If you’re traveling to one of the Andean countries such as Peru or Bolivia you’re bound to run in to coca. Coca is famous as the plant used to make cocaine, but its leaves are far more commonly used as a legal, chewable stimulant.
Coca grows as a large bush with the leaves harvested for medicine, religious ceremony, and their special ingredient – cocaine. The raw leaves are chemically distinct from cocaine though – which require processing and a chemical reaction to produce cocaine in appreciable amounts. The raw leaves only have half a perfect of naturally occurring cocaine, which is well below the limit to not be addictive or produce Robin Williams style, manic outbursts.
The leaves do still produce a natural sort of high when chewed – a steady rise in mood and energy that cures fatigue, hunger, and altitude sickness. It’s sort of like sipping a double espresso, without the jitteriness or sudden urge to shit.
It’s sort of like sipping a double espresso, without the jitteriness or sudden urge to shit.
Coca is perhaps most famous as the namesake and key ingredient in Coca-Cola. Until the 1930s actual cocaine was included as an ingredient in the drink. Now coca extract is still used in the secret formula for its feel-good effects (and let’s be honest, the Coca part isn’t all that secret, you just didn’t know what it meant).
Coca is also sometimes confused with cacao (ka-cow) – the basis for chocolate. These are entirely different plants. Coca has nothing to do with chocolate.
Where to Find it
The best place to find fresh coca leaves is in a local market (assuming you’re in Bolivia, Peru, or Colombia). Look for the big sacks full of green leaves.
You can buy an individual sized bag for 1 Peruvian sole ($0.30).
One bag is more than enough to share between 3 people for a few days.
How to Chew Coca Leaves
First of all, you don’t “chew” coca leaves. It’s more of a wadding-up-with-your-tongue action.
In Quechua there are two words for chew: one having the common English meaning, and another describing the action used for coca leaves. The “coca chew” is a process that rolls the leaves into a ball and gets them wet with saliva. You should be using all tongue and no teeth. You’re not eating the leaves, you’re sucking on them.
To get started, pick out a whole leaf that still looks waxy and not dry.
Hold the leaf by the stem and place the broad part into your mouth. Bite down at the end of the leaf and pick the stem off to discard. Continue this process with about 20 leaves.
As you bite each leaf into your mouth roll it with your tongue as you wad it with the others. Once you have all the leaves in your mouth stick it between your cheek and gums, where it will stay while you swallow the juice.
Swallowing the coca juice is where you will absorb most of the coca so don’t try to spit it out. Andean people have been using it for thousands of years as a medicinal plant, it’s not gonna hurt you. You can leave the wad in for about an hour.
If you do happen to chomp down on the leaves you’ll notice a light numbing of your tongue. This won’t harm you, but talking like Daffy Duck isn’t really the intended result.
Coca Tea (Mate de coca)
If chewing is a bit much for you the coca tea is also rejuvenating. Coca is as commonplace as coffee in Europe – you will find coca tea waiting for you at most hotels and guest houses, right along side familiar packets like chamomile and black tea.
The effects from the tea are more gradual and mild than chewing the leaves directly but it’s also a more convenient option. The taste is more plant-like than any green tea you’re had to but it’s not unpleasant.
Drug Tests & Legality
By all accounts – consuming coca tea will show up on a drug test. Same for chewing the leaves. Although you’re consuming about 1/10th the organic alkaloid present in a line of coke, that’s enough to test positive on a drug test.
The leaves and tea are also illegal outside of Andean countries. Don’t try to bring them back. Apparently the coca tea is allowed in the United States if it has been “decocainized,” but what the hell is the point in that? If you want to drink castrated tea just soak some tree leaves in your mug.