Coca tea has a number of potential health benefits, which may include relieving constipation, aid in weight loss, stimulating the immune system, increasing energy, preventing altitude sickness, boosting attention, protecting the heart, and regulating diabetes.
Coca tea, also called mate de coca, is an herbal tea (infusion) made using the raw or dried leaves of the coca plant, which is native to South America. It is made either by submerging the coca leaf or dipping a tea bag in hot water. The tea is most commonly consumed in the Andes mountain range, particularly in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and especially in Peru, where it is consumed all around the country. It is greenish-yellow in color and has a mildly bitter flavor similar to green tea with a more organic sweetness.
Though also known as mate, mate de coca has very little in common with the yerba mate drink in Southeastern South America.
There are also some side effects of this tea, especially when it is consumed in excess, and these include migraines, irritability, elevated heart rate, and high blood pressure. There are also certain groups of people who should never consume coca, due to the presence of cocaine, one of the active ingredients in coca tea.
What is Cocoa Tea?
Coca tea has been heavily used by indigenous people in South America for thousands of years and is made by steeping the fresh leaves of the coca plant in boiling water. This allows the powerful phytonutrients, as well as trace amounts of active ingredients like cocaine, to infuse into the water. In many parts of South America, this tea is known as mate de coca, and the greenish-yellow color is reminiscent of green tea. Since the alkaloids found in coca tea are the base of cocaine, a powerful drug that is illegal in many countries, it is not always easy to access coca tea, unless it has been decocainized. The many benefits of coca tea are mainly the result of phytonutrients, as well as vitamin C, vitamin E, and B-family vitamins. [rx]
Nutritional Value of Coca Leaves
In 100 grams of fresh coca leaves, there are minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins (vitamin A, B2, and E) which exceed American Daily Recommended Nutritional Intake. A study from Harvard University in 1975 has shown that chewing 100 grams of coca leaves is enough to fulfill a human’s nutritional needs for 24 hours. Because it has a high amount of calcium, protein, vitamins A and E, and other nutrients, this plant offers the possibility of being categorized into crops rather than medicinal plants, which is what this plant is categorized today.
Let us see the exact nutritional value in the table below
| Component | Amount / 100 g |
| Organic acid | 3,2 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 46,2 g |
| Fat | 3,3 g |
| Fiber | 14,2 g |
| Water | 7,2 g |
| Zinc | 3,8 mg |
| Phosphorus | 911,8 mg |
| Calcium | 1540 mg |
| Iron | 45,8 mg |
| Aluminium | 49 mg |
| Barium | 17 mg |
| Boron | 24 mg |
| Copper | 1,1 mg |
| Chromium | 0,23 mg |
| Strontium | 204 mg |
| Magnesium | 0,37 mg |
| Manganese | 0,5 mg |
| Kalium | 1,9 mg |
| Natrium | 1110 mg |
| Thiamine (Vit B1) | 0.68 mg |
| Riboflavin (Vit B2) | 0.026 mg |
| Total Vitamin A | 141.000 IU |
| Beta Carotene (Vit A) | 20 mg |
| Alpha Carotene (Vit A) | 2,65 mg |
| Ascorbic Acid (Vit C) | 53 mg |
| Pyridoxine (Vit B6) | 0.58 mg |
| Biotin | 0,54 mg |
| Nicotinic Acid | 5 mg |
Daily Value is based on the 2000 Calories diet. You may need more or fewer calories according to your age, gender, health status, and daily activities. Other than those nutrients, coca leaves also contain coca alkaloids (cocaine) about 0,3% to 1,5% (on average 0,8%) in every leaf. Moreover, coca leaves contain other alkaloids, such as nicotine, hygrine, hydroxytropacocaine, tropacocoaine, ecgonine, etc.
Benefits of Coca Tea
Coca tea should be used by people who experience altitude sickness, indigestion, fatigue, hyperactivity, frequent colds and infections, obesity, constipation, indigestion, diabetes, and those with high cholesterol.
- May Boost Your Energy – Thanks to the stimulant properties of this powerful tea, it can give an excellent energy boost at any time of day. This can help people overcome fatigue, particularly if they suffer from sleep disorders, and if you space out cups throughout the day, it can significantly elevate your performance and behavior. [rx]
- May Aid in Weight Loss – There is a slight appetite-suppressing quality to this tea, which is good news for people who are trying to lose weight. Furthermore, the B-family vitamins found in coca tea can help stimulate the metabolism, which increases passive fat-burning, so you will be less tempted to overeat, and also burn more calories throughout the day! [rx] The intake of coca tea suppresses appetite (rx). This also may contribute to weight loss. Anecdotal evidence suggests that drinking tea regularly may increase the body’s natural ability to burn fat.
- May Improve Gastrointestinal Health – Coca tea is well known to soothe the stomach, and many people simply chew on the leaves to settle indigestion and relieve cramping or bloating. However, the same effects can be achieved by drinking this tea. More specifically, this tea can help prevent nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea when consumed regularly. [rx]
- May Aid in Managing Diabetes – The collection of nutrients in coca tea, such as vitamin A, iron, and calcium, are known to be excellent for regulating blood sugar levels, helping to prevent this condition in those who regularly drink the tea. However, one of the side effects of coca tea is also complications involved in diabetic patients, so before adding coca tea to your health regimen, speak to your doctor. [rx]
- May Help Improve Immune System – Some of the vitamins found in coca tea are able to give the immune system a much-needed boost. Vitamin C alone can stimulate the production of white blood cells and act as an antioxidant to counter the negative effects of free radicals and prevent infections throughout the body.
- May Soothe Altitude Sickness – One of the classic uses of coca tea is to counter the symptoms of altitude sickness. In the Andes mountains, where a great deal of coca tea is consumed, being high in the mountains is a part of life. However, nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness are common symptoms of living in the clouds. Coca tea can help soothe those symptoms and normalize the body to high altitudes. [rx]
- May Help Alleviate Drug Addiction – In recent decades, coca tea has been used to alleviate symptoms of addiction. By giving the body small amounts of cocaine, it can help to wean the body off the substance and is praised as an effective means of breaking cocaine addiction in many different people. Again, due to the illegality of both cocaine and coca leaves in many nations, this particular health benefit is understandably complicated. [rx]
- May Boost Digestion – Some theories suggest that individuals often use coca tea for its purported stimulant properties (rx). The leaves contain carbohydrates, calories, minerals, and vitamins that offer energy to the user (rx). This tea’s stimulatory effect is similar to coffee. But coca leaves lack caffeine – their tea could be ideal for those intolerant to caffeine.
- Natural Anaesthetics and Analgesics – Indigenous people use coca leaves as anesthetics and analgesics, to eliminate pain from headaches, rheumatism, wounds, etc. It is also used to eliminate pain during childbirth and broken bone therapy. Before modern anesthetic drugs were found, coca leaves were used as an anesthetic in trepanation operations (making holes on the skull, a tradition of indigenous people in the Andes).
- Prevents Anemia and Mountain Sickness – Mountain sickness is often caused by the lack of oxygen in the blood, which often resulted in shortness of breath, headache, and even death. Healthy red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. One of the health benefits of the coca leaf is rich in iron, which is essential for the production of healthy red blood cells.
- May Boost The Immune System – Coca tea leaves contain various minerals and vitamins (rx). These may play a role in boosting your immune system. Through direct research is lacking, the rich nutrients in the tea may help in this regard.
- May Alleviate Altitude Sickness – Coca tea has been used to relieve the various symptoms of altitude sickness for centuries. A study conducted by SUNY Upstate Medical University found that consumption of coca leaf products may decrease high altitude sickness (rx). Another study conducted on 136 travelers found that the intake of coca tea reduces altitude sickness (rx). Coca tea may help in improving the oxygen uptake and blood flow at high altitudes.
- High in Calcium – Daily intake of high calcium foods is needed for healthy bones and teeth and prevents us to get osteoporosis. The indigenous people recognize that coca leaves have the health benefits of curing broken bones, probably because of high calcium contents and the anesthetic effect. Some factories in the Andes region use extracts as ingredients in toothpaste, due to its high calcium content.
- Stops Bleeding – Coca leaves have astringent and vasoconstrictor properties. Indigenous people often use mashed coca leaves to stop bleeding from wounds. Crushed cocoa seeds and leaves can be used to stop nosebleeds. Women who just give birth drink coca leaves tea to reduce pain, prevent uterine hemorrhage, and as a general tonic.
- Treatment of Access – Coca leaves have the health benefits of curing boils and abscesses. Indigenous people put the mashed leaves on the affected area and cover it with a bandage, to prevent it from falling down. To accelerate the healing process and eliminate the pain, they drink coca tea or chew the leaves too.
- Treatment of Malaria – One of the health benefits of coca leaf that has been known by indigenous people is to cure malaria. The astringent and analgesic properties reduce fever, plus other mineral and vitamin compounds help killing Plasmodium in the body and accelerate the healing process.
- As Aphrodisiac Until now, people around the Andes mountains believe that consuming coca tea every day can cure low libido, due to the high contents of minerals and vitamins needed for the reproduction system to work normally.
In ancient times, couples who could not conceive any child were given coca leaves decoction, to make sexual performance better so they could conceive soon. The stimulant effect also helps a lot, it reduces stress, the main problem causing low libido these days.
How to Make Coca Tea?
You can make your own coca tea if coca leaves are legal in your country and easily accessible. Most preparations call for using whole leaves, as plenty of the active ingredients will infuse the tea without crushing or cutting the leaves. Due to the stimulant and potentially addicting qualities of coca tea, 1-2 cups per day is the recommended limit. Although people in South America often drink this tea throughout the day, this can result in a number of negative side effects. In most parts of the world where coca leaves are legal, you will need to buy dried coca leaves, but fresh leaves are always best for a powerful brew.
Coca Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp cocoa leaves (2 teaspoons for a stronger tea)
- 1 cup of water (filtered)
- 1 tsp of organic honey (if desired)
Instructions
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To make coca tea, bring a cup of water to a boil, and then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer.
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Add the coca leaves to the hot water (target temperature – 195 degrees F).
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Allow the mixture to brew for 4-5 minutes; the longer it steeps, the stronger the tea.
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Strain the mixture into a cup, separating out the leaves. Add honey, if desired, and enjoy the soothing infusion!
There will be some sediment at the bottom of the cup; for the full effect of this tea, drink it all the way to the bottom! Coca tea is rich in natural alkaloids and it would be best if you could consume it on an empty stomach, between meals or before and after a light meal. Avoid boiling it as that would affect its alkaloid content and eventually the flavor of the tea. Additionally, do not add milk to this tea and avoid consuming it with other milk products like cheese or yogurt.
- Natural source of antioxidants (40x more than blueberries!)
- High in iron, magnesium, zinc, and other vitamins and minerals.
- Caffeine-free. Organic. Gluten-free. Vegan. Diabetic-friendly.
- Great for tea lovers, chocolate lovers, and those passionate about health and wellness.
- Large 4 oz bag of organic cacao tea
Side Effects of Coca Tea
There are a number of serious side effects to coca tea, including many effects from the stimulant compounds in these leaves. People with certain health conditions should also avoid using this tea.
- Irritability – When this stimulant tea is drunk in excess, it can result in irritability and excitability, primarily due to the concentration of cocaine, which is a very powerful stimulant drug. However, when taken in moderation, this tea does little more than a strong cup of coffee. [rx]
- Headaches – Similar to a caffeine crash, the powerful stimulant properties in coca tea can result in a headache shortly after consuming the tea, or once the effects begin to wear off. Again, this is seen more often when the tea is consumed in excess (e.g., more than 2-3 cups per day).
- Heart Health – Occasionally, people have reported irregular heartbeats and palpitations when drinking coca tea, as the stimulant compounds can put a strain on the cardiovascular system. People with high blood pressure or heart disease should not use this tea.
- Pregnancy – Under no circumstances should this tea be consumed while pregnant, as it is directly linked with the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Furthermore, it has also been linked to miscarriages in South American populations. Breastfeeding mothers should also not drink coca tea, as the volatile compounds can be passed to infants, which can be very dangerous.
- Addiction – If you drink coca tea in large amounts, it is possible to become “addicted” to it. While a chemical process is required to extract cocaine in high concentrations from the same leaves, drinking this tea every day can result in minor withdrawal symptoms after you stop using the drug.
SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS & WARNINGS
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding – It’s UNSAFE to inhale coca or take it by mouth if you are pregnant. The cocaine in coca might cause a miscarriage or birth defects. Coca use is also associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It’s also UNSAFE to inhale coca or take it by mouth if you are breastfeeding. Cocaine is excreted into breast milk, and harmful effects can occur in infants breast-fed by mothers who were recently exposed to cocaine.
- Asthma: The cocaine in coca can make asthma worse. Don’t use it.
- Heart disease: The cocaine in coca can make heart disease worse. Don’t use it.
- Diabetes: Coca or the coca constituent cocaine might increase blood sugar levels in some people. Coca might affect blood sugar control in people with diabetes.
- High blood pressure (hypertension): Coca or the coca constituent cocaine might increase blood pressure in some people. People prone to high blood pressure should avoid using it.
- History of stroke or at risk for stroke: If you have a history of stroke or are at high risk for having a stroke, do not use coca. The cocaine in coca increases the chance of dying from a broken blood vessel in the brain.
A condition called plasma pseudocholinesterase deficiency (PPD): People with PPD are more likely than others to have seizures and/or die after using cocaine.
INTERACTIONS
AlcoholInteraction Rating:
- Major – Do not take this combination. Coca contains cocaine. Cocaine can affect your thinking. Alcohol can also affect your thinking. Do not take coca if you have been drinking alcohol.
- Nifedipine – Interaction Rating
- Major – Do not take this combination. Coca contains cocaine. Taking cocaine with nifedipine increases the risk of serious side effects such as seizures.
- Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) – Interaction Rating:
- Moderate – Be cautious with this combination. Talk with your health provider. Coca might increase blood sugar. Diabetes medications are used to lower blood sugar. By increasing blood sugar, coca might decrease the effectiveness of diabetes medications. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed. Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
- Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) – Interaction Rating:
- Moderate – Be cautious with this combination. Talk with your health provider. Coca might increase blood pressure. Antihypertensive medications are used to lower blood pressure. By increasing blood pressure, coca might decrease the effectiveness of antihypertensive medications. Monitor your blood pressure closely. Some antihypertensive medications include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), Amlodipine (Norvasc), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.
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