I did not chew coca leaves, Pope Francis

Pope Francis has denied claims that he chewed on coca leaves in his recent trip to Bolivia to cope with the effects of high altitude in La Paz, Bolivia

Pried by journalists as he flew back to the Vatican, the pontiff said that the secret to his energy in the South American tour was Mate – a traditional Argentinean tea.

Francis shrugged off claims by the Bolivian authorities that had earlier alluded to him requesting to chew coca to help him cope with the effects of high altitude.

The leaves are reportedly effective in alleviating nausea and vomiting in La Paz that lies 12,000ft above the sea level

Coca leaves – the raw ingredient for cocaine – have been chewed by the South American indigenous population for centuries as a stimulant and used for medical and religious purposes in Bolivia.

Bolivians don’t view coca in its natural state as a narcotic.