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Also known as Paraguay Tea and Yerba Mate , Mate is an herb prepared from the leaves of a South America evergreen shrub, Illex paraguayensis, a relative of the common holly. The leaves are oval and about 6 inches long. Flowers of the plant are small and white. The fruit appears in small clusters of tiny red berries growing close to the stems of the plant. Like guarana and yopo, mate is rich in stimulant and was used as a stimulating beverage source by the native population of Latin America centuries before the European settlers arrived to establish coffee plantations. Mate leaves are processed somewhat like tea leaves. The tips of the branches are cut just before the leaves reach full growth and the leaves are steamed and dried (in fired mate the leaves are dried over fires) The dried leaves are sifted and allowed to age in order to enhance the flavor of the mate. Mate also contains an alkaloid in its chemical make up that acts as a smooth muscle relaxant, thus calming the heart and stomach while the rest of the body and mind receive stimulation.  | 
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