20 Uses Of Kola Nuts For Health.

The kola nut plant is a tree that is indigenous to West Africa and used to be an important cash crop.

The highly prized seeds are called kola nuts locally in different places as obi, goro and botanically, Cola nitida.

Kola nuts have a slightly bitter taste and are popularly eaten in West Africa because of the fact that they are used;

• In traditional ceremonies.
• To suppress hunger.
• As stimulants.

Kola nuts are useful for health because they contain nutrients which are beneficial to the body.

Nutritionally, kola nuts contain riboflavin, niacin, some carbohydrates, fiber, proteins and low calories. Kola nuts are rich in caffeine, theobromine and kolanin, which act as stimulants. They also contain phytoestrogens and phytoandrogens.

Some health benefits of kola nuts

1. They have astringent properties which makes them useful in dressing wounds.
2. They suppress hunger and quench thirst.
3. They improve digestion because they increase gastric acid production
4. They are used to boost respiratory health and treat respiratory issues because caffeine is a bronchodilator.
5. They increase blood flow to the head and are used to relieve headaches because caffeine and theobromine are cerebral vasodilators.
6. They boost the immune system.
7. They boost metabolism.
8. They boost cognition.
9. They increase energy levels.
10. They have a mildly diuretic effect.
11. They enhance performance.
12. They are used as anti-depressants because theobromine gives a sense of well-being.
13. They boost oxygenation to some parts of the body.
14. They are used to reduce bloating, cramping, constipation and some other digestive tract issues.
15. They are used to boost weight loss efforts because of their ability to increase metabolism.
16. They are used for keeping awake.
17. They are used to increase physical and mental awareness.
18. They are used as aphrodisiacs and to enhance male potency.
19. They help to reduce muscular pain after exercise or vigorous activity because of the caffeine content.
20. They can reduce the risk of gallstones and kidney stones.

Kola nuts are simply eaten raw or they are grated and boiled in water. On a larger scale, kola nuts are to flavour drinks, are used as components of energy drinks and performance enhancer tonics. Kola nuts were used in cola drinks before as a caffeine source.

It is advisable to desist from consuming a lot of kola nuts because they may give adverse effects like insomnia, irregular heartbeat, tremors, stomach upsets, restlessness, etc., because of the high content of stimulants. They also discolour teeth and may increase the symptoms of gastric ulcer in those dealing with it because of their ability to increase the production of gastric acid.