WHAT IS YERBA MATE?
Yerba mate
is a tea-like beverage made from the leaves and tender stems of a
powerful rainforest tree, discovered centuries ago by the indigenous
people in South America.
It is native to the subtropical
rainforests of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. Revered as the “drink
of the gods” and consumed to ensure health, vitality, and longevity,
yerba mate triumphs as nature’s most balanced stimulant.
The
leaves of the yerba mate tree contain 24 vitamins and minerals, 15
amino acids, abundant antioxidants and naturally occurring caffeine.
Of
the six commonly used stimulants in the world: mate, coffee, tea, kola
nut, cocoa, and guarana, yerba mate is the healthiest, delivering both
energy and nutrition.
WHO IS GUAYAKI?
Guayakí Yerba Mate
began as a college senior project in 1996. It was at Cal Poly
University, in San Luis Obispo, California, that the founders of
Guayaki first met. Alex Pryor, from Argentina and David Karr, from
California, quickly became friends as they sipped mate.
The
energy of the mate captivated them both and a vision crystallized: to
create a new restorative business model. Rainforest mate would be the
new currency fueling reforestation projects and providing income for
the indigenous people. The vision became a passion which grew into a
business.
The business would bring the legendary mate to the
world at a time when people were thirsty for a health energy beverage.
This business would inspire the hearts of people worldwide to believe
that business can go beyond profits, that it can drive positive social
and environmental change.
DOES YERBA MATE CONTAIN CAFFEINE?
There are currently two schools of thought regarding the stimulant in
yerba mate. Recent scientific research suggests that the stimulant in
yerba mate is caffeine; however, caffeine-sensitive individuals do not
experience the harsh side effects (jitters, stomach upset, headaches,
addiction) that are common complaints with coffee, black tea, or Asian
green tea.
It is important to note that yerba mate provides a wealth of nutrition
in the form of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants, all
of which may contribute to the "good" energy most people associate with
yerba mate.
The term "mateine" has been used to refer to the stimulant in yerba
mate. Some researchers feel that the stimulating compound in yerba mate
does differ from caffeine. We have elected to use the phrase "Naturally
Caffeinated" to share the most accurate scientific information
currently available. Guayakí is still dedicated to furthering the
research in this area, and we will continue to keep you well informed
about any discoveries we make.
Energy Meter
Which Guayakí products are right for you?
Serving size refers to one serving of mate brewed in a certain number of ounces - as stated - of water.
WHAT MAKES GUAYAKI YERBA MATE SO SPECIAL?
Uniquely grown it its native forest environment, Guayaki Yerba Mate is
cherished as a sacred beverage. Like high quality coffee, high quality
mate is shade-grown, in the rich ecosystem of the rainforest;
delivering more flavor and nutritional value. Sheltered from direct
sunlight, rainforest grown yerba mate leaves are dark, emerald green
and teeming with nutrients and flavor.
Guayaki Yerba Mate is a work of art; crafted like a fine wine, it is
grown, harvested, and dried according to time – honored traditions.
Harvested from the lush subtropical forest, Guayaki hand-picks only the
leaves and tender stems. After passing through a flash heating process
to protect the antioxidants and nutritional properties, the mate is
dried at a low-temperature and aged for one year for a smooth, rich and
balanced flavor.
Yerba mate is a holly tree native to the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. To
create Guayaki’s Yerba Mate, the “whole plant - whole energy” approach
is used, combining the leaves and tender stems to produce a beverage
with unique flavor and balanced energy. Our delicious flavored blends
are a combination of our Traditional Yerba Mate and unique organic
herbs and spices. Learn more about our Yerba mate products.
Guayakí’s MARKET-DRIVEN-RESTORATION business model directly links our
customer’s purchases to our partner farming communities in the South
American Atlantic Rainforests. Guayakí’s partners sustainably harvest
organic yerba mate from rainforest grown cultivations and reforestation
projects, generating a renewable income stream which enables these
communities to improve their lives and restore their lands.
HOW DOES GUAYAKI PRESERVE FOREST AND SUPPORT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE?
With
a passion for mate, Guayaki partners with small farmers and indigenous
communities to source mate from the sub-tropical forests of South
America. Like high quality coffee, high quality mate is shade-grown;
delivering more nutritional value and a smooth, rich flavor.
Forest
grown mate is environmentally sustainable in the long term and provides
for more income per acre than cattle or agricultural products such as
corn, soy or wheat. From the simple love of a beverage, Guayaki
drinkers have become a driving force for conservation and community
development by paying a fair trade price for rainforest-grown mate.
WHY DOES RAINFOREST-GROWN YERBA MATE PROVIDE MORE HEALTH BENEFITS?
Unlike commercially-produced, nutrient-starved plantation mate grown in
direct sunlight, Guayakí Yerba Mate is grown in its native rainforest
environment sheltered from sunlight by the upper canopy and drawing
from a rich life-giving 100% organic soil.
WHAT IS GUAYAKI'S BUSINESS MODEL?
When you purchase Guayakí Yerba Mate at the “MARKET” you are “DRIVING”
the “RESTORATION” of the Guayakí Rainforest Preserves and its people.
Guayakí creates markets for rainforest mate which provide a sustainable
economic alternative to destructive income generating practices such as
deforestation for lumber, cattle grazing, and monocrop agriculture.
This principle of renewable resource management supported by consumers
of sustainable products is called Market-Driven Restoration™. Guayakí
uses a triple bottom line to measure success: Economic Viability,
Social Justice and Environmental Stewardship.
Yerba
mate leaves cultivated in the rainforest are dark emerald green, thick
and waxy (the way nature intended)– a shocking difference to the maté
leaves seen while touring South America’s commercial yerba mate
plantations.
WHAT IS GUAYAKI'S MISSION?
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