The Super-Food, Yerba-Mate. How are you taking yours?

[SOLcreature]

I have decided after thoroughly researching this, that this is a must have on the trail to stay nourished. I know Yerba Mate is not much use though in tea bags, it must be prepared properly, preferably with a gourd and bombilla (special filtered straw) in order to get all of the value from it. If you are taking it with you, I am curious how you are traveling light and still able to properly prepare, I am nervous about getting an all in one thermos to make it in, because of cleaning and lack of nutritional value in its lower-end prep system. Anyone using it that has solved this problem? I would certainly appreciate your wisdom!

[peterbuilt89]

Never heard of it

[SOLcreature]

Me neither, but it certainly packs a punch to replace all of the lost nutrients of the lack of vegetables. This is a decent article: http://www.gauchogourmet.com/health-...erba-mate.html There are some concerns of it being cancer causing but I haven't read anything hard enough to sway me that it is that risky for use on the trail, not to mention I live walking distance to Ybor City, I am taking second level college Spanish there, and I have countless Hispanic friends and acquaintances who's family's have used it for years in perfect health.

[SOLcreature]

I meant to say I have never used it, but indeed have heard of its use.

[Dances with Mice]

I drink it quite often. Gourds and straws and all that are traditional and kinda cutesy but totally unnecessary. I mean, we drink tea without going through a whole Japanese tea ceremony. No need to over complicate things.

Just add near boiling water to leaves, filter and drink. A small French press is perfect, there are coffee-cup sized FPs that can double as your drinking mug. Once nice aspect is that you can reuse the leaves, they don't get bitter or weaken much on subsequent extractions.

[SOLcreature]

Once nice aspect is that you can reuse the leaves, they don't get bitter or weaken much on subsequent extractions.

That's what I was reading, and yet another reason I think it will be a great addition to the food list. Thank you for the input!

[Feral Bill]

It's not food. It's an herbal tea with a high stimulant content. Enjoy, but you will need to consume actual calories, and other nutrients.

[Hot Flash]

It's not food. It's an herbal tea with a high stimulant content. Enjoy, but you will need to consume actual calories, and other nutrients.

Exactly. It's not a "super-food". It's tea, no more and no less.

[Dances with Mice]

It's not food. It's an herbal tea with a high stimulant content. Enjoy, but you will need to consume actual calories, and other nutrients.

It definitely will keep your eyes open. Supposedly has caffeine but for whatever reason I don't get jittery on YM, even when drunk by the quart. I do a lot of work under a microscope so that's something I've noticed and it's kinda important to me.

I was introduced to it in another hobby of mine, one that also requires non-jittery hands (see first page, bottom right hand corner.) At the festivals we just brew it in a drip coffee maker.

It's supposed to have lots of vitamins and minerals and such and it might, probably does. But it's not bitter, doesn't need sugar, good hot or cold and has a smooth, rich taste and that's mostly why I drink it.

[Mrs Baggins]

When we were on a trekking trip in Chile and Argentina, our guide and the driver drank mate all day long. They had a big thermos full of it that they'd make before we broke camp every day and they'd drink it til they could get more boiling water to make another thermos full, and they'd pass small cups of it around the van. We bought the gourd cups and silver straws while down there and we do use them from time to time but my husband likes the taste of it a lot more than I do, at least the hot variety. I buy the bottles of iced yerba mate tea (most grocery stores have it now) and drink the very lightly sweetened version, couple bottles a week. Very low in calories, nothing artificial in it. Very refreshing.

[Hot Flash]

Me neither, but it certainly packs a punch to replace all of the lost nutrients of the lack of vegetables. This is a decent article: http://www.gauchogourmet.com/health-...erba-mate.html There are some concerns of it being cancer causing but I haven't read anything hard enough to sway me that it is that risky for use on the trail, not to mention I live walking distance to Ybor City, I am taking second level college Spanish there, and I have countless Hispanic friends and acquaintances who's family's have used it for years in perfect health.

Seriously? You're going to take the word of some site that has a vested interest in selling you a product, and which makes bold claims about their particular brand of snake-oil without substantiating them? There have been no proper scientific studies done on the benefits or dangers of this product. Holding up "countless Hispanic friends" who have "used it for years in perfect health" is not proof. Countless people have done all sorts of things that are known to be bad for them and not suffered ill effects. Case in point, people who eat fatty, salty, unhealthful food their whole lives and die in their late nineties (many of my family, in fact!) Or people who smoke two packs a day for sixty years and don't get sick from it. Anecdotal "evidence" is not proof.

If you like the taste of the tea, drink it and enjoy it. Just don't buy into the fantasy that this is a "super-food" or has any special properties that other food and drink don't have.

[Feral Bill]

The web site is impressive.

[RyanK817]

The Twelve Tribes guys in Rutland swear by this stuff, they kept offering it to us the whole time we were there telling us how good it is for you.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I've been drinking it for years....Guyaki tea bags...a little pricey but organic, a good strength and a fair trade company. I can't tell you why, but I believe the stuff makes me feel good (even though it smells like you're drinking cigarette ashes).

[Hot Flash]

I can't tell you why, but I believe the stuff makes me feel good

Stimulants tend to do that.

[Donde]

Wow that link has some serious BS claims from a food science view. THERE IS NO WAY FOR A TEA TO DELIVER OXYGEN TO YOUR HEART AND LUNGS. That is a function of blood and avioli. Also if the claim that it is a diuretic is true, that could be a bad thing on trail, as staying hydrated is kind of a big deal ( though this is true of coffee soda etc. so in moderation with lots of water no biggie). It claims it INCREASES CREATIVITY?? Come on kids, read a legit nutritional/ food science book. I'm not saying this stuff is bad, but if any of you are buying these outlandish claims, I've got some hiking boots to sell you, I make the soles out of magic herbs and your feet will never hurt, and you will be funnier.

[Donde]

Me neither, but it certainly packs a punch to replace all of the lost nutrients of the lack of vegetables. This is a decent article: http://www.gauchogourmet.com/health-...erba-mate.html

A. As for the nutrients content, you could just take vitamins might be easier, but hey however you get them go for it.

B. That is not an article it is an advertisement.

[Donde]

Stimulants tend to do that.

So researching around the web (not to be taken as definitive), this stuff has many striking similarities ( the look of the leaves, the claimed effects) with Khat.

[Odd Man Out]

"Contains 15 Amino Acids" really made me laugh. First, it would be almost impossible for a food to actually contain only 15 of the 20 common amino acids. And why brag about having only 3/4 of the common amino acids?

[Dogwood]

Exactly. It's not a "super-food". It's tea, no more and no less.

My sentiments too. I'll add, tastes like really bad tea too. Supposedly has stimulating properties.