Uruguayans take the prize as drinkers of yerba mate (pronounced YEHRbah MAHtay), the bitter, caffeinated beverage prepared by infusing mate leaves with hot water in a gourd, then sipping the liquid through a metal straw. They consume mate at a world-leading rate of 10 kilos per capita annually, which helps explain why it’s common to see Uruguayans walking to and from work with mate gourd and straw in hand, along with a thermos to ensure a ready supply of hot water. The enthusiasm for mate also explains why it was big news here when authorities announced that Uruguay’s mate supplies, all of which are imported, registered levels of lead, cadmium and other heavy metals in excess of food-safety standards adopted last year by... [Log in to read more]