Coca Mate - Interesting to try

[Roxana]

Coca leaves are chewed by locals at Salta and Jujuy. It is well known that the the chewing of the leaves "sleeps" the stomach of the person who is chewing. Most low class workers chew coca leaves instead of eating food.

 

[SingForAbsolution]

From what I read, acidic substances, such as lemon juice for example, can activate the alkaloids in the cocoa leaves. Taken together, you will feel a difference than if you just have the cocoa leaves plain or in tea. It still obviously would be nothing like doing a line though.

 

[SingForAbsolution]

Well then...I will have to have some lemon in my cocoa tea tomorrow and see what happens.

Actually I take that back. Thinking back I remember reading about using lime, which is why I told you lemon juice. What I had actually read was the material lime (calcium-containing inorganic materials). This section from wikipedia clarifies, and also mentions what FeelGoodLost most likely saw:

The alkali component, usually kept in a gourd (ishcupuro or poporo), can be made by burning limestone to form unslaked quicklime, burning quinoa stalks, or the bark from certain trees, and may be called ilipta, tocra or mambe depending on its composition.[7][8] Many of these materials are salty in flavor, but there are variations. The most common base in the La Paz area of Bolivia is a product known as lejía dulce (sweet lye), which is made from quinoa ashes mixed with aniseed and cane sugar, forming a soft black putty with a sweet and pleasing flavor. In some places, baking soda is used under the name bico.

When I travelled to Salta and Jujuy I remember seeing an equal amount of signs for "bico" as for hojas de cocoa. I never tried the bico though so I can't give any anecdotes.

 

[sam3g]

Now if I want to bring some of these coca mate back home to u.s. will I be arrested for importing cocaine ??? will cocaine show up in my blood if i get a drug tested at work??

I went to the Coca museum in La Paz and learned that Coca leaves contain small amounts of cocaine. That white stuff you shove up your nose is really just concentrated cocaine mixed with the shitty chemicals used to extract it from many kilograms of leaves.

 

[EvanB]

brought boxes of mate de coca back from Peru to NY on several occasions and never had a problem