Tangy, savoury organic mate tea from Argentina and Paraguay — classic green mate, milder roasted mate and flavoured blends. Traditionally enjoyed from the calabaza with a bombilla or simply as an infusion.
-7%
7,75 €
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6,10 €
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6,30 €
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6,70 €
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ABOUT OUR ORGANIC MATE
Yerba mate from Argentina & Paraguay — South America's classic
At DieTees you'll find premium organic mate tea from certified cultivation in Argentina and Paraguay. Popular choices are our Bio Mate Exotic with coconut and passion fruit, the zesty Bio Mate Fresh, the citrus-forward Bio Mate Orange and the distinctive Rooibos-Mate Schokolade.
Yerba mate comes from the leaves and twigs of Ilex paraguariensis, an evergreen holly species from South America. Mate is the traditional national drink of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil — consumed for centuries. The leaves are toasted over fire and finely ground. The infusion is tangy and savoury with a distinctive note, milder or stronger depending on the processing.
Loose-leaf mate delivers more aroma than tea bags, because the coarser cut lets the full flavour profile develop. Mate contains caffeine — around 30–50 mg per cup (250 ml), depending on variety, dosage and steeping time. That places it between green tea and black tea.
Reading tip: Looking for caffeine-free alternatives? Read about our organic rooibos or our mild herbal teas.
VARIETY OVERVIEW
What types of mate are there?
Mate teas can be broadly divided into four main categories — depending on processing and flavouring:
- Green mate (classic) — strong, tangy and savoury, with a characteristic bitterness. The traditional South American classic.
- Roasted mate — milder, less bitter, with nutty notes and a hint of smokiness. Beginner-friendly.
- Flavoured mate — refined with citrus notes (orange), exotic fruits (coconut, passion fruit) or other flavours. Fresh and fruity.
- Mate blends — combined with rooibos and chocolate, for example, for a particularly rounded, dessert-like cup.
Looking for more caffeinated teas? Take a look at our green tea category, our black tea or the semi-fermented oolong. For caffeine-free alternatives we recommend rooibos and herbal tea.
🥤 Tradition: calabaza & bombilla
In South America, mate is traditionally drunk from a hollowed-out gourd (calabaza) through a metal straw (bombilla). How to: fill the calabaza halfway with mate, tilt it, add cool water to the leaves, insert the bombilla, then top up with warm water (70–80 °C). Don't stir — the bombilla stays put!
EU organic from South America
From certified organic cultivation in Argentina and Paraguay — fairly traded, gently air-dried rather than smoke-dried.
Contains caffeine
About 30–50 mg of caffeine per cup (250 ml) — between green and black tea. A classic companion through the day.
Yerba mate
From the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis — an evergreen holly species, the traditional national drink of South America.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Answers about mate tea
What is mate tea?
Yerba mate comes from the leaves and twigs of the plant Ilex paraguariensis, an evergreen holly species from South America. The leaves are toasted over fire and finely ground. Mate is South America's traditional national drink — consumed for centuries in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil.
Does mate contain caffeine?
Yes — mate contains around 30–50 mg of caffeine per cup (250 ml), depending on variety and steeping time. That is between green tea (20–30 mg) and black tea (40–60 mg), and below coffee (80–100 mg). A longer steeping time increases the caffeine content.
How is mate tea prepared?
Water temperature 70–80 °C — never boiling, otherwise mate turns bitter. Steeping time 3–5 minutes. One heaped teaspoon per 200 ml. If you'd like to try the traditional style: fill the calabaza halfway with mate, tilt it, add cool water to the leaves, insert the bombilla, then top up with warm water.
Does mate taste bitter?
Mate naturally has a characteristically tangy, savoury note. Prepared correctly (water not too hot, steeping time not too long), it stays moderate. Roasted mate varieties and flavoured versions (e.g. with orange or coconut) are milder and more beginner-friendly.
What are a calabaza and a bombilla?
The calabaza (also called a "mate gourd") is a hollowed-out bottle gourd in which mate is traditionally brewed. The bombilla is a metal drinking straw with a filter at the lower end, through which you drink mate straight from the calabaza — without leaf fragments reaching your mouth. You'll find both in our tea accessories category.
How long does mate keep?
Stored dry, protected from light and in an airtight tin, loose mate keeps for 12–18 months without losing aroma. Check the best-before date on the packaging. Because mate is finely ground, it loses aroma a little faster than whole leaves — it's best to buy small quantities and use them up reasonably soon.
BUYING ONLINE
Why buy mate online?
When you buy mate online, you get access to a far wider range of organic varieties than in the supermarket — from classic green mate and milder roasted mate to fruity blends with orange, coconut or passion fruit. Loose-leaf mate in particular offers more aroma than tea bags, because the coarser cut lets the full flavour profile develop.
At DieTees you'll find exclusively organic mate from certified cultivation in Argentina and Paraguay — fairly traded with local cooperatives, gently air-dried (rather than smoke-dried) and packed aroma-sealed. If you'd like to explore the range of caffeinated teas, we also offer green tea, black tea and oolong — all easy to order online with fast delivery across Europe.
Discover our selection of premium organic mate tea now — from classic green mate to flavoured fruit blends.
Discover more: buy organic tea online — an overview of our loose-leaf tea range.
Note: caffeine content figures are guideline values and may vary depending on the variety, dosage and steeping time. For health-related questions, please consult a medical professional. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, people sensitive to caffeine and those with pre-existing conditions should seek advice.