Historical note: Here’s the post I published on this site way back in 2013.  Little could I have known then about the mini phenomenon I would create, and all the joy (and pain) it takes to run a tea shop that became both an obsession and life calling.  Here it is, warts and all…

Coca Tea and Me

For much of my adult life, I have suffered from tiredness, lethargy and, though I did not know it until recently, depression.  Had I known about Coca Tea years before, I would have saved myself years of drudging through life an always-tired zombie!

For years I struggled with heavy-limbed tiredness, where even everyday tasks were a chore. Because I did not know any other way, I thought this was normal… Or at least normal for someone like me – not terribly physically active or fit, and whose diet could be better.

I have always had an interest in herbs and supplements, preferring these as alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs wherever possible. I have a background in science and do rather enjoy researching for herbal remedies on the Internet.

Discovering Coca Tea

One day I came across a so-called caffeine-free health tea. Legal in Peru, the country of origin.  I found coca tea powder, as well as coca tea bags, were available, just like any other regular herbal tea, In fact, this type of tea is a regular supermarket item, purchasable by anyone of any age.  This led me to think that the people of Peru would never make a product so freely available if it was dangerous.

But still, I was a bit sceptical.  The supposed benefits from this tea seemed too good to be true…

• Increased energy and mental alertness
• Decreased appetite whilst being highly nutritious
• Acted as a mood stabiliser and enhancer
• Regulated blood pressure and blood glucose levels

…and many others.

This beverage is known as “mate de coca” over in Spanish-speaking Peru, or more simply in our tongue, coca tea.

After my initial research, I realised that coca tea is indeed consumed regularly across many parts of South America and has been for many thousands of years. I also learned that it is made from the plant where the deadly drug cocaine comes from.

Wait!  What??

Deadly Drug or Healthy Drink?

I’m sure you have heard of cocaine, and know that it is not a healthy substance! It is a highly addictive and dangerous drug and should be avoided at all costs.

However, something about the coca tea intrigued me, and so I continued my research. I had various questions in my mind…

• How much cocaine is there really in coca tea?
• What else is there in the tea that might bring the supposed health benefits?
• If it comes from the coca plant, does that mean it’s illegal to have here in Australia or New Zealand?

It turns out that there is very little cocaine in coca tea (even though some people mistakenly call it the “cocaine plant”).  As far as I can tell, it has about 0.1% cocaine content.

I found some laboratory analysis data, which showed that coca tea has many beneficial alkaloids.  Alkaloids are a class of substances that are, broadly, opposite to acids.  14 beneficial alkaloids have been isolated in coca.  Click here for a list of coca alkaloids, and the effects they are known for.

I discovered also that the coca plant has an exceptional nutrition profile. It has many vitamins and trace elements that the body needs.

I read that the coca leaf has been chewed, and used as a tea in South American countries like Peru and Bolivia for hundreds if not thousands of years.

Coca Tea Australia/New Zealand?

Apparently, the tea is drunk regularly by all age groups… In fact, it is a supermarket item. So why was this apparently harmless drink not available in New Zealand or Australia? Well, you may have guessed the answer – it’s because cocaine is made from coca leaves, and in Australia/New Zealand, as well as many other countries, coca products are totally banned.

I was disappointed. Up to this point, I had become very keen to try it, as it sounded like just the right thing I needed to boost my energy levels.

I decided I was going to risk it, so I ordered some coca tea from an online store in Peru. To my surprise, it cleared Customs, and arrived on my doorstep several weeks after my order. I immediately put on the kettle, made two cups of tea, and drank one after the other.

Day by day, I continued to drink the tea at least once or twice per day. After three days, I knew I had found the remedy to my tiredness – I felt much less tired and had a lot more energy than before (* please see disclaimer at the bottom of this page).  I started exercising again after a very long break. I also discovered that my writer’s block had disappeared and that the “brain fog” that I was so used to living with had all but disappeared.

Too Good to be True?

I started to realise that everything I read about coca tea was true. After all, I was sceptical. I had read before about supplements or herbal remedies that promised to fix one thing or another, but what I had read about coca tea was that it was a remedy from many things, and it just seemed too good to be true.

Well, I’m here to say that it is true! I have been drinking coca tea on and off for the last several years and it has improved my life and my health immeasurably.

And it can help you too. I am such a devotee that I decided to create this website to let other people know that there does exist a natural substance that really can make a huge difference and that it is safe.

But it’s illegal (kind of, the laws aren’t as black and white as they’d appear) in this country, and that is something that I find very sad. On one hand I understand that cocaine is a terribly dangerous addictive and deadly drug. But coca tea is none of these things.

I liken it to poppy seeds versus heroin. Heroin is also deadly, but are poppy seeds?

Mike, the Tea Lover

* Disclaimer:

The information provided on this web site is only intended to be general information for the public. It is based upon personal experience and research. It is not our intention to provide specific medical advice, instead we provide users with information to help them better understand how the mentioned product might impact upon their health or diagnosed conditions. We strongly suggest users to consult with a qualified health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their personal medical questions.