Cola, a stimulant substance widely consumed in West Africa that was transformed into raw material for soft drinks worldwide

Danilo Antón 
 The cola or kola is produced from the Kola vera tree. This plant, which is native to West Africa, belongs to the Sterculiaceae family. It is also called: Cola acuminata and Sterculia acuminata. Walnuts with multiple names are used: Kola, Cola, Gurru, Guru and Bissy. Its habitat spans Sierra Leone and the north of the Ashanti country. It is currently cultivated in tropical West Africa, the Antilles, Brazil and Java. It grows to about 12-13 meters, has yellow leaves speckled with purple and leaves 15-20 cm long pointed at both ends. The seeds are widely used as a condiment in West and Central Africa, also in Brazil and in the Antilles. In Africa it is found growing near the coast and there is trade in walnuts inland. It is consumed in almost the entire continent. It is chewed a bit before each meal to aid digestion, it is thought to improve the taste of anything eaten afterward, and may even make foul water palatable. The powder is applied to the wounds. There are different types of kola seeds derived from different species but Kola vera is preferably used for medicinal purposes. Gurru nuts are used in the same way as Kola vera but are obtained from a tree that grows in Cameroon and the Congo, being used as a stimulant (also contains caffeine). The kola that is marketed consists of two separate cotyledons from the seed kernel. When fresh, it is almost white, and when drying undergoes a fermentative change, turning brown and losing much of its astringency. Dry cotyledons range in size from 2 to 5 centimeters, are irregular in shape, but grossly flat-convex, with a reddish-brown exterior, and a paler interior, easily cut, showing a uniform, odorless, and almost tasteless section. The various varieties of walnuts give a more or less large percentage of caffeine, which is only found in the fresh state. It is said to contain kolanin, a glucoside, but it is probably a mixture of cola red and caffeine. The seeds also contain starch, fats, sugar and an enzyme that breaks down fats. Kola has tonic effects and properties similar to caffeine, although with an astringent effect. As is known, the kola is used in numerous drinks and soft drinks that have had an international diffusion for more than a century. From "Peoples, Drugs and Snakes", D.Antón, Piriguazú Ediciones. Enviar comentarios Historial Guardadas Comunidad