What Sabrina Carpenter Drinks For A Pick-Me-Up

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Singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter has had more than one foray into food-related stardom. For instance, she appeared in a Pringles advertisement that aired during Super Bowl LX, featuring a "boyfriend" made entirely out of potato chips. She also topped the charts with her single "Espresso," a catchy tune that perfectly captures her chill-yet-energized vibe. But for a pick-me-up, the pop star turns to a different kind of caffeinated drink: yerba mate. In a video interview with Rolling Stone, Carpenter said she has a "terrible obsession" with the beverage. But what is it?

Yerba mate is a traditional tea made from the leaves and twigs of the species Ilex paraguariensis. This is a type of holly that is native to the River Plate region, a part of South America that encompasses northern Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Often brewed hot, it has a strong and grassy flavor, and is touted as a natural coffee alternative that packs a major caffeine kick. The tea has risen in popularity worldwide, evolving from its traditionally brewed roots into ready-to-drink canned varieties that are often served chilled. Carpenter loves the beverage so much that in a different Rolling Stone interview, she stated that she wants her next boyfriend to be made of yerba mate, because "think of the energy he would have."

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@Sabrina Carpenter joins Rolling Stone to talk about listening to @chappell roan, her drink of the summer, and making #shortnsweet #sabrinacarpenter #sabrinacarpenteredit #sabrinacarpentermusic #sabrinacarpentervideos #sabrinacarpentertour #shortnsweetsabrinacarpenter #shortnsweetalbum #fyp #fypツ

♬ original sound – Rolling Stone

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One thing you may not know about yerba mate is that its history is rooted in the indigenous cultures of South America. The Guaraní people of Paraguay were the first recorded to brew this drink, and consumption of yerba mate is customarily communal. The dried leaves and twigs of the tea are packed into a natural gourd made out of dried calabash, and hot water is poured directly over the leaves. The drink is then sipped through a filtered straw called a "bombilla" that helps strain out the leaves, and the brew is passed around the group. In places where yerba mate is still very commonly enjoyed in this way, such as Argentina, you will often see people participate in this age-old drinking ritual in many public spaces.

Coincidentally, Sabrina Carpenter's next tour dates bring her to South America, where she will be performing at the March 2026 Lollapalooza editions in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Will she be partaking in the traditional communal way of enjoying yerba mate? Or will she also be enjoying a limoncello spritz, the other liquid obsession she waxed lyrical about to Rolling Stone? We will just have to keep an eye on her socials to find out.