Origin and history
Mate, also called yerba mate , is a plant native to South America, where it has been consumed for centuries by the Guarani people. These populations considered mate a “gift from the gods,” a source of strength and mental clarity. Introduced to Europe in the 16th century by Jesuit missionaries, it quickly spread throughout the world as a natural alternative to coffee and tea. Today, mate is an iconic beverage of South American culture, particularly in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, where it is traditionally shared from a gourd using a metal straw called a bombilla .