cola nut

The kola nut grows on a tree of the same name from the Sterculia family. In height, it can reach up to 20 meters. Externally, the cola tree resembles the chocolate tree - according to the classification of plants, they are closely related. The leaves of the tree are elongated, with dark veins, collected at the ends of the branches in rosettes of 5 pieces.

Cola begins to bloom only after 6 years of life, and does it all year round, constantly bearing fruit. Collected from five petals, the buds are yellow in color with three red veins. They are collected in inflorescences-panicles.

After flowering, fruits are formed - directly, the cola nuts themselves. They are formed in a leaflet, inside which there are about five carpels. They develop cola nuts. They are quite large - they can reach a length of 5 centimeters, so with one mature tree for one harvest it is possible to collect up to 45 kg of cola fruits.

The kola nut began to spread across the planet from the western coast of Africa. It is this territory that is considered his homeland. In the process of the enslavement of African peoples by American settlers, this nut quickly spread throughout America, where the main labor force was made up of people from the territories located along the banks of the Congo.

Having taken root in America, this tonic nut began to be cultivated in other regions of the world with a humid tropical climate - in India, Sri Lanka, the Seychelles, a number of territories in Oceania and in colonial Africa. On an industrial scale, cola is now grown in Guinea - plantations are bred there, where the nut is carefully cared for. To prevent damage to the cola fruit, special nets are stretched under the trees and cushions are laid out to soften the blow.

Since the goods are mainly exported to other countries, the harvested fruits are carefully sorted, washed and stored. Access to any insects is excluded, because they can spoil the fruits of cola. This type of agriculture brings a steady income to plantation owners who release nuts for export at a price of up to $ 0.1 per fruit.

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Due to the large amount of caffeine in its composition, the kola nut has unique properties. It gives a charge of vivacity, increases efficiency and attention, suppresses appetite, helps to get rid of intoxication, drowsiness and fatigue. It is shown to people whose work involves great fatigue and heavy loads on the body. As a natural phytoactive aphrodisiac, kola nut increases libido.

Also, cola extract can relieve spasms in the lungs during an asthma attack, and in the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, it effectively fights heartburn and nausea. By promoting faster formation of gastric juice, kola nut extract helps to speed up the metabolism, and accordingly, leads to weight loss.

When used and dosed incorrectly, kola nut causes side effects. Most often, they are noticeable from the side of the nervous system - with a large use or intolerance of components in nut derivatives, insomnia and increased nervousness occur. The cardiovascular system is also very sensitive to the composition of coca - with an overdose, angina pectoris, arrhythmias and heart rhythm disturbances are possible. With prolonged use, addiction occurs, which is treated as difficult as dependence on psychotropic drugs.

Hand 100 grams of kola nuts account for 150 kcal. The value of other substances is:

• Proteins - 7.9 grams;
• Fats - 0.1 grams;
• Carbohydrates - 5.2 grams.

By chemical composition kola nuts are similar to plants such as coffee, tea, ginseng, guarana. The tonic effect is due to the large amount of caffeine (more than 5%), theobromine (up to 2.5%) and colatin (up to 0.5%) included in its composition. Also present are catechin, protein, N-nitroso, cellulose and essential oils.

Kola extract is also very widely used in cosmetology - it promotes cell renewal and skin regeneration, increases its turgor, reduces inflammation and helps fight acne. Therefore, this extract is included in many expensive creams and lotions that have a tonic and cosmetic effect on the skin. The property of cola to break down fats is widely used in various procedures - body wraps, vacuum massage, etc.With the constant use of emulsions with cola extract, you can notice that the skin of the body is toned, moisturized and fresh.

At the moment, it is almost impossible to meet kola nut in retail sales, with the exception of huge supermarkets. It can also be ordered from online stores. Its cost varies from 3 to 10 dollars for one nut. With such a purchase, of course, it will not be possible to blindly evaluate the quality of the product, but there is always the opportunity to find out about the honesty of the seller from the reviews of other buyers.

Kola nuts are widely used in cooking - it is added to pastries, chocolate, drinks. Very often they are introduced into the composition of special nutrition for people whose activities are associated with increased physical activity - geologists, pilots, rock climbers, travelers. Such food helps them cope with fatigue and significantly increases their performance.

In the Muslim world, coca nuts replace the forbidden alcohol. They help relieve stress and lift your spirits. Even elderly people use it with pleasure, as it helps to relieve muscle fatigue and drive away senile drowsiness.

In cosmetology kola nut is used to accelerate hair growth, masks and cosmetic lotions are made from its extract, which help skin renewal and promote rejuvenation.

In African countries, where long walks are still common, Africans always carry this nut with them. They believe that by using it on the road, there are forces to overcome huge distances without rest and sleep, appetite and thirst decrease. Also, in case of illness or injury on the road, it will help to reach the end, since its analgesic properties are so strong that they can even relieve women's pain during the birth of a child.