leaves will energize you in about 15 to 30 minutes after drinking Mate Libre.

Yerba mate leaves are traditionally dried over wood fire. The smoke and ashes from this type of drying produces polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), a carcinogenic compound. Our yerba mate used to produce Mate Libre is air dried and never gets in contact with smoke or ashes. No PAH in our yerba mate!

Free shipping in Canada for all orders over $50, excluding remote cities, rural areas and territories.

No! Mate Libre is made out of a yerba mate infusion. Tea comes from the leaves of the tree namedcamellia sinensis. Different kinds of teas, white, oolong, pu'er (aged), black, are made out of different fermentation period (drying) of the leaves. Yerba mate comes from the leaves of the tree bearing the same name, yerba mate, or its botanical name:Ilex paraguariensis. The yerba mate tree grows naturally from many South American countries. To name a few: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.

No!
Mate Libre is a yerba mate infusion. No fermentation. No vinegar taste. Much more energizing!

More energizing than a kombucha?
A whole lot more! A kombucha is made out of an infusion of tea and sometimes yerba mate. The fermentation process of the mushroom will consume about 70% of the infused caffeine.

Even though Mate Libre contains caffeine, it is not considered an energy drink, as its caffeine content is moderate at 60mg per can. Mate Libre was created with the desire to offer a beverage with the stimulating benefits of yerba mate, but without being an energy drink overdosed in caffeine. A can of Mate Libre is roughly equivalent to an espresso, but the energizing effect is more controlled and prolonged.

Yes! Mate Libre contains 60mg of caffeine per can. The yerba mate leaves also contain theobromine and theophylline, two energizing alkaloids that also help slow down the absorption of the caffeine in the body. This avoids having a big energy high and then a big down.