The Health Benefits of Bitter Kola.

The bitter kola tree, called botanically Garcinia kola, is a tropical flowering plant that is found in Western and Central Africa which produces cream coloured, nut-like seeds with brown peels.

In West and Central Africa, bitter kola has been widely used for healing and ceremonial purposes for centuries. It has been used traditional to treat nausea, irritations, respiratory issues and as a poison antidote. The seed is mostly eaten raw or prepared with other ingredients for medicinal purposes.

Nutritional and medicinal values of bitter kola.

• Bitter kola contains vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2 and B3.
• It contains calcium, iron, potassium.
• Bitter kola contains other phytonutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties like sterols, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, alkaloids and kolaviron.
• Bitter kola has anti-bacterial, antifungal and anti-viral properties.

The health benefits of bitter kola.

1. Bitter kola purifies, cleanses and detoxifies the blood and body.
2. Bitter kola improves lung function.It is used to treat cold, cough, asthma, bronchitis, congestion, sore throat and other respiratory tract issues.
3. Bitter kola aids with weight loss because it is suppresses hunger naturally.
4. It is used to boost male sexual performance.
5. It is used in treating malaria.
6. It is an antidote for food poisoning.
7. Bitter kola is used to reduce eye pressure and treat glaucoma. Drops of the infusion of the seed  is used on the eyes.
8. It boosts the immune system by keeping infections away from the body.
9. It is a natural analgesic.
10. The seed powder is used to repel snakes and insects.

The roots are also boiled and mixed with salt to treat asthma. The bark is also used and has astringent properties.

Bitter kola is called orogbo in Yoruba, aki ilu in Igbo and namijin goro in Hausa. During the 2014 outbreak of Ebola Virus in West Africa, the idea of using bitter kola as a potential cure for the Ebola virus came up because of its ability to stop the replication of the virus. This was from a research carried out by a Nigerian Professor, Maurice Iwu. A lot of people chewed bitter kola often then, including me.

Do you know the other local names for bitter kola and its other uses? Please share below. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell for updates.