The kola nut is the fruit of the kola tree,
a genus (Cola) of trees that are native to the tropical rainforests of Africa.
The caffeine-containing fruit of the tree
is used as a flavoring ingredient in beverages, and is the origin of the term
"cola"
About Kola Nut
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 metres in height,
has long, ovoid leaves pointed at both the ends with a leathery texture. The
trees have yellow flowers with purple spots, and star-shaped fruit. Inside the
fruit, about a dozen round or square seeds develop in a white seed-shell. The
nut’s aroma is sweet and rose-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.
Benefits
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. This nut is how the first cola recipe received its caffeine kick —
along with real coca leaves. No wonder people thought it was “medicinal.”
Today, your typical cola drink uses an artificial flavoring plus added
caffeine, but you can still find real kola nuts being used in higher end sodas,
in products like energy bars, and as a natural medicinal remedy.
A “Phytotherapy Research” published in the
2004 showed that kola nut was effective at reducing the growth and development
of members of the mycobacterium species, the bacteria responsible for illnesses
such as meningitis and tuberculosis.
In folk medicine, kola nuts are considered
useful for aiding digestion when chewed before meals preferably when grounded
and mixed with honey, and are used for coughs, though nearly tasteless on their
own depending on the kola, kola nuts are often used to counteract possible ill
effects from tainted drinking water
Stories about the many health benefits of
kola nut go back thousands of years. People have claimed that kola nut sweetens
stale water, treats fatigue, and eases hunger pains. Most of these claims
should be seen as folklore until proven otherwise.
While kola nut may have health benefits,
they have yet to be scientifically researched and proven. Most of the benefits
of kola nut are connected to its high caffeine content, which increases energy
and reduces hunger.
Claims have also been made that it treats:
- Infections
- Skin diseases
- Ulcers
- Toothaches
- Morning sickness
- Intestinal diseases
- Headaches
- Depression
- Low sex drive
- Coughs and asthma
- Dysentery
- Constipation
- Various eye problems
- Proper Circulation of blood
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 beverages, although kola nut extract (or kola
flavoring) in commercial cola drinks is no longer used.
The In between stimulating your central
nervous system, making you feel awake and energetic this is mainly used by
those person who ten do JAK at night and don’t want to fall asleep taking kola
nut is a good way to start your night time acting as a diuretic, helping your body
expel extra salt and water through increased urination that flushes your system
and causes you to drink more water.
Some Down Side
The down side of kola nut are of a
comparable dose of high caffeine intake.
Caffeine as we know has many effects on the
body, including:
increasing the release of stomach acid,
which can lead to heartburn and stomach upset
interfering with your body’s ability to
absorb calcium
increasing your blood pressure
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.
Kola nuts are an important part of the
traditional spiritual practice of culture and religion in West Africa,
particularly Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The 1970s hit "Goro
City", by Manu Dibango, highlights the significance of kola nuts (called
"goro" in the Hausa language) to the capital of Niger, Niamey.
Kola
nuts are used as a religious object and sacred offering during prayers,
ancestor veneration, and significant life events, such as naming ceremonies,
weddings, and funerals. They are also used in a traditional divination system
called Obi divination. For this use, only kola nuts divided into four lobes are
suitable. They are cast upon a special wooden board and the resulting patterns
are read by a trained diviner.
They were used as a form of currency in
such West African groups as the Malinke and Bambara of Mali and Senegal. They
are still used as such today in certain situations such as in negotiation over
bride prices or as a form of a respect or host gift to the elders of a village
should one move to a village or enter a business arrangement with the village.
No comments:
Post a Comment