Drug info - yerba matte and mate de coca ?

[ejbot]

swim's girlfriend introduced this to him a few days ago. swim really likes the taste / mild uplifting effects for this great for mornings tea. she says its made of coca leaves, is this true? if so does anyone know if its pure coca leaves or a mixture? swim interested in any information on this tea, it is sold by the pound at swim's health food store.

[Benga]

three options :

yerba mate, Ilex paraguariensis, "national drink" of Argentina, which is drunk with a little pot and straw plunged into the leaves, very rich in caffeine, very pleasant, no coca.

mate de coca, or coca tea : created in Peru using "mate" as this is a well known term in south america : 100% coca leaves, ground and placed in teabags, many different brands in Peru, Bolivia and Colombia. It comes from the traditional infusion of coca leaves, adapted to the more european teabag custom.

a mixture of mate de coca and yerba mate and possibily something else this exists and is manufactured in Bolivia, Trimate is a three ingredient example etc

if it is sold by the pound at the healthfood store, the answer is number 1 : yerba mate, a very good way of drinking caffeine, much better than coffee anyway ( no jitters).

similar question answered here :
http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35765

b

[novo]

I agree that yerba mate is a pleasurable effect with less jitters than coffee. Another interesting plant for those who like yerba mate and want a caffeine containing plant that can grow in much colder conditions is the Yaupon holly, Illex vomitoria. Once commonly used in ritual by eastern North American natives and later by others as a tea. I read in an old ethnobotanical catalog that the seeds contain up to 7% caffeine, though this was the only place I have read that the seeds could be used. I think coffee has about 2% caffeine. Normally it is the young leaves of the Yaupon holly are collected in the spring, and toasted until dry.