To make kola nut tea, place 1 or 2 teaspoons of kola nut in an 8 oz. cup of water. Boil the mixture and let it cool for about 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the kola nut herbs and then drink. Due to its high caffeine content, kola nut tea should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women, as well as people with hypertension and heart disease.
What is Kola tea and where does it come from?
It is known also by the name of “Kola tea”—named after the kola nut found on the kola tree of Africa. If this name sounds familiar to you there is a good reason for it. The kola nut is the same caffeinated ingredient that led to the advent of the beloved, relaxing beverage Coca Cola.
What is a kola nut?
The kola nut is the fruit of the kola tree (Cola acuminata and Cola nitida), indigenous to West Africa. The trees, which reach heights of 40 to 60 feet, produce a star-shaped fruit. Each fruit contains between two and five kola nuts. About the size of a chestnut, this little fruit is packed with caffeine.
Does kola nut contain caffeine?
The kola nut comes from the evergreen kola tree and contains micronutrients. The kola nut contains about 2 to 3 percent caffeine and 1 to 2 percent theobromine, both of which act as stimulants when consumed. Caffeine is the stimulant often found in coffee and cola soft drinks.
What does Kola taste like?
The first taste is bitter, but it sweetens upon chewing. The nut can be boiled to extract the caffeine. Kola nuts contain about 2–4% caffeine and theobromine, as well as tannins, alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids. The kola nut has a bitter flavor and contains caffeine.
What is kola nut tea good for?
Aid to digestion: Kola nut powder and extract may help digestion. They are thought to promote the production of gastric acid, which increases digestive enzyme effectiveness in the stomach. Increase in circulation: The caffeine and theobromine in the kola nut may speed up the heart rate, which increases circulation.
What does kola nut cure?
Cola nut is used for short-term relief of fatigue, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), melancholy, lack of normal muscle tone (atony), exhaustion, dysentery, a type of diarrhea called atonic diarrhea, weight loss, and migraine headaches.
What does kola nut tea taste like?
Kola nuts have a bitter taste when chewed fresh. When they're dried, the taste becomes milder and they reportedly smell of nutmeg.
Is kola nut a drug?
They are drugs that increase the activities of the sympathetic nervous system and produce a sense of euphoria. They include substances such as caffeine (coffee, kola nut, proplus etc), cocaine, theophylin, khat, etc. Of these, the most widely consumed in the world is caffeine.
Is bitter kola good for kidney?
This study showed Garcinia kola (root bark, stem bark and seed) biflavonoid fractions can be used in the management of hyperlipidemia as the use has no deleterious effect on kidney function, body and organ weights.
What is bitter kola side effects?
Bitter kola also has health disadvantages and side effects. Bitter kola is rich in caffeine… and you know that caffeine is brain stimulant. Eating too much of bitter kola can cause tremors, poor sleep, restlessness, drowsiness, dizziness , and shakiness.
What are the benefits and side effects of bitter kola?
Bitter kola has been used over the years to fight infections from the common cold to hepatitis. A 2018 study showed that bitter kola can help combat coughs, bacterial infections, and viral infections. Eating bitter kola when an infection starts may help fight the infection and make you feel better more quickly.
Does kola nut taste like cola?
The kola nut is considered a cultural symbol in West Africa. Kola nuts don't really taste like soda. They're described as bitter, but become sweeter as you chew.
Can bitter kola cure high blood pressure?
This study shows that Garcinia kola contains in its alcohol extract, a vasoactive substance that has a blood pressure reducing effect.
Is kola nut good for diabetes?
nitida (kolanut) seeds through the inhibition of key enzymes linked with type-2 diabetes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), thereby making them a very good and cheap nutraceuticals for management/treatment of type-2 diabetes.
Is kola nut good for the liver?
Moreover, the toxicology expert declared that kolaviron in animal studies is protective of liver problems, adding “it has been used to treat cirrhosis of the liver in an herbal home. From series of studies, we have been able to show that bitter kola and its extract are actually liver protective.
Is Coca-Cola made from kola nut?
These days, the Coca-Cola recipe is a closely guarded secret. But it's said to no longer contain kola nut extract, relying instead on artificial imitations to achieve the flavour. Recipes for making kola soda abound, however, and if you want to taste what a real cola might have been like, you can take a crack at it.
What is the work of bitter kola in a woman's body?
It boosts the immune system This high amount of antioxidants found in bitter kola does not only help fight bacteria and other illnesses, it also helps the body to increase its immunity levels and when the immunity level of the body is increased, it becomes strong enough to fight against any foreign contaminant.
What does bitter kola and honey do to the body?
A mixture of bitter kola and honey would give you healthy skin. Like we noted above, bitter kola and honey reduce inflammation. Inflammation is often the cause of acne, eczema, and other skin problems. It also slows down the aging process by helping you avoid wrinkles and other physical signs of ageing.
What are the health benefits of bitter kola and coconut water?
Health Benefits Of The Mixture of bitter Kola and coconut waterThis mixture gets rid of respiratory problem.It burns fat especially excess belly fat.It reduces pains in the body.This mixture help treat diabetes milletus.It prevents prostate cancer in men. ... It helps cure asthma and relieves asthmatic attacks.More items...•
Is it good to take bitter kola everyday?
It is recommended that a person takes two bitter kola nuts every day. This bitter kola dose is enough to replenish your energy and improve your health. Should you want to maintain a healthy life naturally, try eating two bitter kola nuts a day. Your medical visits will definitely decrease.
Prostate cancer
Although extensive studies have not been conducted, early research indicates that certain compounds found in the kola nut may decrease the risk of prostate cancer.
Slow metabolism
People with a slow metabolism could benefit from using products that contain kola nut.
Migraines
The kola nut may be helpful for people who have migraine headaches. Migraines often affect the blood vessels in the head and caffeine has been used for headache pain.
Asthma
Although it may not be recommended as a treatment for respiratory conditions, kola nuts might be useful for people with certain breathing problems, such as asthma.
What Is the Kola Nut?
The kola nut, sometimes also called the cola nut, is a type of edible nut that comes from the kola tree, which is native to West Africa. These trees can grow up to 60 feet tall and are notable for their vibrant yellow flowers and star-shaped fruits, each of which contains two to five kola nuts.
Health Benefits
Rich in caffeine, theobromine and disease-fighting antioxidants, the kola nut has been linked to a number of powerful benefits. Here are a few of the ways that this healthy nut could impact your health.
Uses
What foods contain kola nut, and how can you start incorporating it into your diet? Depending on where you live, you may have a hard time finding fresh kola nuts for sale at your local supermarket.
Nutrition Facts
Kola nuts are high in caffeine, a compound that acts as a central nervous stimulant and has been linked to a long list of potential health benefits, ranging from increased energy levels to reductions in hunger and appetite.
Risks and Side Effects
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the kola nut is generally recognized as safe for human consumption. However, although this nutritious nut can be safely consumed by most, there are a few kola nut side effects to consider as well.
General description
The kola nut is a caffeine-containing nut of evergreen trees of the genus Cola, primarily of the species Cola acuminata and Cola nitida. Cola acuminata, an evergreen tree about 20 meters in height, has long, ovoid leaves pointed at both the ends with a leathery texture.
Uses
The kola nut has a bitter flavor and contains caffeine. It is chewed in many West African countries, in both private and social settings. It is often used ceremonially, presented to chiefs or guests. In folk medicine, kola nuts are considered useful for aiding digestion when ground and mixed with honey, and are used as a remedy for coughs.
History
Human use of the kola nut, like the coffee berry and tea leaf, appears to have ancient origins. It is chewed in many West African cultures, in both private and social settings, as a source of mental stimulation.
Cultivation
Originally a tree of the tropical rainforest, it needs a hot humid climate, but can withstand a dry season on sites with a high ground water level. It may be cultivated in drier areas where groundwater is available. C. nitida is a shade bearer, but develops a better spreading crown which yields more fruits in open places.
Chemical composition
Preliminary studies of phytochemicals in kola nut indicate the presence of various constituents:
Society and culture
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What Is The Kola Nut?
Types/Varieties
- Kola nuts are very common throughout West Africa and often consumed fresh or dried for a quick burst of caffeine. Red and white kola are the two main varieties, each of which is produced by the same plant species and sometimes even found within the same pod. These nuts also play a central role in many cultures and traditions. In a kola nut Igbo ceremony, for example, the nut is …
Health Benefits
- Rich in caffeine, theobromineand disease-fighting antioxidants, the kola nut has been linked to a number of powerful benefits. Here are a few of the ways that this healthy nut could impact your health.
Uses
- What foods contain kola nut, and how can you start incorporating it into your diet? Depending on where you live, you may have a hard time finding fresh kola nuts for sale at your local supermarket. Certain online retailers and specialty shops may carry them, but they are often more widely available in powder, capsule or tincture form instead. Try mixing powdered varieties into …
Nutrition Facts
- Kola nuts are high in caffeine, a compound that acts as a central nervous stimulant and has been linked to a long list of potential health benefits, ranging from increased energy levels to reductions in hunger and appetite. In addition to providing a hearty dose of caffeine in each serving, kola nuts are also high in theobromine, a chemical compound found in food sources like chocolate and te…
Risks and Side Effects
- Accordingto the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the kola nut is generally recognized as safe for human consumption. However, although this nutritious nut can be safely consumed by most, there are a few kola nut side effects to consider as well. Because kola nuts are high in caffeine, it’s very important to keep your intake in moderation. Not only is caffeine very addictive, but consum…
Overview
The term kola nut usually refers to the seeds of certain species of plant of the genus Cola, placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and now usually subsumed in the mallow family Malvaceae (as subfamily Sterculioideae). These cola species are trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa. Their caffeine-containing seeds are used as flavoring ingredients in beverages applied to vari…
History
Human use of the kola nut, like the coffee berry and tea leaf, appears to have ancient origins. It is chewed in many West African cultures, in both private and social settings, as a source of mental stimulation.
The spread of the kola nut across North Africa seems to be connected to the spread of Islam across North Africa during the 17th century, as trading across the Mediterranean became more …
General description
The kola nut is a caffeine-containing nut of evergreen trees of the genus Cola, primarily of the species Cola acuminata and Cola nitida. Cola acuminata, an evergreen tree about 20 meters in height, has long, ovoid leaves pointed at both the ends with a leathery texture. The trees have cream flowers with purplish-brown striations, and star-shaped fruit consisting of usually 5 follicles. Inside e…
Uses
The kola nut has a bitter flavor and contains caffeine. It is chewed in many West African countries, in both private and social settings. It is often used ceremonially, presented to chiefs or guests. In folk medicine, kola nuts are considered useful for aiding digestion when ground and mixed with honey, and are used as a remedy for coughs. Kola nuts are perhaps best known to Western culture as a flavoring ingredient and one of the sources of caffeine in cola and other similarly flavored be…
Cultivation
Originally a tree of the tropical rainforest, it needs a hot humid climate, but can withstand a dry season on sites with a high ground water level. It may be cultivated in drier areas where groundwater is available. C. nitida is a shade bearer, but develops a better spreading crown which yields more fruits in open places. Though it is a lowland forest tree, it has been found at altitudes over 3…
Chemical composition
Preliminary studies of phytochemicals in kola nut indicate the presence of various constituents:
• caffeine (2–3.5%)
• theobromine (1.0–2.5%)
• theophylline
• methylliberine
Society and culture
Used in cultural traditions of the Igbo people, the presentation of kola nuts to guests or in a traditional gathering shows good will.
A kola nut ceremony is briefly described in Chinua Achebe's 1958 novel Things Fall Apart. The eating of kola nuts is referred to at least a further ten times in the novel showing the significance of the kola nut in pre-colonial 1890s Igbo culture in Nigeria. One of these sayings on kola nut in …
External links
• Cola acuminata - (P.Beauv.) Schott & Endl., Plants For A Future, 2012
• The Rise and Fall of Cocaine Cola
• Cola in West African plants – A Photo Guide.