Yerba Mate in Gourd, With Metal Straw
This photo shows a traditional Yerba Mate gourd, with a metal rim around the top, and a metal straw. Traditionally, silver was used for the straws, which helps to prevent burns: silver is an outstanding conductor of heat, leading the liquid to cool rapidly as you suck it up through the straw.
As people switched to more inexpensive materials, the risk of burns started increasing; burns can be serious and repeated burns can increase the risk of mouth and throat cancer.
This image is featured in our article on Yerba Maté.
