What is coca tea?
What exactly is coca tea, and what are its effects? Coca tea is an herbal tea made from leaves of the Peruvian coca plant. It is a beverage that has been consumed by the Incas for a very long time, partly because of its stimulating effect.
Coca is a plant from the Erythroxyplacea family. This plant actually grows only in the northwestern part of South America, and even then at high altitudes. In Bolivia and Peru, coca is drunk as tea, but people also chew the leaves, for example. It gives miners extra energy to keep going, and it’s also chewed to combat altitude sickness.
How do you make the tea?
After being picked, the leaves of the coca plant are dried and finely ground into a powder. Mate de Coca, the coca tea you’ll find in the Dutch Smart lineup, contains no other ingredients. So you’re getting nothing but the natural, finely ground leaves. You use the tea bags the same way you would with regular tea. Pour boiling or hot water over the bag and let it steep for a few minutes so the flavor and active ingredients can infuse into the water. Start your day with a cup of coca tea or use it to get back on track after that familiar “mid-afternoon slump” between 3 and 4 p.m.!
You can drink coca tea with or without sugar; it depends a bit on your personal preference. Users often tell us that coca tea tastes similar to green tea. Not everyone feels the effects of the tea immediately; you may need two or more cups to really get that energetic feeling.
Coca—is that the same as cocaine?
It’s true: in principle, you can make cocaine from coca leaves. Cocaine was first extracted from the leaves in 1859. Cocaine is illegal in the Netherlands, but is coca tea allowed? Fortunately, the answer to this question is yes. Coca tea powder, also known as Mate de Coca, is a harmless stimulant that is not addictive and simply has a stimulating effect (just like, for example, energy drinks or espresso). So you can legally buy and use coca tea. The only thing to keep in mind when using it is that it’s a hot beverage, so you need to be careful! Other than that, you can just enjoy it.
Of course, you can buy coca tea right here at Dutch Smart. Check out our wide selection, and feel free to ask any questions you may have! You can reach us at support@dutch-smart.nl or by calling 085-7827555.
