Is Dust in Yerba Mate Bad and Should You Get Rid of It?

Some people, especially who are new to yerba mate, are surprised to discover that its cut does not only consist of ground leaves, but also includes stems of the plant and dust. Also known as powder, or polvo in Spanish, dust in particular causes lots of debates about its purpose and raises lots of questions. Let’s find out what exactly is polvo in the cut of yerba mate, what is its purpose, is it a sign of bad quality yerba mate, is it bad for your health, and whether or not should you remove it.

In the world of tea (Camellia sinensis), the presence of dust is often considered to be a sign of a bad quality of the product. Avid tea drinkers expect a pure leaf of the plant from high-quality tea, and condemn dusty teas, assuming that they are made from the leftovers of a “proper” tea production, as if someone swept off the floor of tea factory and put that dust and small leaf particles into tea bags.

The same assumptions often bleed into the world of yerba mate, and not only from those cultures where tea is a more dominant beverage. A few years ago, a video​ went viral on Facebook, gathering millions of views, where man sifted through several bags of Argentine yerba mate, showcasing the amount of dust in each bag of yerba, claiming that he was scammed, and it caused him multiple health problems, including kidney stones. To this day, lots of people are still confused about the necessity and potential harm of dust in yerba mate. You can even find a special contraption for yerba mate, called Despolvillador​, that is used to remove the dust. And while I’m not expert on Camellia sinensis (although I love my daily cup of tea), I feel like it’s important to clarify those claims, as well as bust some myths and misconceptions about dust in yerba mate.

What exactly is dust in yerba mate?

Dust, or powder, or polvo in Spanish, is one of the three main components of elaborated yerba mate, alongside with leaves (hojas) and stems (palos). There is no “pure leaf” version of yerba mate — all regional types and cuts of yerba mate will contain at least two of those components, usually either leaves and stems, or powder and stems.

To understand all of these components, including the dust, first, you need to learn how yerba mate is produced. I highly suggest you to read our detailed guide on yerba mate production, that covers the whole process starting from planting the seed all the way down to packaging the final product. After yerba mate plant is harvested, seared, roughly ground, dried and optionally aged, it then goes through a more refined milling process, where leaves are removed from the stems and both of them are milled separately. It is during this step that some leaves are ground quite coarsely, while the rest of the leaves are deliberately ground very finely, creating that powder. Then, it is a job of master blender to create a cut for their brand of yerba mate. Depending on the regional type and the desired cut of yerba mate, the ratios of leaves, stems and powder may vary drastically.

For instance, the article 1194 of Argentine Food Code​, in point 2.1 it is indicated that con palo yerba mate should contain no less than 65% of dried leaves, ground or pulverized (aka powder or dust) and no more than 35% of coarsely and finely ground stems and sticks. In the same article, in point 2.2 it is indicated that sin palo yerba mate, aka despalada, should contain no less than 90% of dried leaves, coarsely ground or pulverized, and no more than 10% of coarsely or finely ground stems and sticks. These two cuts are by far the most common in Argentina, and it is up to the manufacturer to decide the exact ratio of leaves, stems and powder within these numbers, according to their vision.

Another example of the similar set of standards comes from Uruguay, and is known as Padron Uruguayo:

• P.U.1 — not less than 90% of pulverized dried leaves, and not more than 10% of finely ground dried stems;
• P.U.2 — not less than 65% of dried leaves, and not more than 35% of dried stems;
• P.U.3 — purely dried leaves and dried stems, without any powder.

Most of Uruguayan yerba mate that you’ll find on the market is P.U.1 yerba mate, which as you see consists mostly of powder.

What’s the purpose of powder in yerba mate?

As you see, the presence of dust or powder in yerba mate is a deliberate choice made by manufacturers, and is even established in official food codes and standards of the countries that produce yerba mate. But why yerba mate manufactures make that choice? Polvo is not a necessary component of elaborated yerba mate, yet P.U.1 yerba is more common than P.U.3 in Uruguay, moída fina is more popular than moída grossa in Brazil, and absolute vast majority of yerbas from Argentina and Paraguay, no matter if it’s con palo or despalada, will contain a decent amount of dust.

The reason is quite simple — the presence of dust in the cut of yerba mate improves its characteristics and creates a unique and distinct taste. Pulverized aged leaves typically give a traditionally prepared mate a fuller body and mouthfeel, and add deep, rich, malty and doughy flavors to its taste profile. In chimarrão, powdery erva mate tastes more green, vegetative and fresh, whereas moída grossa with little to no powder yields in a more nutty and woodsy drink. Dust is also believed to increase the durability of mate — for instance dustier Uruguayan P.U.1 yerba mate on average lasts longer than relatively less powdery Argentine con palo yerba.

Also, in my opinion the presence of dust makes it easier to traditionally prepare mate that is balanced and distributes taste evenly throughout the duration of drinking. And while it’s true that for novice materos dust may present challenges and cause the clogging of the bombilla, with proper tools and technique a seasoned cebador will use the dust as a binding agent that will help him create and maintain the mountain of yerba that will not collapse after a refill and will be more effortless to enjoy than an inevitable mate soup made from powder-less yerba mate.

Verdict

So, is dust in yerba mate bad? The answer is absolute and resounding NO. Powder is a crucial component of the most popular cuts of yerba mate on the market. Also, there are no scientific medical proofs that link the presence of dust in yerba mate with major health issues such as kidney stones. If you have health problems and concerns, always contact your doctor first, and they will help you identify real underlying issues with your condition.

Therefore, there is no reason to remove the dust from yerba mate, unless it is your personal preference based on your taste. But even then, I would argue that it would be better for you to just buy a P.U.3 yerba mate or some powder-less Argentine yerba, such as Taragüi Sin Palo, instead of manually sifting through the bags of yerba and throwing a significant portion of the product away. If you have clogging issues with dusty yerba mate, developing a proper technique for building and maintaining the mountain of yerba will help you much more in the long run and will allow you to enjoy a wider range of cuts and regional varieties. You can check out our article with video instructions that will help you master the art of creating and maintaining the solid and beautiful mountain of yerba.

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Do you prefer more or less powdery yerba mate? What’s your take on dust in yerba mate? Share it in the comments below!