The Journal
We brew the round so you don't waste a bag.
Honest reviews, buyer's guides, and comparisons for yerba mate — blends, gourds, and bombillas, tasted on stems, smoke, and strength. No hype, no vague "premium" bags.
89 guides · by The Yerba Mate Reviews Desk
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Yerba Mate 101
Start here — what yerba mate is, how it's made, and how to drink it well.
5 guides →
Best Yerba Mate
Our tasted, ranked picks — by style, origin, and our signature lens: stems, smoke, and strength.
5 guides →
Gear & Setup
The gourd, the bombilla, and the starter kit — everything you brew mate with.
3 guides →
Yerba Mate, Compared
How yerba mate stacks up against the other things people reach for — and against itself.
3 guides →
Yerba Mate, Honestly
The preparation and caffeine questions everyone asks, answered straight.
3 guides →
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Playadito Yerba Mate Review (2026): Worth It?
Argentina's famously smooth cooperative-grown mate: con palo, low bitterness, and easy to love from the first gourd. Reviewed by the kilo.
Read the guide →8 min
Explainer
Yerba Mate While Fasting: Does It Break a Fast?
Plain, unsweetened yerba mate is essentially calorie-free, so for most intermittent fasting it won't break your fast — much like black coffee. The catch is the sweetened stuff.
Read the guide →6 min
Comparison
Yerba Mate vs Tea: How Do They Actually Compare?
Yerba mate isn't technically tea — it's a holly infusion. Here's how it stacks up against true tea (black and green) on caffeine, compounds, taste, and ritual.
Read the guide →7 min
Comparison
Yerba Mate vs Red Bull: Which Energy Drink Should You Buy?
Canned yerba mate vs Red Bull — natural vs synthetic caffeine, sugar vs zero-sugar, clean label vs taurine blend, compared head to head.
Read the guide →8 min
Comparison
Yerba Mate vs Matcha: An Honest Comparison
Matcha brings more caffeine per serving and the L-theanine "calm focus" combo; yerba mate brings a slow gourd ritual and a lower price. Here's how they really compare, without the hype.
Read the guide →8 min
Explainer
Yerba Mate vs Guayusa: Two Caffeinated Hollies, Compared
They're cousins — both South American holly leaves brewed for caffeine — but yerba mate is earthy, smoky, and built around the gourd ritual, while guayusa is smoother, sweeter, and usually bagged. Here's how they really differ, with no winner declared.
Read the guide →8 min
Comparison
Yerba Mate vs Green Tea: Caffeine, Taste, and Which to Drink
Two grassy, antioxidant-rich plant drinks with similar caffeine — but different compounds, flavors, and rituals. Here's how yerba mate and green tea really stack up, without the hype.
Read the guide →8 min
Comparison
Yerba Mate vs Energy Drinks: An Honest Comparison
Canned yerba mate gives you a similar caffeine hit from a natural source — with zero- and low-sugar options — instead of synthetic caffeine and a sugar load. Here's how they really compare, without overselling it.
Read the guide →8 min