Matcha vs. Yerba Mate: Two very popular natural energizing teas, each with its own unique flavor, cultural significance, and health benefits.
In this post, I’ll compare these two teas in terms of taste, origin, caffeine, antioxidants, and brewing methods to help you understand the differences.
Key Highlights
- Matcha is a fine powder, while yerba mate is available in loose leaves or tea bags.
- Both teas are high in caffeine.
- Yerba mate is steeped in hot water, while matcha is whisked in hot water.
Matcha vs. Yerba Mate: What’s the Difference?
Matcha and Yerba Mate are two popular types of tea known for their unique flavors and benefits, but they are different.
Here’s a list that shows the main differences between yerba mate and matcha in taste, caffeine, antioxidants, origin, and cultural significance.
After the list, I’m presenting you the details of each feature.
- Taste: Matcha has a vegetal, grassy flavor, while yerba mate has a more earthy, nutty taste.
- Appearance: Matcha is a fine green powder that is whisked in water; Yerba Mate comes in loose leaves or tea bags and is steeped in hot water.
- Origin: The highest-quality matcha comes from Japan, while yerba mate comes from South America.
- Caffeine: Matcha has an average caffeine content of 64 mg per cup, whereas yerba mate has an average caffeine content of 80 mg per cup.
- Antioxidants: Matcha is especially high in catechins (EGCG), and Yerba Mate is high in chlorogenic acid.
Appearance and Taste
Matcha is in powder form. It is made by stone-grinding de-veined and de-stemmed green tea leaves into a fine, smooth powder.
For ceremonial-grade matcha, the grinding process might take up to an hour to produce just 30 grams (1 ounce) of matcha green tea powder.
High-quality matcha has a rich, deep green color. Ceremonial-grade matcha (the finest quality) is dark green, whereas culinary-grade matcha is pale green.
If you’re new to matcha and want to know more about matcha grades, here’s a full explanation of ceremonial vs. culinary matcha grades.
Now that you know more about matcha powder, let’s speak about how matcha tea tastes.
High-quality matcha tea has a complex flavor profile with sweet, vegetal grassy notes and a fantastic umami finish.
Yerba Mate
The dried leaves and twigs of the Ilex paraguariensis plant look like loose green tea leaves.
The taste of yerba mate tea is often described as earthy and bitter, which can be strong or soft depending on the content of stems (more stems means a softer flavor).
Mate’s taste can also vary based on the type of yerba mate used, how it is produced, as well as the processing methods and storage conditions.
Although this is not actually tea, as it does not come from the Camellia sinensis plant, Yerba Mate is an herbal infusion.
Origin
Matcha is a type of green tea made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
The green tea powder known as matcha today may be traced back to China’s Tang Dynasty (618–907). This method of powdered tea processing did not become common or popular until the Song Dynasty (960–1279).
Matcha originated in China, and it was brought to Japan in 1191 by a Japanese Buddhist monk who also brought with him the knowledge of how to prepare powdered green tea.
Matcha green tea may have originated in China, but it is an undeniable fact that the Japanese mastered the matcha production technique.
On the other hand, Yerba Mate is made from the Ilex paraguariensis plant’s leaves and twigs. It originates in South America.
Before the Spanish arrived, people in South America had been drinking this beverage for centuries.
Mate’s origins can be traced back to the Guarani people of Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil.
Initially, yerba mate was drunk for its energizing effects, which were used to aid mystical ceremonies and provide hospitality. This drink became famous all across the world once the Spanish arrived in Central and South America.
Caffeine
Both matcha and yerba mate contain caffeine, but there are some differences.
An 8-ounce cup of matcha tea contains approximately 64 mg of caffeine. Caffeine levels vary based on the amount of powder used, the amount of water used, the temperature of the water, the quality of the matcha powder used, and other factors.
In addition, many people choose to drink matcha tea since it gives them a different energy boost than coffee.
You’ll get a consistent, long-lasting energy boost with matcha without the jitters associated with coffee. This is due to L-theanine.
More about L-theanine and how long matcha energy lasts can be found here.
Caffeine is present naturally in Yerba Mate tea. A typical cup (150 ml) of yerba mate has around 80 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine levels in this beverage can range from 30 to 180 mg per cup, depending on how it is prepared (leaf-to-water ratio, water temperature, steep time, etc.).
If you prepare your beverage with yerba mate tea bags, it will contain far less caffeine than mate tea brewed the traditional way with loose leaves, a gourd, and a bombilla.
Yerba mate doesn’t contain L-theanine, although it does contain trace levels of theophylline and theobromine, as does matcha. These well-known stimulants, when combined with caffeine, provide a different energy boost than caffeine as a solo stimulant.As a result, after drinking yerba mate tea, the caffeine is slowly released, giving you a long-lasting energy boost.
Both yerba mate and matcha are fantastic alternatives to coffee for an energy boost.
Antioxidants
When comparing matcha vs. yerba mate, we must compare the antioxidants, despite the fact that both of these teas contain antioxidants, which make them healthy beverages.
Yerba mate is well-known for its strong antioxidant capacity, which has been shown to be greater than that of green tea.
The strong antioxidant activity of yerba mate is due mostly to its high polyphenol content, namely caffeoyl derivatives (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, etc.). The major antioxidant in yerba mate is chlorogenic acid.
Furthermore, yerba mate contains rutin and tannins, both of which are known antioxidants found in matcha too.
Matcha, like yerba mate, is strong in antioxidants. Matcha has a high concentration of flavonoids, especially rutin. Rutin is a compound that has an antioxidant effect and belongs to the group of polyphenols.
It should be noted that matcha is the best source of rutin as a beverage. Furthermore, matcha contains vitamin C, which is especially significant given the high rutin concentration.
Moreover, matcha has significant quantities of catechins (phenolic substances found in tea, chocolate, and berries that have been linked to powerful antioxidant activity, particularly EGCG), which are not found in yerba mate.
Matcha has up to 137 times more catechins than other types of green tea.
When you add matcha powder to hot water to prepare tea, it provides more antioxidants since you absorb the full tea leaf in powder form rather than simply steeping the tea leaves.
Brewing
A matcha bowl and a bamboo whisk are required for making traditional matcha tea. It is also recommended to use high-quality matcha powder for the best taste.
The water temperature should be around 175°F (80°C). This is critical because using boiling or overly hot water will scorch the powder and result in a bitter drink.
Since this step of preparing matcha tea is essential, don’t make a mistake and read this explanation on the perfect matcha water temperature here.
For sure, a regular bowl and standard whisk can be used instead of a matcha bowl and bamboo whisk, but it is always a good idea to use high-quality powder. Culinary-grade matcha should not be used to make tea.
To make traditional yerba mate tea, you’ll need a traditional vessel, a mate gourd (made of wood, ceramics, or other material), and a bombilla straw (a metal straw with a filter at the end). This creative and unique straw allows you to consume the steeped tea while filtering out the solids.
You may also prepare mate tea with a French press or a teapot instead of a mate gourd. It is always preferable to use loose-leaf yerba mate rather than tea bags.
It is also recommended to use lukewarm water between 150 and 175°F (65 and 80°C).
Mate tea may be brewed many times.
Matcha or Yerba Mate: Which Is Better for You?
When it comes to choosing between yerba mate and matcha, it all comes down to what you’re looking for in a tea.
Matcha is a better choice if you prefer tea with a sweet, vegetal flavor that is abundant in antioxidants, notably EGCG, and rich in caffeine and L-theanine.
Yerba mate, on the other hand, can be a better choice if you want tea with an earthy, nutty flavor that is also high in antioxidants and caffeine.
Maybe the best thing you can do is try the two teas and see which one you like more. Don’t forget that both teas are rich in caffeine; it’s not recommended to consume either of them late at night since the caffeine may interrupt your sleep.
Finally, both teas have their own unique qualities that make them worth trying. Both teas can be enjoyed in different ways, and the decision on which one to choose depends on your own taste and preferences.
