The South American yerba mate differs significantly from green tea.

There are, however, some common features:

• no fermentation
• green colour of dried leaves
• greenish or straw-coloured infusion, turning into drab green, depending on the intensity
• a big number of antioxidants, i.e. ingredients that protect the organism from free radicals

The differences are:

• according to contemporary research yerba mate has 196 active components,
• whereas green tea has 144
• yerba mate is richer in polyphenols and antioxidants
• the yerba mate shrub is the Ilex paraguariensis species,
• whereas the green tea is the Camelia sinensis species
• one of the production phases of yerba mate is roasting on sieves
• yerba mate has less caffeine
• yerba mate is the only plant in the whole world that contains mateine

Drinking both yerba mate and green tea is beneficial to your health. Saying - don't drink green tea - is absurd! If you like green tea, it's great. It's even better to drink both yerba mate and green tea, as both plants will influence you positively. And if you only like yerba mate? Well, in this case, it's a matter of taste, but don't ever underestimate any of these drinks, because both plants are good for one's health. When you drink yerba mate from a mate cup, using a bombilla, you can easily tell what's the pleasure of sipping on it while working or resting. The unique way of drinking yerba mate often makes it more attractive than green tea. But you can always mix green tea with yerba mate, e.g. 2 spoonfuls of yerba and 1 spoonful of green tea to see its taste and effect. Surely you will be surprised. However, in the case of green tea you have to remember that if you infuse it for over 1 minute you will feel a characteristic astringent taste because of tannin being released to the infusion. If you want to avoid the bitter taste, add less green tea. Experiment on mixing. Think about adding hibiscus petals. The drink will become sweet and get a ruby colour only for your benefit. Hibiscus contains a lot of vitamin C, and has an immunising effect. Don't be afraid to try your own mixes, you'll see that it can be very pleasant when you prepare your own mix for your friends.