The Archive

108 guides · page 4 of 9

Explainer

How Much Caffeine Is in Yerba Mate? (Real Numbers by Format)

Loose leaf in a gourd runs about 30–50mg per serving — but you refill many times — while canned mate is dosed at 120–160mg. Here are the honest caffeine numbers for every way you'll drink it.

Read the guide →8 min

Explainer

Yerba Mate Benefits: What's Actually Supported (and What's Overstated)

Yerba mate is a caffeinated, antioxidant-rich South American drink people reach for instead of coffee. Here's an honest look at what the benefits really are — and where the marketing gets ahead of the evidence.

Read the guide →9 min

Explainer

Yerba Mate at Night: Can You Drink It Before Bed?

Yerba mate has caffeine, so an evening cup can disrupt sleep if you're sensitive. Here's a realistic cutoff time, what to do if you want mate late anyway, and why it's not a sedative.

Read the guide →6 min

Explainer

Yerba Mate and Working Out: A Natural Pre- and Post-Workout?

Mate's caffeine can give you energy and focus before training, and its antioxidants ride along — but it leans diuretic, so hydration matters, and it's no magic ergogenic. Here's the honest picture.

Read the guide →7 min

Explainer

Does Yerba Mate Stain Your Teeth? An Honest Look

Like coffee and tea, mate's tannins can stain teeth over time — but it's surface staining, and a few simple habits keep it in check. Here's the practical picture.

Read the guide →6 min

Review

Wisdom of the Ancients Yerba Mate Review (2026): Worth It?

Naturally stevia-sweetened organic mate tea bags — mild, pre-sweetened, and gear-free. A polarizing pick for anyone who dislikes bitterness.

Read the guide →8 min

Explainer

What Is Yerba Mate?

The traditional South American caffeinated infusion — what the plant is, the gourd-and-bombilla ritual, how it's made, and how it tastes.

Read the guide →8 min

Explainer

What Is Tereré? The Cold-Brewed Mate of Paraguay

Tereré is yerba mate drunk ice-cold — water (or juice) poured over the leaf in a guampa and sipped through a bombilla. What it is, how to make it, and why it's the summer way to drink mate.

Read the guide →8 min

Explainer

What Is a Pava?

The mate kettle — built to heat water to just below boiling (~150–175°F / 65–80°C), never boiling. Why that temperature matters, and why a modern variable-temp kettle works just as well.

Read the guide →7 min

Explainer

What Is a Guampa?

The cup of tereré — the cold-brewed mate of Paraguay and northern Argentina. What a guampa is, how it differs from a hot-mate gourd, and how to care for one.

Read the guide →7 min

Review

thebmate Calabash Gourd Review (2026)

An authentic Uruguayan calabash, leather-wrapped — the vessel mate has been drunk from for centuries. It must be cured and hand-cared for, but that upkeep is the point.

Read the guide →7 min

Comparison

Smoked vs Unsmoked Yerba Mate: The Drying Guide

How a mate is dried decides how it tastes more than brand or price does. Smoked is wood-fire-dried and campfire-y; unsmoked is air-dried, clean, and green — and it's the fix for 'I didn't like mate.'

Read the guide →8 min