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.

Chris Mann, CEO of Guayaki, explores an Ethical Markets discussion about the benefits of Yerba Mate, a tea from the Guayaki plant. He discusses the vitamin and mineral benefits of the tree and its digestive properties. The trees' growth in the rainforest is renewable and regenerates crop yields.