It can technically be taken in both ways. Chewing them will definitely take away from the taste a little bit since these are very bitter unless processed. They can be chewed to reduce hunger, cure sleepovers, help with fatigue and sleepiness. In Africa, they are mostly taken through chewing only. In most other parts of the world, however, they are taken in some form of a liquid, either through popular soft drinks or by boiling and making into a tea form.