Originally consumed without any processing, the chewing of coca leaves was popular among South American natives long before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. The leaves were chewed in a manner consistent with modern use of coffee, chewed for a small burst of energy or stamina. The Spanish explorers noticed how the natives used the coca leaves and themselves partook in some cases, but the practice of chewing the raw leaves did not become especially popular among Europeans. Coca's turning point in Europe came in 1860 when Albert Niemann extracted pure cocaine powder from coca leaves. -- Wikipedia