Ever heard about Kola nut? Let us enlighten you with this tropical fruit indigenous to West Africa. Kola nut is the fruit of the kola (cola) tree which belongs to the cocoa family as well as the mallow family.
These caffeine-containing are native to the tropical rainforests of Africa and are used as flavoring ingredients in beverages applied to various carbonated soft drinks, from which the name cola originates.
The trees of this cola species reach heights of 40 to 60 feet and produce a star-shaped fruit. Each fruit consists of around two to five kola nuts- about the size of a chestnut.
When chewed fresh, Kola nuts have a bitter taste but, after they’re dried the flavour becomes milder and they smell like nutmeg.
It is classified as a natural food flavouring. The FDA has also approved kola extract as an inactive ingredient in certain pharmaceuticals. Kola nut extract is also marketed as an herbal supplement.
It is to be noted that Kola nut should not be consumed in any form by pregnant or breastfeeding women or those under the age of 18 because of its caffeine quantity.
As this fruit contains caffeine, it may boost a person’s metabolism.
Kola nuts are believed to promote the production of gastric acid, which increases digestive enzyme effectiveness in the stomach.
The caffeine and theobromine in Kola nut can speed up the heart rate, resulting in an increase in blood circulation.
The kola species naturally stimulates the central nervous system which helps increase alertness and boosts energy level.
According to the studies, kola nut extract can help stop the growth of harmful bacteria in the body.