Our Pick: Mateina
Check price →The Best Yerba Mate for Athletes (2026)
Natural caffeine for training and endurance, without the sugar dump. The zero-sugar cans and strong loose leaf that fit an athlete's routine — picked honestly.
By The Yerba Mate Reviews Desk · 8 min · Updated 2026-06-14
Find your match.
Answer two quick questions — we'll point you to the lion's mane that fits and this week's best deal.
Our top picks
Best Zero-Sugar Can
Zero-Sugar Yerba MateMateina
120mg of clean caffeine, zero sugar, ~20 calories — the grab-and-go pre-training can.
$28–$36 / 12pk
Check price →Read review ↓Best Sparkling Option
Sparkling Yerba Mate (Variety)CLEAN Cause
Sparkling, low-sugar mate with ~160mg caffeine — and 50% of profits go to recovery.
$25–$33 / 12pk
Check price →Read review ↓Best Loose Leaf
Yerba Mate TraditionalCanarias
A strong Uruguayan loose leaf — brew hot for value or cold-brew it into hydrating tereré.
$15–$23 / 1kg
Check price →Read review ↓If you want natural caffeine for training without a sugar crash, the best picks are Mateina zero-sugar cans (120mg caffeine, ~20 calories, brew-free and portable), CLEAN Cause sparkling mate (~160mg, low-sugar, gives 50% of profits to recovery), and — if you brew your own — Canarias, a strong Uruguayan loose leaf you can drink hot or cold-brew for tereré.
Yerba mate has a following among athletes for one honest reason: it delivers caffeine — a well-studied, legal stimulant many people use before training — along with antioxidants, in a form that can skip the sugar most energy and sports drinks pile on. Plenty of drinkers say mate's lift feels smoother or steadier than coffee or an energy drink, but that 'no jitters' impression is anecdotal, not settled science, and we won't pretend otherwise.
Important framing up front: mate is a beverage, not a supplement or a performance enhancer. It won't build endurance on its own. What it can do is give you clean caffeine without the sugar — and that's what we optimized these picks for.
The short version
- Best zero-sugar can: Mateina — 120mg natural caffeine, ~20 calories, cold-brewed and portable for pre-training.
- Best sparkling option: CLEAN Cause — ~160mg caffeine, low-sugar, and gives 50% of profits to addiction recovery.
- Best loose leaf: Canarias — a strong Uruguayan sin-palo leaf you can brew hot or cold-brew into tereré for hydration.
- The honest appeal: mate is clean caffeine without the sugar load of most energy and sports drinks — not a performance enhancer.
- Caffeine reality: cans run ~120–160mg; brewed loose leaf is lower (~30–50mg per 8oz) but you refill many times.
- Hydration matters: caffeine is a mild diuretic, so drink water alongside mate, especially around hard training.
| Product | Format | Caffeine | Sugar | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mateina Zero-Sugar | Can (RTD) | 120mg / 12oz | Zero (~20 cal) | Pre-training, on the go |
| CLEAN Cause Sparkling | Can (sparkling) | ~160mg / 16oz | Low (~5g) | A fizzy, low-sugar lift |
| Canarias Traditional | Loose leaf | ~30–50mg / 8oz (refills) | None | Value + cold-brew tereré |
Clean caffeine for training — cans for convenience and a known dose, loose leaf for value and tereré.
Find your match
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Question 1 of 6
You found us on Yerba Mate for Athletes— let's make sure it's your best move (or find something even better).
First things first — what are you after with yerba mate?
01 · Best Zero-Sugar Can
Our PickZero-Sugar Yerba Mate
120mg of clean caffeine, zero sugar, ~20 calories — the grab-and-go pre-training can.
Lab report: Ready-to-drink, zero sugar (~20 cal), non-carbonated, Organic/Non-GMO. 120mg natural caffeine per 12oz, cold-brewed.
Most ready-to-drink energy options pile on sugar; Mateina doesn't. It's zero-sugar, ~20 calories, and cold-brewed, with 120mg of natural caffeine per 12oz can — a dose that lands between a strong coffee and a typical energy drink. For an athlete, the appeal is simple: clean caffeine, no sugar, no brewing, and a number you can count on every time.
It's pricier per serving than brewing your own, and like any caffeine it's a mild diuretic, so drink water alongside it — especially around hard efforts.
- Format
- Canned (ready-to-drink)
- Sugar
- Zero (~20 cal)
- Caffeine
- 120mg / 12oz
- Certified
- Organic / Non-GMO
- Where to buy
- Amazon
What we like
- Zero sugar, ~20 calories
- 120mg clean, known caffeine dose
- Cold-brewed and portable
- No brewing before training
Worth noting
- Expensive per serving
- Non-carbonated
Who should buy it: Athletes who want a portable, zero-sugar, known-dose caffeine hit before training without brewing anything.
What we don't like: Cans cost far more per serving than loose leaf, and it's non-carbonated if you specifically want fizz.
Bottom line: For caffeine before a workout without a sugar dump, Mateina is the cleanest grab-and-go pick: cold-brewed, zero sugar, ~20 calories, 120mg of natural caffeine per can. You skip brewing entirely and get a known, repeatable dose — exactly what you want on the way to an early session.
02 · Best Sparkling Option
Sparkling Yerba Mate (Variety)
Sparkling, low-sugar mate with ~160mg caffeine — and 50% of profits go to recovery.
Lab report: Sparkling organic RTD, ~160mg caffeine per 16oz, low sugar (~5g). Donates 50% of profits to addiction recovery support.
CLEAN Cause is the sparkling, mission-driven choice. Each 16oz can carries ~160mg of caffeine with low sugar (~5g), so you get a substantial, fizzy lift without the sugar bomb of most energy drinks. The carbonation makes it feel more like a soda swap than a brewed mate, which is exactly the point for some drinkers.
It does carry a little sugar (unlike Mateina's zero), and at ~160mg per can it's a higher caffeine dose — fine for many athletes, but worth knowing if you're caffeine-sensitive or stacking it with coffee.
- Format
- Canned (sparkling)
- Sugar
- Low (~5g)
- Caffeine
- ~160mg / 16oz
- Mission
- 50% of profits to recovery
- Where to buy
- Amazon
What we like
- Sparkling — a real soda/energy-drink swap
- ~160mg caffeine for a strong lift
- Low sugar, organic
- Funds addiction recovery
Worth noting
- Not zero-sugar like Mateina
- Higher caffeine dose to watch
- Pricey per serving
Who should buy it: Athletes who want a sparkling, low-sugar caffeine hit and like that the brand funds addiction recovery.
What we don't like: It has a little sugar (not zero), and ~160mg is a higher caffeine dose if you're sensitive or already had coffee.
Bottom line: If you want fizz and a bigger caffeine hit, CLEAN Cause is the pick: a sparkling, low-sugar organic mate with about 160mg of caffeine per 16oz can. It's a refreshing, carbonated alternative to a sugary energy drink — and the brand gives 50% of its profits to addiction recovery, which is a genuine reason to choose it.
03 · Best Loose Leaf
Yerba Mate Traditional
A strong Uruguayan loose leaf — brew hot for value or cold-brew it into hydrating tereré.
Lab report: Uruguayan style, sin palo (no stems), smoke-dried, finely ground/powdery cut. Strong, concentrated brew.
Cans are convenient, but loose leaf is where the value and the tereré live. Canarias is the iconic Uruguayan sin-palo (stemless) leaf — finely ground and dense for a strong, concentrated cup. Brewed hot in a gourd it's bold and high-yield; cold-brewed into tereré (yerba plus ice-cold water, often with citrus and herbs), it becomes a refreshing, hydrating drink that's ideal for hot-weather training days.
It's strong and a little technical — the fine cut wants a spring-style bombilla and a gentle pour — and it's smoked and non-organic. But per serving, nothing here is cheaper, and it's the most flexible (hot or cold).
- Origin
- Uruguay
- Stems
- Sin palo (stemless)
- Caffeine
- ~30–50mg / 8oz (many refills)
- Use
- Hot gourd or cold-brew tereré
- Where to buy
- Amazon
What we like
- Best value per serving by far
- Strong, concentrated brew
- Great hot or cold-brewed as tereré
- Flexible for daily drinkers
Worth noting
- Strong/bitter for beginners
- Fine cut needs a spring bombilla
- Smoked, not organic
Who should buy it: Daily mate drinkers who want value and volume, brew their own, and want a leaf that doubles for hot mate and cold-brew tereré.
What we don't like: Strong and bitter for beginners, the fine cut needs a spring bombilla, and it's smoked and non-organic.
Bottom line: If you brew your own, Canarias gives you the most mate for the least money — a strong, stemless Uruguayan leaf that brews a bold, concentrated cup hot, and cold-brews beautifully into tereré for hydrating sessions in the heat. For an athlete who drinks mate daily, this is the value and volume play.
How we chose
For athletes, we prioritized clean caffeine delivery with minimal sugar: how much caffeine per serving, how little added sugar, calorie load, and convenience around a workout (a grab-and-go can beats brewing before a 6am session). We split the picks into ready-to-drink cans (for portability and a known caffeine dose) and a strong loose leaf (for value, volume, and cold-brew tereré). We did not weight any unproven performance or recovery claims.
A note on health framing: yerba mate is a caffeinated beverage, not a supplement, and nothing here treats, prevents, or enhances anything. Caffeine itself is a well-studied stimulant, but mate's effects are experiential and vary by person — the common 'smoother energy, no jitters' report is anecdotal. Two honest cautions: caffeine is a mild diuretic, so pair mate with water around training; and the IARC classifies drinking very hot beverages above 65°C (149°F) as probably carcinogenic, so let any hot mate cool before drinking (cans and cold-brew sidestep this). As with any caffeine, mind your total intake and take care if you're caffeine-sensitive or pregnant. This isn't medical advice.
Questions, answered
Is yerba mate good for athletes?
Many athletes use it as a source of clean caffeine — a well-studied stimulant — without the sugar most energy and sports drinks carry. Mate also contains antioxidants. It is not a supplement or a performance enhancer and won't build endurance on its own; the honest appeal is caffeine without sugar. Pair it with water, since caffeine is a mild diuretic. This isn't medical advice.
What's the best yerba mate for working out?
For a portable, known caffeine dose before training, Mateina zero-sugar cans (120mg, ~20 calories). For a fizzy, low-sugar option with more caffeine, CLEAN Cause sparkling (~160mg). If you brew your own, Canarias loose leaf gives the best value and cold-brews into hydrating tereré. Choose cans for convenience, loose leaf for value and volume.
How much caffeine is in yerba mate vs an energy drink?
Canned ready-to-drink mate runs about 120–160mg of caffeine per can — similar to many energy drinks, but typically with far less (or zero) sugar. Brewed loose-leaf mate is lower per cup (~30–50mg per 8oz), though you refill the gourd many times. The main difference for athletes is usually the sugar, not the caffeine.
Does yerba mate count toward hydration?
Cold tereré and iced mate are water-forward and do contribute fluids, so they can help in the heat. But caffeine is a mild diuretic, so don't rely on mate as your only source of fluids — drink plain water alongside it, especially around hard training. Cold-brewing a strong leaf like Canarias into tereré is a refreshing way to combine the two.
Should I drink mate before or after a workout?
Most people who use it for training drink it beforehand, since caffeine takes time to kick in — a zero-sugar can like Mateina makes the timing and dose easy. After a workout, a cold tereré can be a refreshing, low-sugar fluid. Just keep your total daily caffeine in check and stay hydrated with water. This isn't medical advice; individual tolerance varies.
Filed under Buyer's Guide
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