All the increasingly popular tea that consumers are happy to buy in specialized stores and clubs in the city of our country, bought in cafes and restaurants.The taste of the drink is so unusual that its use is mostly confined to some holiday.That is and how it is called Paraguayan tea, says the article.
History of
name Paraguayan tea comes from the word «mati», which means "pumpkin pitcher."Given his drink representatives Quechua Indian tribe living in South America.They named it so because the vessel is made of the corresponding fetus and is used to store liquids.
Europeans learned about the evergreen Paraguay tea in the twenties of the XVII century by the Jesuit fraternity members who were engaged in tree planting and sale of dried leaves.He even carried the name "Elixir of the Jesuits," and has been described in detail only in 1822 by the French botanist August de Saint-Hileyrom.
Indians believed that the drink can enhance the spiritual kinship between people, unite them.Now the tea is one of the symbols of the culture of South America, is often used to improve and make more harmonious relationships with friends or partners.
yerba mate
can not say that we are talking about tea in the conventional sense of the word, because the mat - a special drink.For its production is milled and then dried young shoots and leaves of yerba mate.This plant is found in sub-tropical climate, which is peculiar to high humidity and temperature.The tree is evergreen, belongs to the family padubovyh and grows from 1 to 15 meters in height.Its leaves are in the amount of from 5 to 16 cm, are oval in shape and are sharpened on one side.It grows in the wild or in plantations of the following countries:
- Brazil.
- Paraguay.
- Uruguay.
- Argentina.
How is and looks like tea
homogeneous nice golden-green color characterizes the well dried quality Paraguayan tea.Photos show how it should look.Every year around the world produced an impressive number of tea raw material: 300 000 tonnes.
Preparation of all traditions implies the presence of a cup of dust and small twigs as a result.For European consumers the tea produced several other technological methods.At the same time the dust on the final stage of processing is required to be removed.And taste characteristics reminiscent drink herbal tea while having sweetness and bitterness, and the drink is fully worthy to be served at a business meeting.
Types of tea mate
This unusual drink is of two kinds:
- Green.
- Fried.
Green is the classic version.It is processed in the traditional way, which involves collection of plants, drying and grinding.Fried Paraguay tea is subjected to an appropriate heat treatment, laying it on the iron pans.
Many manufacturers are expanding product range drink, adding a variety of fruit flavors, which are largely artificial.So if you want to buy a completely natural Paraguayan tea you need to carefully study the information with the package.These fruits are used company Establecimiento Las Marias.Just keep in mind that the value produced by it kinds of tea is higher than counterparts with artificial components.
the tea
among existing and minerals that make up the drink, are the following:
- Mateine - a substance similar to caffeine for an invigorating and tonic properties.
- vitamins (A, C, E, F, as well as a full range of B vitamins).
- Trace elements (iron, magnesium, copper, potassium, sodium, lithium, manganese, etc.).
- organic acids.
- Theophylline, has antispasmodic action.In modern medicine it is used (as part of drug) to relieve bronchospasm in the treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases.
- Theobromine is used to combat insomnia, depression with anxiety, calms, inhibits the action of the centers responsible for the excitability of the nervous system, increases the duration of deep sleep phase.
Useful properties
In the West, such as Paraguay tea present in commercially as a medicinal drink.Its positive impact on the human body manifests itself as:
- improves the functioning of the digestive system.
- normalized emotional state (decreasing anxiety disappears insomnia, improves mood).
- reduces the time needed for sleep.
- increases the activity and the ability to work.
- normalizes blood pressure.
- improve immunity.
In addition, mate - Paraguay tea, which not only has beneficial properties, but also excellent thirst quencher.
drink Features:
- The tea contains more B vitamins than in propolis.
- Mateine effective caffeine and does not cause side effects such as nervous trembling and increased heartbeat.It increases the body's ability to resist disease, it helps to better focus.
- special flavor Paraguay tea owes its vitamin content.
Negative particular beverage
When using the mat should pay attention to the ability of certain materials from its structure to encourage the development of malignant tumors.This Paraguayan tea is different from our usual drink, the effect of which is aimed at preventing and reducing such problems.
to mate compiled a decent list of contraindications:
- deposition of salts or the tendency to the disease.
- gastric hyperacidity.
- Kidney disease.
- Individual intolerance of substances such as theobromine and theophylline.
children, pregnant and nursing mothers invigorating Paraguay tea drink is prohibited.In addition, you can find the information that it gets hot mate in a dangerous list because of the content, "allegedly carcinogenic substances."Therefore, each determined to contraindications and purpose of the use of tea based on individual physiological characteristics and tastes.
capacity to mate
for drinking tea, a special vessel made in a special way.In South America, it bears the same name as a drink - "mate."But representatives of the Guarani Indian tribe called it kaaygua (caa-i-gua).But now most suitable for use are the words: "kalabas" or "calabash".
utensils used for the manufacture of such materials:
- Silver.
- Porcelain.
- Pottery.
- pumpkin-gourd.
- tree.
In the manufacture of individual vessels used pumpkin small and friendly company suitable capacity of the largest fruit.First you need to completely remove its contents from a pumpkin, dried, and mass production - burn.Then decorate with silver patterns, sheathe skin to produce a metal stand.
These vessels are the most popular because of the ability to maintain the temperature, which requires Paraguay tea, as well as to facilitate the transfer of its taste properties.But it is necessary to dry the tank and cleaned after use.
How to drink
to use an empty beverage inside the wand length of 15-25 cm - Bombilla (bombilla).It can be made from a reed, bone, bamboo or metal, and by combining different materials.The best are silver.Now for their manufacture can be used even plastic.Translated from the Italian word means "nipple".On the one hand a device is flattened, and the other is a double sieve.
Paraguay started to drink mate tea can immediately and tube lets you do this from the bottom of the dishes.The tea leaves can be several times to add hot water.But do not leave it for a long time used in the tank, because the fermentation process begins, accompanied by the release of bitter components impregnating wall calabash.Then all brewed tea in the pot will continue to have an unpleasant taste.
Brewing mate
To make a good drink, first of all, you need to pour the tea leaves with cold water and wait for the swelling.And then the fish is put in a vessel and pour hot water.Nowhere to hurry when it is not necessary, since all the actions should be measured.The Indians called this process ticua ca ay, that is, "to throw water into the hole," but in fact brewing requires more seriousness.
One of the ways by which you can cook the Paraguayan tea, is as follows:
- Fill 2/3 of the calabash welding.
- Tilt the container so that the tea was going on the wall.
- Add water to swell.Close
- finger hole of the mouthpiece, and then put the fish is in a calabash, a little deeper into the thick of the strainer.
- Fill the container with water at a temperature of 70-80 degrees.
- Wait 1-2 minutes.
When the drink is ready, it must be slowly and stirring fish is sipped through.After emptying calabash again topped hot water, which is usually done 3 times.
Features cooking
In Russia, this tea appeared not so long ago, that does not prevent him from start to gain popularity.Mate is considered an exotic drink, which do not use every day.He drank more Indians in South America before the first European colonizers.
With habitual drink tea at such as the mat, there is nothing in common except the tonic properties.It is because of this quality it is often called.A significant taste difference is due to the fact that the leaves are not subjected to fermentation, but simply crushed and dried.However insisting when more than two minutes after the first infusion obtained bitter beverage.
There is a nuance.If the vessel was idle for a long time, then you need to make it in the mat and leave for 2-3 days, and then wash the dishes, and only then apply it with tea.Using boiling water in brewing also results in the loss of flavor and appearance of the beverage of the same bitterness that accompanies long infusion.
For some, this drink will be not an option because of possible hazardous properties of tea.But nothing in fact does not stop to take the mat like something exotic and unusual, intended only for pleasure.And every day it is possible to use the usual drinks.
