If there’s one thing us college students love, it’s a caffeinated beverage: iced coffee, matcha latte, Celsius, and—the current rage—Yerba Mate. Even if you haven’t heard of yerba mate tea by now, you have undoubtedly seen the signature bright yellow Guayakí Yerba Mate can in the hands of your fellow students. Although there are many other brands that produce yerba mate tea like Yachuk, the Guayakí brand is all the rage here at UCSB. Before writing this article, I had never tried the esteemed drink but had heard it was magical. Seriously, there’s even a legend about where Guayakí sources their tea leaves: the back of the can states that “a magical tree grows in the South American rainforest with the powers to unite and energize.”
First looking into the brand’s origins, I found that Guayakí first started on the Cal Poly campus in 1996. So it’s no wonder they amassed a cult following among college students on the West Coast. Guayakí describes their “movement” as a blend of classic West Coast enthusiasm for adventure and love of nature with “Argentine hospitality”. Guayakí sources their tea leaves from “small farms and indigenous communities in Paraguy, Argentina and Brazil”, where the tradition of hospitality and company culture first cultivated. Most food and drink items that amass cult followings, seem to find success by “selling a vibe” in addition to a great product. Guayakí does a terrific job meshing with UCSB’s student culture and meeting their caffeine needs.
Once I understood Guayakí’s background, I moved on to investigating UCSB students’ obsession with yerba mate by interviewing both yerb-lovers and yerb-haters. First up: the yerb-lover. Everyone I know is yerb-obsessed, so finding fans of the drink was the easiest part of my investigation. Julia Spitters, a Psych and Brain Science major at UCSB, is an avid yerba mate drinker who began drinking it “sometime in high school when [her] caffeine addiction began.” Spitters told me “[I drink it] because I think it’s delicious and it looks like a healthier alternative to energy drinks even though it probably isn’t.”
Spitters actually isn’t wrong. Let’s dive into the health benefits of Guayakí Yerba Mate: the Guayakí website claims that “With 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids and abundant polyphenols, yerba mate nourishes while it stimulates. In fact, the Pasteur Institute declared that the yerba mate plant ‘contains practically all the vitamins necessary to sustain life.'” So it seems the drink does provide some health benefits, although as with everything, it’s probably best in moderation.
The existence of yerb-haters appears slim to none, making my search for this hypothetical person exceedingly tricky. I found just one brave contender: Jazmin Nason, a second-year UCSB student. “I just don’t like the taste at all,” Nason said. “I don’t know how else to put it.” It’s hard to find much to complain about other than the taste, considering it’s such a simple product.
In the drink’s final test, I decided to try a Guayakí yerba mate for myself. I purchased a “Tropical Uprising” yerba mate for a fair price of around $3.00. Of course, I had to buy it at the Arbor and as my hands met that yellow tin, I felt like a true UCSB student. After settling into a spot in the library, I cracked open my can with a satisfying pop. Upon first impression, it tasted just like sweet tea—nothing special—but as I neared the end of the can, I started to enjoy the drink more and more. Thanks to the caffeine rush, I pounded out an essay, and then some.
All things considered, I had a great first experience with yerba mate that left my taste buds happy and energized. A few days later, I decided to pick up a second yerba mate in the flavor “Bluephoria,” which I preferred. I later learned that “Tropical Uprising” was a bad pick after receiving some judgment from my yerb-loving friends. Spitters recommends the flavor Enlightenmint. I’ll have to try that next!
So, what’s the verdict? Although I give the drink a thumbs up, I’m still deciding if I’ll jump on the bandwagon. After some research on Guayakí’s website, I can accredit them for cultivating an excellent vision for their brand, but it’s not quite enough to sell me. I will still opt for a warm latte on a cold day on campus but might pick up a yerba mate in the warmer months. After all, caffeine enthusiasts are often ride-or-die for their drink of choice, and my loyalty lies with coffee.