It's a Social Drink
Mate brings people together! In South America, tea culture is a rich tradition and a communal rite for both the rich and the poor. The mate is served in a gourd (the mate or cuia) and passed around to each individual to take a sip through the straw (the bombilla). Mate can be consumed any time of day, but a lot of times Argentinians sip mate while playing cards in the evenings. So share your mate and enjoy the benefits together!
[photo via @wudmate]