A group of international scientists recently discovered archaeological evidence in northwestern Peru showed that indigenous inhabitants of the South American nation had a habit of chewing coca leaves with lime 8,000 years ago, near Like the practice of betel and areca of Vietnam.
Leaf of coca . (Internet photo)
Archaeologists have found traces of chewed coca leaves mixed with limestone burned at the ancient village ruins of an Aboriginal community living by hunting.
This finding is thought to be quite unexpected, since archaeologists and anthropologists have long argued that colony leaf chewing has only been around 3,000 years ago with the Inca civilization.
Up to now, the chewing and medicine practice is still very popular among indigenous peoples living in the Andes in Peru and Bolivia. The coca leaf is a raw material attached to daily life and is even considered a sacred symbol of these communities.
According to scientists, coca leaves contain an organic compound called alcaloide , which works to reduce hunger, aid in digestion and reduce the neurological effects of the environment above or dilute oxygen.
The chewing of coca leaves with lime significantly increases the activity of alcaloide. Today, coca leaves are used as raw materials to produce Coca Cola and cocaine drinks.