Mate de coca
noun - Mate de coca or coca tea is an herbal tea 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 Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and especially in Peru, where it is consumed all around the country. It is greenish yellow in color and has a mild bitter flavor similar to green tea with a more organic sweetness.
Mate de coca is legal in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, and Chile. However, its use is being discouraged in part by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Coca tea is illegal in the United States unless it is decocainized.
Medicinal and traditional uses
Many Andean indigenous peoples use the tea for medicinal purposes and is often recommended for travelers in the Andes to prevent altitude sickness.
