YERBA SELECTION
ARGENTINA
Argentinian yerba contains large leaves, stems, and powder. It is said that the powder in this yerba makes it bitter. This yerba is dried and aged for up to two years. Consumers can find smoked and unsmoked flavors of this yerba. Argentinian yerba may contain a large or small quantity of stems depending on brand.
​
Popular brands
Cruz de Malta, Tagaui, Rosamonte, Playadito
BRAZIL
Erva is a freshly ground yerba that is not roasted. The leaves are picked, processed, and typically consumed (or packaged) within six months. Due to the fact that erva is not roasted and consumed quickly after harvest, you will notice it has a bright (vibrant) green color.
​
Popular brands
Barao, Ximango, Meta Mate, Lago Verde
URUGUAY
Uruguay has a tradition of removing most stems from their yerba. You will notice that most Uruguayan yerba has no or very few stems. It is also apparent that Uruguayans prefer to have their leaves ground a bit smaller than Argentines, but not as fine or powdery as Brazilians.
​
Popular brands
Del Cebador, La Selva, Sara, Canarias
PARAGUAY
Stems, leaves, and powder are prevalent in Paraguayan yerba. While most brands may have large cut stems, the leaves are cut finer than Argentinian style yerba. Most typically, Paraguayans prefer a beverage called terere. Terere is prepared with cold water and/or fruit juice. It is also popular, in Paraguay, to mix leaves, stems, and flowers with a mate.
​
Popular brands
La Rubia, Selecta, Parajito, Kurupi
FIND MORE:
Brands and (excellent) reviews of various yerba over at Mate Experience (https://matexperience.com/reviews/)