The plant known as bitter kola often referred to as bitter cola or Garcinia Kola, is native to Central and Western Africa and has long been prized for its therapeutic benefits. All parts of the bitter kola plant are used in traditional African medicine, although only the seeds are typically consumed.
Bitter kola seeds are normally consumed raw, and their harsh, bitter flavor gradually gives way to a faint sweetness as you chew.
Health Advantages
Although bitter kola has been used for a long time in Africa, researchers are just now starting to look into the potential health advantages of this blooming plant.
These preliminary research suggests that bitter kola may be beneficial for a variety of health issues, such as:
Infections
Over the years, bitter kola has been used to treat diseases ranging from the common cold to hepatitis. According to a 2018 study, bitter kola can protect against viral, bacterial, and cough-related diseases. When an illness first appears, consuming bitter kola may aid in the battle against the virus and hasten your recovery.
Inflammation
In Africa, chewing on acrid kola seeds has become traditional practice to combat inflammatory diseases like arthritis. According to 2008 research, eating bitter kola dramatically decreased inflammation in people with osteoarthritis in their knees compared to taking a placebo. Bitter kola has a lot of potassium, which may help to reduce inflammation.
Diabetes
Early research suggests that kolaviron, a substance present in bitter kola, may help type 2 diabetics avoid hypoglycemia. These first results are encouraging even though the initial study was conducted on rats and has not yet been replicated in people.
Nutrition in a Serving
Bitter kola is usually regarded by the FDA as safe to consume, however, it is given the same classification as essential oils. That implies that there isn’t much information regarding serving sizes or nutritional information accessible. However, a 2013 study discovered that the following nutrients were abundant in bitter kola:
Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein
The same research revealed that bitter kola included significant amounts of:
Calcium and Vitamin C
Potassium
Irons, Caffeine
