Bitter Kola botanically known as Garcinia kola belongs to the plant family Guttifereae. In Nigeria it is called oje in Bokyi, edun or efiari in Efik, efrie in Ejagham-Ekin, cida goro in Hausa, efiat in Ibibio, emiale in Icheve, igoligo in Idoma, aku-ilu or ugolo in Ibo, akaan in Ijo-Izon, okain in Isekiri, and orogbo in Yoruba. Bitter kola is generally used as a social snack and given to guests in some cultural settings, and it is one of such fruits that can be eaten raw and the human body will still benefit from its high nutritional content.
Bitter kola is widely taken raw and not prepared as food because of its medicinal attributes. It is also known to have no serious or harmful side effects, other than its neutralising effects of other medicinal drugs if taken together. It is eaten by removing the outer brown coated skin, and as the name implies, it is very bitter to eat.
1• Bitter kola has a significant analgesic/anti-inflammatory effects in knee osteoarthritis patients.
2• The seed and leaf of bitter kola have antibacterial activity on clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Streptococcus pyrogens.
3• Bitter kola has been proved to be a popular treatment for diarrhoea and fever.
See also: Health Benefits of eating green apple
See also: Health Benefits of eating green apple
4• The seed extract of bitter kola is antiseptic and is active mostly against gram-positive bacteria, while the leaf, is active mostly against gram-negative bacteria.
5• Bitter kola is also very efficient for hepatitis treatment.
6• In West Africa, bitter kola is now being harnessed as a cure for the Ebola virus infections and also against the flu.
7• The stem, bark and seeds of bitter kola are used to treat acute fever, inflammation of the respiratory tract and throat infections.
8• The seeds can also be chewed to relieve the hoarseness of voice, sore throat and cough.
9• The seed of bitter kola is used for the treatment of liver disorder, dysentery and diarrhoea.
10• The leaves are used to cure stomachache and pains, also they serve as a good remedy for typhoid fever.
See also: 13 health impacts of smoking
See also: 13 health impacts of smoking
11• Bitter kola has been indicated in the treatment of laryngitis, general inflammation, bronchitis, viral infections and diabetes.
12• It is also taken dry as a remedy for dysentery and it provides an antidote against Strophanthus poisoning.
13• It improves lungs’ functions by expanding the alveolar ducts and sac in the lungs, thereby improving and strengthening the fibres in the lung tissue.
14• More health benefits of bitter kola include the treatment of a cough, sneezing, cold, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, bacterial infections and fever.
See also: Advantages of eating sweet potato
See also: Advantages of eating sweet potato
15• Bitter kola has antioxidant properties used as a tonic for the liver and the gallbladder, which helps detoxifies the body system and it clears the voice by stimulating the production of mucus along the lining of the vocal tube which softens the dry throat.
16• It is also a known anti-poison. when food is suspected to be contaminated with bacteria, chewing of bitter kola can prevent the development of any infection or poison.
17• It reduces eye pressure and relieves arthritis by reducing swelling, pain and increase joint movement.
18• Any effect of Bitter Kola on sperm? Bitter kola can help in the treatment of low libido, low sperm count, erectile dysfunction, arthritis, treating a hangover.
See also: 8 Health Mistakes you should avoid this year!
See also: 8 Health Mistakes you should avoid this year!
19• Bitter kola is a potent antibiotic which could be efficacious in the treatment of HIV and AIDS.
20• Bitter Kola and weight loss - It promotes weight loss because it is a natural hunger suppressant and also increases the urge to drink more water.
After listing out the many benefits of bitter kola shown above, I am sure there can be no doubt over its all round medicinal abilities. With no known serious side effects, only instruction is to avoid eating when taking other medicines, also the unharmful side effects reported from the use of bitter kola were “weight loss”, “increase in sex drive” and “extended sleep” which many considered helpful to meet their individual and marital demands.
See also: 6 Types of A headache you should never ignore
See also: 6 Types of A headache you should never ignore
Eating one bitter kola per day should be your ultimate goal henceforth.
Read more: http://www.rapportnaija.com/2016/08/20-health-benefits-of-bitter-kola.html#ixzz4sYcuKnzK
