A BEVERAGE CALLED CHIMARRÃO: Why It Is So Consummated

Chimarrão is traditionally consumed in subtropical South America. This is an infusion that is prepared by steeping dry leaves of the mate plant in hot water rather than in boiling water. It is consumed similar to a tea. I choose to talk about it because this beverage comes from my home state and because I love this amazing beverage. People that drink chimarrão do not have a specific reason to drink it. As I said before it is a traditional beverage and people grow up drinking chimarrão. But this beverage has a lot of benefits and some of this could explain why people from South America drink chimarrão every day. Some people like to drink chimarrão so early in the morning, some people like to drink it after work to feel relax, and some people like to drink it at work.

A good reason to drink chimarrão is because it brings people together. People enjoy something that is called a “circle of chimarrão”, where the cuia (a cup made from the calabash gourd) is passed around for everyone to drink. Chimarrão is a symbol of Southern hospitality: who arrives as a guest in a house is greeted with chimarrão. Many times people go to some beautiful places to enjoy each other and to drink chimarrão.

            In addition, people enjoy drinking chimarrão because it is a traditional custom from past generations. This beverage is common in a particular place in Brazil called Rio Grande do Sul that conserves traditions, and there people are very proud about their traditions. For them to keep traditions is a lifestyle.

            Another good reason to drink chimarrão is because when you drink it you feel good. This beverage has several healthy benefits. I heard many times people talk each other about the chimarrão benefits, so I will list some of them:

1.      Yerba mate tea is very high in antioxidants. Yerba mate has significant immune boosting properties. Yerba mate also helps reduce stress and insomnia.

2.      Enhances your ability to focus - Users report increased mental energy, clarity and focus.

3.      The chemical compounds and nutrients in yerba mate affect your metabolism to make your body use carbohydrates more efficiently. You'll also burn more of the calories your body has stored in fat cells as fuel when you drink yerba mate regularly.

4.      Yerba mate helps keep your colon clean for effective and efficient waste elimination.

5.      Yerba mate has stimulant qualities to help you feel full sooner after you begin eating.

6.      Yerba mate also helps prevent arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and prevents blood clots that may cause heart attack or stroke.

For these reasons, I like to drink chimarrão every day. As it is a typical beverage from South America and i is hard to find anywhere else around the word. But if you would like to include this wonderful beverage in your life, you can look for it on Brazilian web sites. I know that it is hard, so you can replace it for other type of tea. In my opinion, tea is always welcoming. However, I am not trying to convince you to drink chimarrão regularly. I am just explaining why people from South America like to drink chimarrão. People from Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil like to drink Chimarrão because it means culture, hospitality, friendship, and its healthy and the most importantly it is a tradition.