Elevate Your Well-Being with The Coca Tea Cure: Unveiling the Healing Wonders of Peruvian Coca Leaf Tea
Hailed by Peruvians as possessing energizing properties and likened to the nectar of the Gods, Coca tea or Coca Leaf tea is packed with practical and health benefits that may help alleviate jet lag, fatigue, indigestion or Altitude Sickness.
Presenting itself as a miracle cure for the ailing soul, Coca tea is an elixir that’ll soothe your mind and body. The Coca leaf, containing the alkaloid cocaine among other alkaloids, is shrouded in confusion and conjecture as the consumption of the Coca leaf or Coca tea is commonly associated with the ingestion or inhalation of the harmful narcotic drug. However, contrary to popular belief, Coca tea is a harmless herbal brew. Coca tea is to Peru as coffee is to America: a comforting and energizing hot beverage that’ll put a pep in your step as you take on the day.
Read on to learn all about Coca tea, its health benefits, the Coca vs. cocaine dilemma and much more!
Coca tea (Mate de Coca) is a herbal brew made using the leaf of the Coca plant which is indigenous to South America’s Andean region. Chewable and brew-able, the Coca leaf contains the psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine which only acts as a mild stimulant when chewed.
Coca leaves are brewed into a steaming hot cup of tea and is most commonly drunk in countries lying within the Andean mountain range including Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador.
The Coca plant, which is sensitive to frost, grows in the lowlands. Historically, the Incas adapted low-lying rainforest lands and grew Coca plants upon the fertile soil which suggests that the plant was considered a valuable commodity by the empire.
Archeologists Lidio M Valdez, Juan Taboada and J. Ernesto Valdez in ‘Ancient Use Of Coca Leaves In The Peruvian Central Highlands’ wrote that, ‘Coca chewing remains “almost universal” across the highlands region, and not just as a practical aid for hard work. Families share Coca leaves to mark milestones such as births, deaths, a boy’s first haircut, or a girl’s first menstruation. When a man courts a woman, his family distributes Coca leaves to hers. Coca acts as a substitute currency, too’.
Dating back over four millennia, the use of the Coca plant has deep roots in the Andes of Peru and, today, forms a significant part of Peru’s historical, social and cultural identity.
The Coca leaf is the source of the alkaloid cocaine. So, does that mean the consumption of Coca leaf or Coca tea results in the ingestion of cocaine? Well, not quite.
In a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information researchers tested and compared the alkaloid content of the Coca leaf extracted from Peruvian and Bolivian Coca tea bags. The study shows that an average of 4.14 mg of cocaine was present in a cup of Peruvian Coca tea while 4.29 mg of cocaine was present in a cup of Bolivian Coca tea. Compared to the 20 – 30 mg found in a line of cocaine, the alkaloid content found in Coca tea is negligible as it is only sufficient to act as a mild stimulant, equivalent to that of a cup coffee.
On top of this, the rate of absorption of the alkaloids from drinking Coca tea or chewing Coca leaf is 2 -12 hours, while the rate of absorption from inhaling cocaine is less than 20 minutes.
The differences in the absorption rates and the alkaloid content between Coca tea and cocaine means that Coca tea lacks potency and is only capable of inducing a gentle stimulus making it a harmless herbal concoction enjoyed by all.
A soothing and energizing elixir, Coca tea is packed with potential health benefits! It’s been hailed as an Altitude Sickness preventing, gastrointestinal health improving, energy boosting, blood sugar regulating, constipation relieving, immune system stimulating, attention boosting beverage.
1. Prevents Altitude Sickness
You can develop symptoms of Altitude Sickness, which include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, rapid heart rate and shortness of breath, when you travel to an elevation higher than 2,500 m / 8,202 ft. above sea level.
Although Machu Picchu lies at an elevation of 2,430 m / 7,972 ft. above sea level, if you’re a first time traveler planning a trip to Machu Picchu, you’ll have to visit Cusco, which lies at an elevation of 3,400 m / 11,150 ft. above sea level, in order to get to the ancient Incan citadel.
So, in addition to resting, taking a slow ascent, oxygen therapy, keeping hydrated, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, first time travelers to Cusco and other high altitude regions are advised to drink Coca tea, hailed as one of the strongest Altitude Sickness remedies, to fight off the symptoms of Altitude Sickness!
2. Energy Boosting
The mild stimulant properties of Coca tea will put a slight pep in your step and give you a boost of energy! The gentle stimulus of this medicinal tea makes it a great option for alleviating jet lag and fatigue.
3. Improves Gastrointestinal Health
A stomach soothing herbal concoction, Coca tea is drunk or Coca leaves are chewed by South Americans to settle indigestion or to relieve cramping and bloating. When consumed regularly, Coca tea is said to help prevent nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
4. Manages Diabetes
Coca tea is a natural source of vitamin A, iron and calcium which are known to regulate blood sugar levels. So, if you’re in South America and you’ve got diabetes and are looking for a healthy substitute to your morning cup of tea or coffee, seek your doctor’s consult and maybe consider drinking a hot cup of Coca tea instead.
Considering the consumption of Coca tea has been linked to certain side effects, if you’re diabetic, we advise you to speak to your doctor before consuming this herbal brew.
5. Weight Loss
A study conducted to test the ‘effects of cocaine-free extracts of the Coca leaf on food consumption’, demonstrated a reduction in food consumption. What does this mean? It means Coca has been proven to be a mild appetite-suppressor making it a great beverage option if you’re trying to lose a little weight. However, please don’t go crazy and decide to do a Coca tea fast or go on a Coca leaf diet.
Like Green tea, the B vitamins found in Coca tea makes the beverage an excellent metabolism boosting beverage. So, if you’re looking to shed that extra pound, drinking a warm cup of Coca tea after a healthy and wholesome nutritionally balanced meal should do the trick.
While Coca tea has been shown to provide all these potential health benefits and more, its consumption has also led to certain side effects, especially when consumed in excess: migraines, irritability, elevated heart rate and high blood pressure. So, if you decide to drink Coca tea, drink it in moderation. The recommended daily limit is 1-2 cups of Coca tea.
Although there is no empirical evidence to prove Coca tea’s efficacy in fighting off the symptoms of Altitude Sickness, there is centuries of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the Coca leaf is a powerful herbal remedy that keeps symptoms at bay.
Coca tea has been drunk by South Americans for centuries in a bid to stave off the dizzying effects of Altitude Sickness brought on by living in the high climes of the Andes. Although Peruvians and Bolivians are now acclimatized to the Andean altitudes, first time travelers to the region should read up on Altitude Sickness and how to prevent its symptoms before visiting South America’s high climes.
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to making a soothing cup of Coca tea:
Book a tour to Cusco or Machu Picchu to imbibe in Peru’s Coca tea cultural heritage!
