There's more than one way to start the day. Acknowledging this freedom is the first step to appreciating my all-time favorite coffee alternative, yerba mate. I first experienced the subtle lift (and there's definitely a lift) of this South American brew when searching for a beverage that could pull me out of morning grogginess without the jitters of a regular cafe au lait.

Yerba mate is the drink of choice for millions of people in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, and Bolivia. It is traditionally served in a round, hollow pot called a calabash (often referred to as a gourd) and sipped through a specifically designed silver metal straw called a bombilla. The straw is solid except for small holes that act as a sieve, filtering out the mate leaves and allowing the brewed liquid in.

While the gourd and straw are often quite beautiful and ornate, they are not the ideal accompaniment to a daily commute. That's why I love Guayaki. The California-based company makes mate accessible. Sold loose or in individual bags, Guayaki mate shares space with my boxes of green and peppermint tea.

Two students from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo - Argentine Alex Pryor and Californian David Karr, started the company in 1996, hoping to bring mate to the states while simultaneously protecting South American rainforests. They established a 20,000-acre Guayaki (pronounced "gwy-uh-KEE") Rainforest Preserve that is a source of income for the 34 indigenous families that live and work there and a protected space for over 330 bird and mammal species.

Once you get past the incredible good that comes out of the company - Guayaki is also a member of the Fair Trade Federation through promoting and selling the work of several Argentine gourd artists - you can focus on what's actually in your cup. Yerba mate is a totally unique blend of flavors that is often compared to a combination of green tea and coffee. There is a distinctively leafy flavor to mate that I've yet to find anywhere else. And the boost! Yerba mate does have some caffeine - 42-52 mg. per eight ounces vs. 135 mg. in the same amount of coffee - but it's the unique properties of the beverage's xanthine alkaloids that makes it easier on the body than coffee and sometimes even tea. Mate gives a sense of alertness without sending me into the heart-pounding frenzy that often results from coffee. Yerba mate also has 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and 11 polyphenols.

Guayaki produces three strengths of mate in a variety of flavors. When I stray from the traditional, I enjoy chai spice mate and mate chocolatee (like an herby hot chocolate).

Guayaki pretty much owns the American yerba mate market - just check the shelves of your local health food store if you don't believe me - but the drink can also be purchased online through numerous outlets like Ma-Tea and Gaucho Gourmet.

Cost: 25 tea bags for $6.95

Where to buy: Local health food stores and online at Guayaki, Ma-Tea, Amazon