coca tea question
 

I will be in Cuzco and the Sacred Valley this summer. I've read all the posts about altitude but here is a new question for you. Does the coca tea make one "speedy" or "jumpy" like caffeine does? I know cocaine is a stimulant. I don't drink coffee and avoid caffeinated beverages, although a small amount (like in chocolate) doesn't bother me. But a cup of strong coffee would make me jumpy out of my skin, so I am wondering about the effect of the coca tea.

Thanks!

I noticed little to no effect. It tastes like green tea. If you can handle regular tea, you can handle coca tea.

I also did not feel any jumpy side effects of the tea. I usually drank 3 cups a day. And it does taste like green tea. The best advice we got was to drink a cup upon our arrival to Cusco then take a one hour nap. (We had flown all night) We did that and did really well with the altitude. Have a great trip, we loved it.

Thanks, that's good to know. And if you could take a nap right after drinking the tea, it can't be too much of a stimulant!

The tea didn't effect me but I got a bit of a buzz when I chewed the leaves---especially with this "catalyst" ash derived from the remnants of the cocoa--not coca--plant. You put the ash in the leaves and chew them together. A local showed my friend and I how to do this. It wears off quickly--but boy you don't feel the altitude effects at all for a little while!