I was kind of lazy today, reading a lot (I just finished the first Harry Potter book in Spanish), and only going out to have a nice farewell-Sucre-lunch.
So I'll take the opportunity to write about coca leaves in Bolivia. What most people know about coca leaves is that they are used to produce cocaine. But that's not what most Bolivians consume, of course. In fact, there are different kinds of coca leaves: one is good for cocaine production, and another is used for regular consumption.
While cocaine is illegal in Bolivia, too, unprocessed coca leaves are legal and extremely widespread. The most common use is to leave them in the mouth and let the saliva extract some substances. When eaten, they function as a laxative, so most people spit out the used leaves after a while. To accelerate the process of extraction, some people add bicarbonate powder as a catalyst. Another variant is to make Mate de Coca, a coca leaf tea.
So why are people in Bolivia so crazy about coca leaves? For a variety of effects, actually. The leaves are said to help against head and stomach aches, reduce hunger, increase alertness, improve the body's oxygen intake, and combat altitude sickness.
Personally, I have only experienced one of these effects: improved oxygen intake. One of the effects of altitude is that there is less oxygen in the air. Especially when doing any physically taxing activity, it often feels as though there isn't enough air in a breath. That's also why you get out of breath really quickly. So especially when hiking at a high altitude, I felt that coca leaves alleviated my breathing.
I haven't had altitude sickness or aches so far, so I can't say if coca leaves help or not, and I suspect that a higher concentration of coca leaves than I've been using would be necessary for the other two effects.
Coca leaves are available at every market, sometimes at dedicated stalls, sometimes together with other herbs and spices. A small bag that would last me for about two weeks (if I constantly used them) costs 5 bolivianos (about 50 euro cents). The miners in Potosí eat the same quantity in a single day, however, and that's why I suspect that you need higher quantities to experience a reduction of hunger and fatigue.
According to the Bolivian people I've talked to, chewing coca leaves is neither addictive nor harmful in any other way. I'm not so sure, however - the effects sound as if they could at least cause psychological addiction. However, I can understand why people like coca leaves: it definitely beats the feeling that you're gonna suffocate after taking two quick steps ;-)
So I'll take the opportunity to write about coca leaves in Bolivia. What most people know about coca leaves is that they are used to produce cocaine. But that's not what most Bolivians consume, of course. In fact, there are different kinds of coca leaves: one is good for cocaine production, and another is used for regular consumption.
While cocaine is illegal in Bolivia, too, unprocessed coca leaves are legal and extremely widespread. The most common use is to leave them in the mouth and let the saliva extract some substances. When eaten, they function as a laxative, so most people spit out the used leaves after a while. To accelerate the process of extraction, some people add bicarbonate powder as a catalyst. Another variant is to make Mate de Coca, a coca leaf tea.
So why are people in Bolivia so crazy about coca leaves? For a variety of effects, actually. The leaves are said to help against head and stomach aches, reduce hunger, increase alertness, improve the body's oxygen intake, and combat altitude sickness.
Personally, I have only experienced one of these effects: improved oxygen intake. One of the effects of altitude is that there is less oxygen in the air. Especially when doing any physically taxing activity, it often feels as though there isn't enough air in a breath. That's also why you get out of breath really quickly. So especially when hiking at a high altitude, I felt that coca leaves alleviated my breathing.
I haven't had altitude sickness or aches so far, so I can't say if coca leaves help or not, and I suspect that a higher concentration of coca leaves than I've been using would be necessary for the other two effects.
Coca leaves are available at every market, sometimes at dedicated stalls, sometimes together with other herbs and spices. A small bag that would last me for about two weeks (if I constantly used them) costs 5 bolivianos (about 50 euro cents). The miners in Potosí eat the same quantity in a single day, however, and that's why I suspect that you need higher quantities to experience a reduction of hunger and fatigue.
According to the Bolivian people I've talked to, chewing coca leaves is neither addictive nor harmful in any other way. I'm not so sure, however - the effects sound as if they could at least cause psychological addiction. However, I can understand why people like coca leaves: it definitely beats the feeling that you're gonna suffocate after taking two quick steps ;-)
