Coca tea, also called mate de coca, is a tisane (herbal tea) made using the (typically raw) leaves of the coca plant, which is native to northwestern 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 Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. It is greenish yellow in color and has a mild 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 Uruguay and Argentina.
Read more about Coca Tea: Alkaloid Content and Stimulant Properties, Legal Status, Medicinal and Traditional Uses
Famous quotes containing the word tea:
“Poor Henry, he’s spending eternity wandering round and round a stately park and the fence is just too high for him to peep over and they’re having tea just too far away for him to hear what the countess is saying.”
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1966)