The impressive advantages of different plants and herbs can really improve your health and overall life. Many believe that bitter kola is a magic nut that can treat a lot of illnesses and conditions. What does bitter kola do to the body? How useful is this nut? Can it be used if you have diabetes? In this post, we will discuss all the benefits of bitter kola and answer all the questions.
Bitter kola – what is it?
The popular African plant bitter kola is widely used for medical and healing purposes because it has a long list of incredible health benefits that are good for human body.
What is bitter kola? Its second name is garcinia kola. This tropical plant is loved for its seeds. They look similar to kidney beans and remind of delicious nuts that leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
Each bitter kola nut is nutritious and rich in useful elements:
- Vitamins E, B1, C
- Protein (over 11 percent)
- Potassium (nearly 70 percent)
- Carbohydrate
- Other valuable nutrients that enhance the effect of bitter kola
What does bitter kola do to the human body? It is time to talk about all the awesome advantages you can enjoy if you choose to eat ellipsoid-shaped nuts a couple of times a week.
Benefits of bitter kola
Different Nigerian communities have their own names for bitter kola, as they love all the healing and health benefits of this nut. For example, Hausa people say this is miji-goro, Igbo tribe calls it akiilu, and Yoruba community calls it orogbo.
Below you will find a list of some of the most amazing bitter kola nut health benefits.
1. Bitter kola and weight loss
Do you have a couple of extra kilograms you wish to get rid of? Are you trying to follow a diet plan without much luck? Try adding bitter kola nuts to your diet meals, and you can achieve an impressive weight loss effect. How is it possible?
The bitter nuts can suppress your appetite. This means you won’t feel hunger and will eat less.
Besides, this natural product stimulates your thirst. This means you will want to drink more clear water throughout the day, and we all know how important it is to consume 1.5-2 liters of water per day. Water boosts metabolism and helps to stay healthy and lose excess weight.
The natural power of bitter kola solves two problems many of us experience while trying to lose weight: it causes lower appetite and higher thirst. These 2 factors can play an essential role in your diet and help you become slim and healthy.
2. Bitter kola and diabetes
Patients with diabetes can eat a little bit of bitter kola to treat their condition. Small amounts of this popular African plant can improve your blood sugar level and keep it stable.
ALSO READ:This is Why You Should be Careful With Zobo Drink
Of course, it is better to talk to your doctor (especially, if you have type 2 diabetes or unstable level of glucose in your blood system) before you choose to add bitter kola into your daily meals.
3. Bitter kola and female fertility
Some people believe that bitter kola can help men to perform better in bed. But not much is said about the effect this plant can have on women and female fertility.
There was a study conducted in Lagos, which was meant to help understand the true ‘nature’ of bitter kola for females, but it wasn’t performed on humans. Female rats were used in the study, and scientists discovered some interesting things.
According to the study, regular consumption of bitter kola by rats has an effect of a contraceptive, because this nut lowers down the animal fertility and partly blocks ovulation. It is hard to say whether women can rely on bitter kola as a contraceptive as well.
4. Bitter kola and blood pressure
Another great effect of bitter kola is the possibility to reduce blood pressure. However, such an advantage was only tested and discovered on rats. There were no similar studies on humans yet, so it is hard to say whether people who consume the bitter nuts can also lower down their blood pressure in a natural way.
What experts have also noticed is that the nuts positively influence the smooth muscles (by relaxing them) in gastrointestinal tract and uterus.
Once again, most studies have been performed on animals and not humans.
5. Effect of bitter kola on cold/fever
People who have caught a cold, experience throat pain, cough, have the fever and suffer from different ‘fall’ illnesses can eat bitter kola to treat their health condition and feel better sooner than later.
The plant possesses some natural anti-bacterial effect and can be a nice and quick way to relieve people from different cold-related issues.
6. Bitter kola and arthritis
People who have osteoarthritis can reduce pains naturally by consuming moderate amounts of bitter kola. This plant juice and its roots can bring pain relief and help to cure the conditions caused by excess weight, joint injuries and ageing.
Besides, when you use bitter kola nuts for weight loss you can fight both arthritis and overweight. Such a 2-in-1 effect can be healthy and extremely powerful.
7. Health effect on vision
Those of us who spend days and nights in front of a computer screen, with mobile gadgets and other popular devices should think about the high eye pressure caused by all the modern equipment. The result can be unpleasant because such pressure can cause glaucoma.
ALSO READ:Reasons Why Red Wine is Good For The Heart
You can prevent the development of dangerous glaucoma by adding bitter kola nuts into your daily menu.
Keep your eyes healthy because this is not that difficult in the 21st century when there are so many amazing natural products, herbs and plants with great effects on all our body systems.
8. Stronger lungs with bitter kola
Besides curing the cold problems and related health issues, bitter kola can also make your lungs stronger and healthier.
These popular African seeds make fibers stronger and improve the functions of lungs. You will breathe more freely and become healthier if you add nuts to your weekly meal plans (and this can work for people who smoke as well).
9. Anti-poison effect of bitter kola
The list of benefits of bitter kola also includes the ability of this nut to help you in various situations such as malaria, food poisoning, intoxication, etc.
It is believed that the antioxidants contained in the seeds can treat malaria, improve immunity. .
The plant’s seeds participate in the detoxification process, help clean the body systems and become healthier and stronger.
That’s pretty much it. You have learned what does bitter kola do to the body, so now you can consult your doctor about adding these seeds into your daily meals or consuming them periodically (once or a couple of times a week) for an incredible health effect and all the numerous benefits bitter kola offers to humans.