Kola Nut

What is kola nut? 

Native to tropical Africa, Cola nitida is a tall tree with yellow blossoms that turn into reddish-brown, walnut-sized seeds. The seeds are known as "kola nuts," and while they taste bitter and have caffeine content, they are a symbol of friendliness and peace in many cultures. People traditionally ate little bits of the nut before meals to aid in digestion. Because of their many health benefits, kola nuts have been utilized for thousands of years in African traditional medicine. Often, they undergo extraction or infusion.

Native to tropical Africa, the enormous kola tree may reach heights of 40 feet (13 meters). Its yellow blossoms with a hint of purple bear reddish-brown, almost flavorless, walnut-sized seeds that are high in caffeine. The tree is also known as ghanja cola and belongs to the family Sterculiaceae.

The kola nut tree is regarded by the Igbo tribe of southern Nigeria as the original tree (and fruit) on the planet. They see the nut as a symbol of generosity, hospitality, and brotherhood. To aid digestion, people in Western Africa chew a little piece of nut before each meal. Portuguese merchants brought it to Europe in the middle of the 16th century. People also claim that the nut can improve the taste of any cuisine and lessen the effects of drinking polluted water.

As its name implies, kola is a key component of many classic colas. The nut is often steeped in alcohol to create tinctures in herbal medicine. Despite its bitterness, you can drink it as tea and take the powder as a capsule. After many years of being the primary component of cola beverages, kola nuts are now mostly utilized as a flavoring.

How do I use kola nuts?

The kola nut is consumed during rites and rituals in certain African nations. You can also use it to sweeten your breath. In the West, kola nuts are sometimes used as a flavoring for carbonated drinks. Additionally, kola nuts are used in energy drinks and performance boosters.

Kola Nut Benefits:

Caffeine is present in kola nuts. The heart, muscles, and central nervous system are all stimulated by caffeine. People use cola nuts to treat a wide range of ailments, including migraine headaches, depression, tiredness, diarrhea, and weight loss. However, scientific research does not provide strong support for these claims.

◉ Enhances Energy Levels: Caffeine, which is present in coffee and tea and stimulates the central nervous system, is abundant in kola nuts. Caffeine increases energy, attention, and alertness by changing the way certain neurotransmitters in the brain function. Furthermore, research suggests that small doses of caffeine may improve mood, cognitive performance, and endurance while lowering feelings of exhaustion.

◉ May Increase Weight Loss: Some studies indicate that the kola nut may aid in weight reduction, mostly because of its caffeine concentration. This benefit is due to the fact that caffeine has been shown to boost metabolism by increasing daily caloric expenditure. Additionally, it could aid in reducing calorie consumption, which would be advantageous for weight reduction.

Kola nuts may even help promote weight loss in people, as one Nigerian animal model revealed that giving them to mice resulted in substantial decreases in body weight and food consumption when compared to a control group.

◉ Could Help Treat Migraines: For many years, people have turned to caffeine as a natural cure to provide immediate relief from headaches and migraines. It works by narrowing blood vessels in the brain, which might lessen pain and blood flow. A study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain found that when aspirin or ibuprofen were used in addition to over-the-counter drugs, coffee greatly reduced the symptoms of tension headaches and migraines. 

Kola nuts have historically been used to cure a wide range of ailments, from indigestion to morning sickness, as well as headaches and migraines. Additional research is necessary to assess the benefits of kola nuts and to determine whether they can be used to cure or prevent headaches.

◉ Stabilizes blood sugar: Numerous recent investigations have focused on the possible connection between diabetes and kola nuts. In a 2019 animal model, kola nut extract was shown to have potent anti-diabetic effects and may lower blood sugar levels when given to rats, as reported in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.

Furthermore, administration of kola nut extract was shown to enhance the functionality of the pancreatic beta cells, which are responsible for producing insulin.

Additionally, because kola nuts are high in caffeine, they may help maintain blood sugar balance. A thorough analysis published in the Archives of Internal Medicine even discovered a 7% reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes for every cup of coffee drunk daily.

Where can I buy kola nuts?

Buy kola nut from the health food store in the USA, Alive Herbals.

Kola Nut Information (at a glance):