Definition of Yerba mate

Yerba maté: A stimulant beverage similar to tea, very popular in South America, brewed from the dried leaves and stemlets of a member of the holly family known botanically as Ilex paraguayensis.

Despite claims to the contrary, Yerba maté does contain caffeine although the level is relatively low compared to coffee or tea. Yerba maté also contains significant amounts of vitamins and minerals and other chemicals of note such as theobromine and theophylline.

Yerba maté (pronounced yer ba mä tA) comes from the American Spanish, from yerba meaning herb + maté, the hollow gourd used as a bowl or container for brewing yerba maté.