Where to Buy Yerba Mate in: San Diego, California

Buildings in San Diego

So you want to know where you can buy yerba mate in San Diego? No worries! We got you covered.

Whether you’re seeking a few local spots to purchase organic yerba mate or if you’d like to shop for yerba mate online, we’ll provide you with all the options you need to get started drinking the holy holly herb of yerba mate.

It’s an all too common experience: I introduce yerba mate to one of my friends, they love it, but, they have no idea where to get it! So enjoy this short guide showing where to buy yerba mate in San Diego.

Most organic grocery stores like Whole Foods will have some selection of bagged and loose leaf yerba mate, but like craft beer and specialty coffee, it’s often the small boutique tea shops that’ll carry the most high quality, organic yerba mate.

Here are a couple local places to buy yerba mate in San Diego:

Explore Organic, Unsmoked Yerba Mate

Like with any type of food or drink, the more you know how it was grown, processed, and stored, the more informed your decision will be when deciding what to buy. Yerba mate is no exception. Commercial mate farms, like any other big agricultural operation, often use pesticides and fertilizers to produce crops as fast as possible.

Choosing an organic yerba mate helps you minimize your exposure to harmful chemicals. Another important consideration is whether to buy smoked or non-smoked yerba mate. In the smoking process, high temperatures are applied to roast the mate (increasing the PAH levels—learn more about that here). Any burning of organic material will increase the carcinogenic potential (think smoking).

Why drink yerba mate instead of green tea or coffee?

Everyone knows that green tea is incredibly healthy for you. You may be surprised to know that yerba mate is kind of like green tea… on steroids. Maybe even organic steroids. Of the 196 active compounds that yerba mate contains, green tea can only boast 144.

Coffee is extremely delicious. As someone who worked in specialty coffee there is nothing more exhilarating than exploring the flavors of an amazing espresso or pour over. However, coffee is extremely acidic. Drinking too much coffee can disrupt our body’s pH balance, which in turn can leave us susceptible to diseases that thrive in acidic environments (i.e., cancer).

Additionally, yerba mate contains a unique combination of stimulants that give you a sustained energy, mental clarity, and no crash that comes with coffee:

  • Caffeine (like coffee)
  • Theophllyine (like tea)
  • Theobromine (like chocolate)

Circle of Drink Organic Yerba Mate

If you aren’t able to find local organic yerba mate that suits your taste in your area, consider taking a look at our online yerba mate shop. Circle of Drink (COD), established in 2011, is an online retailer of everything yerba mate.

Here’s an official yerba mate buying guide >>

We proudly call ourselves Materos, the name used to describe insanely passionate yerba mate drinkers that take on the Mate Lifestyle of a healthy mind, body, soul, and community. South America has embraced the Matero Lifestyle for many generations, with mate being a stable drink that forms bonds and friendships everyday.

With numerous video tutorials, articles, and access to online communities of avid mate drinkers from all around the world, COD is at the forefront of the coming Yerba Mate Revolution in North America and beyond.

Education, Health, and Community are at the core of our mission and we continually follow mate’s developing story — from new scientific studies about mate’s health benefits to the social benefits of mate consumption — bringing everything together for you in one place.

circle of drink mate circle

Getting Started with Yerba Mate

Calabash yerba mate gourdThe Internet is an amazing resource to find new brands and blends of yerba mate as well as getting your hands on all of the necessary equipment to drink mate with the traditional gourd and bombilla. Luckily, COD has you covered with complete yerba mate kits as well as samplers so you can discover your taste for yerba mate. Save 5% on your first purchase using your city code “SanDiego5” at checkout.

Welcome to the Circle

Yerba mate is best when shared with other people. Your family, friends — even strangers! If you decide to drink mate the traditional way, you can bet that folks are going to ask what the heck you’re up to! With that strange cup and weird metal straw. No worries. We’ve been there. Many a people have been quite perplexed by such an assemblage. But little do they know that it’s one of the coolest ways to drink yerba mate.

Here’s a video introducing you to drinking yerba mate the traditional way.

So live a little! See what yerba mate can do for your social life by connecting with our online communities on facebook, youtube, instagram, and twitter.

Visiting New York? No problem. We’ll also ship you yerba mate (it’ll only take 1–2 days!) while you’re here.