Terere is a cold version of yerba mate, the popular beverage from South America. Served alongside medicinal herbs known as yuyos to provide health benefits, this cold version can also be served hot.

Guarani people cultivated the yerba mate herb and created this revitalizing drink, now known as Paraguay’s national beverage. Terere Day is celebrated annually on February 28th as part of daily life here.

Tisana

Terere or Ka’ay, is a refreshing beverage rooted deeply in Paraguayan culture and esteemed for its many health benefits. Offering natural energy without caffeine’s jitters, this drink may also aid digestion, reduce headaches and menstrual discomfort as well as strengthen immunity systems.

This beverage is prepared using specially cut dry leaves and very cold water, and enjoyed throughout South America – particularly Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, and southern Brazil.

Sharing a mate is more than a ritual; it’s a form of hospitality and unity with others. In Guarani culture, declaring you’re having a mate is seen as an act of friendship and coexistence and often serves as a common greeting among passerby; almost like saying “haku” (it’s hot). Sharing one experience together brings people closer.

Terere

Terere is a cold infusion of yerba mate typically mixed with fresh herbs and served in a special cup known as guampa with a bombilla (a type of medial straw). Terere is considered an integral part of South American culture and culture as families and friends gather throughout the day to share this drink together.

Paraguayans appreciate terere as an aid to focus and alertness without the jitters associated with caffeine consumption. Furthermore, they believe it has a calming effect and facilitates digestion.

If you’re curious to try terere, look for it at local tea shops or online marketplaces specializing in South American foods and beverages. Additionally, international shipping sellers also sell it internationally – just make sure that before making your purchase decision you read reviews first!

Yuyos

Yuyos are herbs commonly used to prepare traditional Paraguayan herbal tea, providing an invigorating energizing effect and suitable for consumption by individuals of any age. Available both locally as well as natural products stores, and online, Yuyos can be purchased.

Yuyos are an integral part of Paraguayan culture and often used for religious rituals, serving as symbols of strength and fertility. According to a reproductive health survey, use of yuyos is quite widespread among women in Paraguay; users tend to reside in rural communities, be older individuals with limited education, speak Guarani at home more frequently and tend to have more children; likely due to easier access to yuyos.

Guampa

Be a part of Paraguayan culture by experiencing terere, an enriching botanical infusion which represents friendship, hospitality and camaraderie – it also acts as an energy boost, helping digestion while soothing headaches or relieving menstrual discomfort and strengthening immunity systems.

Traditional Terere is typically served in a hollowed-out cow horn known as a “guampa,” then consumed through a metal straw called a bombilla. The drink is shared among several people sitting around a circle – typically, its youngest person will serve and pour, with all others sharing bombillas; politeness should always be observed, so make sure to say, “gracias!” after you finish enjoying your beverage!

Though typically consumed cold, terere can also be enjoyed hot. Many online marketplaces sell cold yerba mate.

Bombilla

Erba mate may be well-known worldwide for its stimulating properties, yet in Paraguay its significance goes even deeper. Consumption is an integral part of social gatherings and acts as a powerful bonding agent that brings communities together.

Yerba mate can be enjoyed either hot (which is consumed in Argentina and Uruguay) or as cold terere, an infusion that provides refreshing relief during hot weather.

For a successful terere, the youngest person is responsible for filling the guampa with water and adding the yerba mate, followed by inserting a bombilla, a metal straw featuring an end pierced with fine holes, into its hollow tube.