Teetotaler: The benefits of yerba mate

Welcome to Teetotaler, a new online column geared at showing you the amazing non-alcoholic drink options around the city. You’ve seen our recommendations for where to get the best brews, booze and bubbly around town. Now it’s time to show you that you don’t have to get tipsy to taste the best this city has to offer. Here’s to the teetotalers in all of us. Upon the unfortunate recall of the raw, organic, pro-biotic tea, Kombucha, Local Harvest Grocery searched for a replacement for the drink that had nothing short of a cult following. What they switched to was Guayaki Yerba Mate – a beverage whose likeness is closest to a tea but one that's advertised as a “powerful rainforest experience.” Its ingredients come from yerba mate (the leaves of the holly tree). For centuries, the South American Ache Guayaki tribe has turned to the drink for “tremendous invigoration, focus and nourishment,” and some are even choosing it in substitution for their daily cup of coffee. Offered in 16-ounce cans in flavors such as Lemon Elation, Revel Berry and Enlighten Mint, this drink is organic and fair trade-certified. Local Harvest sells them for $2.29 each and can do special orders for those who think they may guzzle them a case at a time. The Revel Berry is the most flavorful in my opinion, with notes of raspberry, blackberry and hibiscus. It smells sweeter than it tastes, but it's incredibly well-balanced with cane sugar and a slight tartness. All three varieties are invigorating – thanks to the 13 grams of sugar in each can – and can be a jolt for someone not used to this sort of energizing fluid. But it’s not just the sugar and caffeine that are turning people onto Guayaki Yerba Mate. It also contains a generous portion of vitamins and minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. When properly chilled and thoughtfully consumed (meaning you take your time--no chugging!), this drink can be the perfect ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. You can pick up a can at Local Harvest Grocery at 3148 Morgan Ford Road.