1 History

Hoja santa, also known as the pepper leaf (Piper auritum), is a large shrub with bright green hearty shaped leaves native to Mexico, Central America, the West Indies and northern South America. It is used by indigenous Mexicans for medicinal and culinary purposes. The ancient Aztecs were first to be known for using hoja santa for ritual purposes and flavoring their chocolate drinks due to the bitterness. A common myth around the hoja santa name is that the leaves were used by the Virgin Mary to dry Christ Child’s fresh clean laundry on the hoja santa leaves. The aromatic herb is used as medicine by the Nahuatl tribes to treat coughs, rheumatism, and complaints. Different kinds of moody behaviors were considered an illness that a shaman would be able to cure with hoja santa. As we’ve learned, food is medicine, and you can find hoja santa in stews, seasonal soups, meats, and other dishes among the indigenous tribes of Mexico. Today, the use of hoja santa outside of Mexico is becoming popular because of its medicinal properties. The Afro-Mexicans, traditionally, use hoja santa to treat ailments, especially, as a tea to help cure digestive problems, or any stomach discomfort. The healing herb used by Afro-Mexicans and indigenous Mexicans is a perfect example of a blend of knowledge used together. Using hoja santa has been passed down through generations of Afro-Mexican families.