Postcard from Mexico: Damiana Liqueur - Herbal Aphrodisiac or Urban Legend? by Jill Dutton of Chilled Magazine

Ever wondered if a plant could enhance the romance in your life? In this "Postcard," we'll take you on a journey to unearth the enigmatic tale of the Damiana plant and its mythical spirit - Damiana Liqueur. As we traverse the rugged terrains of Baja California Sur, Mexico, where this shrub thrives, we'll hear the locals' intriguing anecdotes of love and well-being, all attributed to the sweet, herbal liqueur that has been a part of their lore for generations. Despite the lack of scientific evidence, the claims of its medicinal properties, from curing stress and insomnia to its most sensational claim of being an aphrodisiac, are too intriguing to be ignored.

In the latest segment of Postcards, we'll not only discover the mythical spirit but also experiment with creating a homemade Damiana tincture. You'll find out how to extract the essences from Damiana, so you can also delve into the world of herbal tinctures. The thrill of adventure, the mystery of an urban legend, and the allure of an aphrodisiac - this episode is set to transport you to the enchanting streets of La Paz, Mexico, right from the comfort of your home. So, put on your headphones, prepare your favorite cocktail, and join me as we unfold the mystique of Damiana Liqueur.

Read the original article: Is Damiana Liqueur an Herbal Aphrodisiac or Urban Legend? | Chilled Magazine

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome, fellow wanderers, to a delightful
addition to the Global Journeyswith Jill Dutton podcast
introducing Postcards yourpassport to bite-sized travel
tales.
I'm Jill Dutton, your guide inthis audio expedition, and I'm
thrilled to embark on thesejourneys with you.
In this new segment, postcards,we're flipping through the
vibrant pages of travel,offering you quick glimpses into

(00:26):
the captivating world thatawaits beyond our doorsteps.
These audio snapshots aredesigned to be your pocket-sized
companions, perfect for thosemoments when you yearn for a
touch of wanderlust but areshort on time.
While our traditionalfull-length episodes will
continue to immerse you in therich narratives of the
individuals I've encounteredduring my travels, postcards
steps into the spotlight as afrequent rendezvous with travel

(00:48):
essentials brief, insightful andready to transport you to
far-flung corners of the globe.
But further ado, welcome tothis installment of Postcards.
Postcard Mexico Damiana LeCourHerbal Aphrodisiac or Urban
Legend by Jill Dutton of ChilledMagazine.

(01:12):
Before departing on a recenttrip to La Paz, mexico, I heard
about a mythical spirit calledDamiana LeCour.
Always interested in herbalremedies and tinctures, I was
eager to taste and learn moreabout this LeCour made from the
Damiana plant that grows well inBaja California Sur's desert
climate.
It's said that the Damianaplant has certain medicinal

(01:32):
properties.
Locals sip the LeCour eitherneat or mixed in cocktails to
cure ailments such as stress,insomnia and aches and pains.
But its most sensational claimis that this sweet herbal LeCour
is an Aphrodisiac.
I knew I wanted to taste it formyself.
Damiana is a small shrub thatcan be found in the rocky

(01:53):
hillsides of Baja California,sur Mexico and other desert
regions.
In addition to itsamour-enhancing benefits, the
herb is said to improvedigestion, treat constipation
and create an overall sense ofwell-being.
The Aphrodisiac aspects of theremedy are believed to come into
play because the herbstimulates the intestinal tract,

(02:13):
bringing oxygen to the genitalarea for both men and women.
As there isn't any scientificdata behind these benefits,
mainly what you'll hear when youask about the plant are tall
tales of love found afteringesting the LeCour.
According to Healthline,damiana is a low-growing plant
with yellow flowers and fragrantleaves.
In addition to Mexico, it'snative to subtropical climates

(02:37):
like southern Texas, central andSouth America and the Caribbean
.
Its medicinal uses predatewritten history.
Healthline says that by thetime the Spanish crossed the
Atlantic, indigenous cultureshad been using it for centuries
as an Aphrodisiac and bladdertonic.
Spanish missionaries noticedthat native tribes would brew a

(02:57):
Damiana tea with sugar tostimulate sexual performance.
Although there aren't humanstudies, laboratory tests
performed on rats showedincreased sexual performance in
both males and females, but inparticular those with sexual
dysfunction.
Still, both sexes exhibitedincreased sexual activity.
Although the Damiana plant isgenerally safe and non-toxic,

(03:21):
like any herbal remedy, itshouldn't be consumed during
pregnancy, while breastfeedingor by anyone with diabetes.
The Damiana plant creates asweet, minty, woody LeCour.
Locals like to sip it on therocks, take it as a shot or in
place of triple sec or simplesyrup in a margarita.
Many consider it the perfectsecret ingredient to the drink

(03:43):
and others profess that theoriginal margarita was created
using Damiana LeCour.
You can purchase the LeCourstraight, or some distillers are
mixing the essence of Damianawith a tequila base for a more
potent drink.
As I have an interest intinctures, I was excited to
learn how to extract theessences from Damiana to create
a homemade tincture.

(04:03):
Simply fill a jar with theleaves of the herb, cover with a
liter of vodka and let sit forat least 10 days.
I like to give the jar a goodshake each day and keep it out
of direct sunlight.
After a couple weeks, strainthe mixture through a coffee
filter to remove the plantpieces.
You can use the tincture tomake a cup of tea by placing one
drop or full of the alcohol ina cup of hot water with honey.

(04:25):
To make a LeCour, add the vodkato 500 ml of water, warm the
infused water and add 1-2 cupsof honey until dissolved, bottle
the liquor to enjoy at yourleisure.
If you'd rather not go to thetrouble to create the LeCour
yourself, you can purchase abottle at a liquor store or
online.
Heading back to the States,after my visit to La Paz, I

(04:47):
stopped at the airport liquorstore to ask about Damiana
LeCour.
The gentleman quickly offeredme a sample.
I told him I'd heard storiesabout its potent aphrodisiac
qualities and said it might notbe the best drink to taste
before boarding an airplane.
He told me oh, drink it andfind out.
I'm single Now.
That's a good salesman.
He poured me a small shot ofagaveiro, a blend of 100% agave

(05:10):
reposado and anahejo chiles withadded Damiana flower essence.
It was sweet and woody, but Ionly took a small sip, still
worried about the consequences.
The gentleman allayed my fearsand told me in confidence that
it's really a myth.
He said tradition has it thatguests would give the bride and
groom a bottle of Damiana LeCouras a wedding present to enhance

(05:31):
their honeymoon and increasethe odds of fertility.
Whether it's based on lore ornot, people who enjoy the LeCour
believe in its benefits.
Now distributed in the UnitedStates, you don't have to visit
Mexico to sit on the beach andsip this sweet, mythical LeCour,
but it might be worth a tripsouth of the border just for the
experience.
Jill Dutton is the publisher ofEvolving Magazine, the podcast

(05:54):
host at Global Journeys withJill Dutton and a freelance
travel writer atGlobalJourneyswithjildedtoncom.
Thank you for joining us onthis episode of Global Journeys
with Jill Dutton.
Until next time, may yourtravels be filled with endless
curiosity, open-heartedencounters and transformative
adventures.
Safe travels, fellow explorers,and keep wandering.