Meta Mate Research and Reforestation Project to discover and reproduce the Healthiest Mate
In 2011 we researched which kind of Mate trees have the highest Anti-oxidant effect and the health benefits of Mate in comparison to green tea and coffee.
We were not surprised that the knowledge of the elders was correct: Big leaves produce a better Mate. We selected samples from young and very old Mate trees based on their leaf size and color to clone and reproduce in the forest.
In 2012 we produced samples of Mate using different methods from the Indigenous tradition up to the modern industrial procedure. There are reports of carcinogenic PAH substances in Mate and we will test this in December 2012 in Berlin.
We learned from elders that these PAH’s would not be present if the mate is traditionally produced, and we want to find out if this is true.
In 2013, we will combine the knowledge gained from the 2 projects and start a reforestation project to sustainably harvest and produce the mate with the highest quality possible.
Check out http://www.mate-blog.de for a great German review on the project.
http://www.mate-blog.de/neuigkeiten/crowdfunding-pak-analyse-mate/