Kola Nut
The kola nut is small in size, but has properties that reach far beyond its size. Kola nuts have a multifaceted history including rituals in West Africa, culinary uses, stimulant properties from caffeine content, and more. Believe it or not, each kola nut contains around the same amount of caffeine as two cups of coffee.
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WHAT IS A KOLA NUT?
​Kola nuts were originally used for rituals and cultural ceremonies in West African culture but have since made their way into culinary and other modern uses.
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Kola nuts grow on evergreen trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa and contain a natural source of caffeine. Despite the name, kola nuts are actually the fruit from Cola acuminata and Cola nitida trees and are about the size of a chestnut.
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Kola nuts can also be used in powder form after being ground up. Due to their high caffeine content, kola nuts and kola nut powder or extract can boost energy levels, improve metabolism, increase circulation, and aid in digestion.
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Across West Africa, people chew on kola nuts to extract caffeine and stimulate the mind. Fresh kola nuts have a bitter taste that gets sweeter the longer you chew, while dried nuts are milder in flavor and have a floral or spicy scent. And since the African kola nut isn’t actually a nut at all, they’re safe to eat for people with tree nut allergies.​
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As the name might suggest, the kola nut is one of the reasons our favorite sugary, caffeine-packed carbonated beverages exist. In the 1880s, a pharmacist named John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in part by extracting the flavor and caffeine from bitter kola nuts. Mainstream sodas and cola beverages no longer include the fresh or dried fruit, opting instead for artificial sources. But kola nut extract is still used as a flavoring ingredient in some natural sodas and herbal drinks.​