Buy Whole Kola Nut
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 various carbonated soft drinks, from which the name cola originates.[1]
buy whole kola nut
The kola nut has a bitter flavor and contains caffeine. It is chewed in many West African countries, in both private and social settings.[4] It is often used ceremonially, presented to chiefs or guests.[5] 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.[6] 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 is no longer used in major commercial cola drinks such as Coca-Cola.[1][7]
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.[1]
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 concrete. The kola nut was particularly useful on slave ships to improve the taste of water, as enslaved Africans were often given poor quality water to drink.[8]
Kola nuts are an important part of the traditional spiritual practice , culture, and religion in West Africa, particularly Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia.[1][9] The 1970s hit "Goro City", by Manu Dibango, highlights the significance of kola nuts (called "goro" in the Hausa language)[10] 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. 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.[11] Among a few Yoruba people, it has found inroads among the Muslim population as well, in weddings and other ceremonies.[12]
In the 1880s, a pharmacist in Georgia, John Pemberton, took caffeine extracted from kola nuts and cocaine-containing extracts from coca leaves and mixed them with sugar, other flavorings, and carbonated water to invent Coca-Cola, the first massive cola soft drink.[1] As of 2016, the cola recipe no longer contained actual kola nut extract.[1][13]
Regular weeding is necessary, which can be performed manually or through the use of herbicides. Some irrigation can be provided to the plants, but it is important to remove the water through an effective drainage system, as excess water may prove to be detrimental for the growth of the plant. When not grown in adequate shade, the kola nut plant responds well to fertilizers. Usually, the plants need to be provided with windbreaks to protect them from strong gales.
Kola nuts can be harvested mechanically or by hand, by plucking them at the tree branch. Nigeria produces 52.4% of worldwide production followed by the Ivory Coast and Cameroon.[14] When kept in a cool, dry place, kola nuts can be stored for a long time.[15]
The nuts are subject to attack by the kola weevil Balanogastris cola. The larvae of the moth Characoma strictigrapta that also attacks cacao bore into the nuts. Traders sometimes apply an extract of the bark of Rauvolfia vomitoria or the pulverised fruits of Xylopia and Capsicum to counteract the attack on nursery plants. The cacao pests Sahlbergella spp. have been found also on C. nitida as an alternative host plant. While seeds are liable to worm attack, the wood is subject to borer attack.
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 Things Fall Apart is: "He who brings kola brings life."[19] It is also featured prominently in Chris Abani's 2004 novel GraceLand.[20] The kola nut is also mentioned in The Color Purple by Alice Walker, although it is spelled "cola".[21]
The kola nut is mentioned in Bloc Party's song "Where is Home?" on the album A Weekend in the City. The lyric, setting a post-funeral scene for the murder of a black boy in London, reads, "After the funeral, breaking kola nuts, we sit and reminisce about the past." The kola nut is mentioned in the At the Drive-In song "Enfilade" on the album Relationship of Command. The kola nut is repeatedly mentioned in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun, which also features the phrase: "He who brings the Kola nut brings life."
Cola nitida is a tall tree, native to tropical Africa, with yellow flowers that ripen into walnut-sized, reddish-brown seeds. The seeds are referred to as kola nuts, which are bitter tasting, contain caffeine, and symbolize peace and friendship for many cultures. Traditionally, small pieces of the nut were chewed before meals to support digestion. Kola nut has been used for thousands of years in African folk herbalism for their beneficial properties and are often infused or extracted.
Tropical Africa is the native home of the towering kola tree growing up to 40 feet (13 meters) tall. Its yellow flowers tinged with purple bear reddish-brown seeds about the size of a walnut with almost no taste but rich in caffeine. The tree is a member of the Sterculiaceae family and also goes by the name of ghanja cola.
The Igbo, a tribe in southern Nigeria, consider the kola nut tree to be the first tree (and fruit) on earth. They consider the nut to be a symbol of hospitality, kindness and fraternity. Throughout Western Africa, a small piece of nut is chewed before each meal to promote digestion. It was introduced to Europe in the mid-16th century by Portuguese traders. The nut is also thought to improve the flavor of any food and to counteract the effects of drinking tainted water.
The dark brown bubbly beverage beckoning from billboards actually has origins in a West African nut from the kola tree (Cola acuminata and Cola nitida). While Coca-Cola and Pepsi now use synthetic flavors in their sodas, the kola nut is still widely consumed for its caffeine content.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, kola nut extract is safe for human consumption. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) requires caffeine warning labels on products containing more than 5 milligrams of caffeine per serving.
Kola fruit, coffee, tea, guarana fruit, yerba mate leaf, and cacao seed require a caffeine label. Only the AHPA follows these labeling guidelines, so you may have to do some homework when sourcing your kola.
With centuries of history as a traditional remedy in West Africa, the kola nut has amassed a long list of uses. Most of the rumored benefits of kola nuts should be considered folklore. Such claims suggest kola nuts:
Because kola nuts are typically chewed, scientists have looked into their effectiveness in preventing cavities and treating oral infections. Research indicates they do have antimicrobial properties that fight dental pathogens and possibly other infections.
Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) has been used to treat many conditions for thousands of years in India, China, and Indonesia. It was used to heal wounds, improve mental clarity, and treat skin conditions such as leprosy and psoriasis.
Some people use it to treat respiratory infections, such as colds, and in the past it was used for that in China. It has been called "the fountain of life" because legend has it that an ancient Chinese herbalist lived for more than 200 years as a result of taking gotu kola.
Historically, gotu kola has also been used to treat syphilis, hepatitis, stomach ulcers, mental fatigue, epilepsy, diarrhea, fever, and asthma. Today, in the U.S. and Europe gotu kola is most often used to treat varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where blood pools in the legs. It is also used in ointments to treat psoriasis and help heal minor wounds.
Gotu kola is a perennial plant native to India, Japan, China, Indonesia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the South Pacific. A member of the parsley family, it has no taste or smell. It thrives in and around water. It has small fan-shaped green leaves with white or light purple-to-pink flowers, and small oval fruit. The leaves and stems of the gotu kola plant are used as medicine.
When blood vessels lose their elasticity, blood pools in the legs and fluid leaks out of the blood vessels. That causes the legs to swell (venous insufficiency). Several small studies suggest gotu kola may help reduce swelling and improve blood flow. In a study of 94 people with venous insufficiency, those who took gotu kola saw their symptoms improve compared to those who took placebo. In another study of people with varicose veins, ultrasound tests showed that people who took gotu kola had less leakage of fluid.
Gotu kola has chemicals called triterpenoids. In animal and lab studies, these compounds seem to help heal wounds. For example, some studies suggest that triterpenoids strengthen the skin, boost antioxidants in wounds, and increase blood supply to the area. Based on these findings, gotu kola has been applied to the skin, or used topically, for minor burns, psoriasis, preventing scars after surgery, and preventing or reducing stretch marks.
These same chemicals, triterpenoids, seem to reduce anxiety and increase mental function in mice. One human study found that people who took gotu kola were less likely to be startled by a new noise than those who took placebo. Since the "startle noise" response can be a way to tell if someone is anxious, researchers think that gotu kola might help reduce anxiety symptoms. But the dose used in this study was very high, so it is impossible to say how gotu kola might be used to treat anxiety. 041b061a72