Kola Nut

What is kola nut? Native to tropical Africa, Cola nitida is a tall tree with yellow blossoms that turn into reddish-brown, walnut-sized seeds. The seeds are known as "kola nuts," and while they taste bitter and have caffeine content, they are a symbol of friendliness and peace in many cultures. People traditionally ate little bits of the nut before meals to aid in digestion. Because of their many health benefits, kola nuts have been utilized for thousands of years in African traditional medicine. Often, they undergo extraction or infusion. Native to tropical Africa, the enormous kola tree may reach heights of 40 feet (13 meters). Its yellow blossoms with a hint of purple bear reddish-brown, almost flavorless, walnut-sized seeds that are high in caffeine. The tree is also known as ghanja cola and belongs to the family Sterculiaceae. The kola nut tree is regarded by the Igbo tribe of southern Nigeria as the original tree (and fruit) on the planet. They see the nut as a symbol of generosity, hospitality, and brotherhood. To aid digestion, people in Western Africa chew a little piece of nut before each meal. Portuguese merchants brought it to Europe in the middle of the 16th century.…