Yerba Mate tea

OK, it's not actually a tea, but rather a drink all it's own...but I discovered it through a tea source and you make it like a tea. It's origins are from South America. The Yerba Mate tree is a relative of the holly bush. An infusion, brewed from the dried leaves and stems of the tree, is consumed by millions of South Americans as a healthful alternative to coffee. Deemed “the green gold of the Indios” by Europeans, yerba mate possesses a multitude of health benefits.

Yerba Mate looks and tastes similar to a green tea. But it's not a tea. Different plant, different process. I found the explanation below online.

A green tea is one that is not fermented and not roasted. Healthwise, green teas are superior to oolong and black teas as many of the beneficial antioxidant compounds are protected by the green tea production process. Black teas may taste sweeter because they are fermented and then roasted, but this flavor comes at the expense of its life giving properties. Just like in nature, green is life giving.

While yerba mate and green tea share many of the same benefits, (antioxidants, polyphenols, flavenoids, bio flavenoids, and theophylline) modern science shows that yerba mate has 52 more active compounds than green tea. There are 196 active compounds in yerba mate compared to the 144 found in green tea. In fact, yerba mate can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than either green or black teas.

Bottom line: It's one of the rare things that tastes good and is good for you!