Bitter Kola

RECOMMENDED DAILY USE

It is recommended that no more than 2 pieces of bitter kola be consumed a day. As these pieces are so big and powerful, it can be cut in half and consumed in smaller portions throughout the day but still stick to consuming a maximum of 2 whole pieces or 4 halves.

Wash it before consuming then chew thoroughly and swallow. Drink at least 1-2 glasses of water after and drink water throughout the day to boosts its cleansing potential.

HISTORY

Bitter Kola has been used for centuries in Africa, primarily West and Central Africa for it’s numerous health benefits. It has also been used as a natural stimulant for demanding laborious work and/or counteract fatigue. From the rich to the poor, men to women, the healthy to the sick and Africans of all walks of life, all of the above highly cherished and respected the power of bitter kola. In some Islamic regions of Africa, it was also believe that the Prophet Mohammad gave these out as gifts.

In the 1800s, Europeans who were exposed to bitter kola in Africa begun taking it back to their respective countries and popularising it’s beneficial uses they learned whilst in Africa. In 1886, it was used to create a ‘brain tonic’ known as Coca-Cola, which also got it’s name Cola from this seed and a few years later, Pepsi-Cola was created and marketed as a medical tonic to relieve peptic ulcers and dyspepsia.

In the modern day, it’s many health benefits that Africans were aware of for centuries, has been supported by scientific study of bitter kola. These benefits will be listed below. 

BENEFITS

 • It successfully combats infections due to it’s potent antiviral, antibacterial and even anticancer properties.

• It has been traditionally used to combat diabetes and studies have found that a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemical called kolaviron protects against hypoglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes. It reduces blood sugar levels, vital for people with diabetes. 

• It’s been used to combat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, likely due to it’s high levels of potassium. 

• It combats gastrointestinal ailments and boosts digestion. This is one of the many reasons it has been traditionally used in Africa and popularised outside Africa by a celebrity by the name of Meek Mill, who stated he had problems with his stomach for 2 years that western doctors couldn’t fix but bitter kola fixed “like magic”. 

• It boosts liver and kidney functions and aids in cleansing these organs. This is vital as these are the filters of our body, which toxins are stored to try to protect the body. Regularly cleansing of the liver and kidneys helps to keep the body’s natural detoxifying functions at optimum health.

• The caffeine and theobromine in the kola nut may speed up the heart rate, which increases blood circulation. For this reason, you should consume bitter kola sparingly as consuming too much may overstimulate your nervous system, possibly making it too difficult to settle and/or sleep.

• Through the stimulation of the nervous system, it boosts alertness and energy levels. This improves physical performance wherever a physical demand is required, hence it is sometimes used as an ingredient in natural performance enhancing drinks/capsules. 

• Early studies suggest that a chemical called kolaviron, which is found in bitter kola, may protect against hypoglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes.

 • Boosts metabolism, which is helpful for people with a slow metabolism such as those suffering from low testosterone.

• It has been found to be reduce the risk of prostate cancer and also be powerful at killing cancerous cells and stop tumours from growing.

There are many more benefits not listed above but these are the main relevant ones. For example it has powerful benefits for treating malaria but as this is being sold in regions of the world that malaria is very low risk, it has not been deemed an important benefit to list above.