Kola Nut is the nut of the kola tree, a genus of
treeA tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s native to the tropical
rainforestRainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s of
AfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, classified in the family
MalvaceaeMalvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
, subfamily
SterculioideaeSterculioideae is a subfamily of the Malvaceae family containing evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs....
(or treated in the separate family
SterculiaceaeSterculiaceae is a botanical name for a group of flowering plants at the rank of family, which is now considered obsolete. As is true for any botanical name, the circumscription, status and placement of the taxon has varied with taxonomic point of view...
). It is related to the
South AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n genus
Theobroma, or cocoa. It is an
evergreenIn botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
tree, growing up to 20 m tall (about 60 feet), with glossy ovoid
leavesA leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
up to 30 cm long and star shaped fruit.
Origin and distribution
Cola is a genus of the family
MalvaceaeMalvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
with approximately 100 to 125 species occurring in the evergreen lowland and montane forest of continental Africa, primarily tropical Africa. where
Cola vera is the most common species . It is native to West Africa.. Cola nuts are seed pods of the plant harvested primarily from the species
Cola nitida and
Cola acuminata.. It's chewed most by Nigerians.
Chemical composition
- caffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
(2–3.5%)
- theobromine
Theobromine , also known as xantheose, is a bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant, with the chemical formula C7H8N4O2. It is found in chocolate, as well as in a number of other foods, including the leaves of the tea plant, and the kola nut...
(1.0–2.5%)
- theophylline
Theophylline, also known as dimethylxanthine, is a methylxanthine drug used in therapy for respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma under a variety of brand names. Because of its numerous side-effects, the drug is now rarely administered for clinical use. As a member of the xanthine family, it...
- phenolics
- phlobaphens (kola red)
- epicatechin
- D-catechin
Catechin is a natural phenol antioxidant plant secondary metabolite. The term catechins is also commonly used to refer to the related family of flavonoids and the subgroup flavan-3-ols ....
- tannic acid
Tannic acid is a specific commercial form of tannin, a type of polyphenol. Its weak acidity is due to the numerous phenol groups in the structure...
- sugar
- cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
- water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
General description
Kola nut is a caffeine-containing nut of two evergreen trees of the cocoa family. Kola nut is a relative of the
MalvaceaeMalvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
plant family. The
Cola acuminataCola acuminata belongs to the family Sterculiaceae and its fruits are harvested from the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The fruits are rough, mottled and up to 8 inches long and contain large, flat and bright red coloured seeds...
is an evergreen tree of about 20 meters in height, and has long and ovoid leaves pointed at both the ends that have a leathery texture. The trees have yellow flowers with purple spots, and star-shaped fruit. Inside the fruit, about a dozen round or square seeds can be found in a white seed shell. The nut’s aroma is sweet and rose-like. The first taste is bitter, but sweetens upon chewing. The nut can be boiled to extract the cola. This tree reaches 25 meters in height and is propagated through seeds.
C. nitida and
C. acuminata can easily be interchanged with other Cola species.
Uses
The kola nut has a bitter flavor and contains
caffeineCaffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
. It is chewed in many West African cultures, individually or in a group setting. It is often used ceremonially, presented to tribal chiefs or presented to guests. It is preferred among African Muslims, who are forbidden to drink alcohol. Chewing kola nut can ease hunger pangs. Frequent chewing of the kola nut can also lead to stained teeth. Among the urban youth of
West AfricaWest Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, kola nut is becoming less popular.
Outside mainland
AfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, some species are cultivated for their nuts in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
,
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and elsewhere in the humid tropics.
Kola nuts are often used to treat
whooping coughPertussis, also known as whooping cough , is a highly contagious bacterial disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. Symptoms are initially mild, and then develop into severe coughing fits, which produce the namesake high-pitched "whoop" sound in infected babies and children when they inhale air...
and
asthmaAsthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
. The caffeine present acts as a
bronchodilatorA bronchodilator is a substance that dilates the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the respiratory airway and increasing airflow to the lungs. Bronchodilators may be endogenous , or they may be medications administered for the treatment of breathing difficulties...
, expanding the bronchial air passages.
Kola nuts are perhaps best known to
Western cultureWestern culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
as a flavouring ingredient and one of the sources of caffeine in
colaCola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
and other similarly flavoured beverages, although the use of kola (or kola flavoring) in commercial cola drinks has become uncommon. However, recently the use of Kola nut has been reintroduced, most notably in
Whole Foods MarketWhole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
365 Cola as part of their trend to use natural rather than artificial ingredients. It is also used in Barr's
Red KolaRed Kola is a carbonated soft drink made from fruit extracts, and may include flavouring from the kola nut. The main manufacturer and supplier is Barr's, the other being Currie's ....
,
Red BullRed Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
's new
Simply ColaRed Bull Cola is a beverage from Red Bull GmbH, makers of the energy drink Red Bull. The cola, which contains natural flavoring and caffeine, was introduced in 2008 in several countries.- Ingredients :...
, Harboe Original Taste Cola,
Foxon Park KolaFoxon Park is a soft drink brand produced by Foxon Park Beverage Company. The company is located in East Haven, Connecticut and has been in business for more than 80 years. Their sodas are a traditional accompaniment to the New Haven-style pizza sold throughout the area, and they are also served at...
, Blue Sky Organic Cola,
Sprecher'sSprecher Brewery is a brewery founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Randal Sprecher in 1985. Sprecher produces an assortment of beers and sodas. The brewery has since moved to the neighboring city of Glendale in Milwaukee County....
Puma Kola, Virgil's Real Cola, and
Cricket ColaCricket Natural Beverages are soda made with a green tea base. According to the manufacturer, every bottle contains two cups of green tea in every bottle, and it is sweetened with cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup. They also refrain from phosphoric acid, preservatives, artificial...
.
History
The use of the kola nut, like the
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
berry and
teaTea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
leaf, appears to have ancient origins. It is chewed in many West African cultures, individually or in a social setting, to restore vitality and ease hunger pangs.
Kola nuts are an important part of the traditional spiritual practice of culture and religion in West Africa, particularly Nigeria. Kola nuts are used as a religious object and sacred offering during prayers, ancestor veneration, and significant life events, such as naming ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. They are also used in a traditional divination system called Obi divination. For this use, only kola nuts that are divided into four lobes are suitable. The kola nuts are cast upon a special wooden board and the resulting patterns are read by a trained diviner. This ancient practice is currently enjoying increased growth within the United States and Caribbean.
In the 1800s, a pharmacist in Georgia, John Pemberton, took extracts of kola and coca and mixed them with sugar, other ingredients, and carbonated water to invent the first
colaCola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
soft drink. His accountant tasted it and called it "Coca Cola." Cocaine (not the other extracts from the Peruvian coca leaf) was prohibited from soft drinks in the U.S. after 1904, but Coca-Cola still uses kola in its original recipe..
Ecological requirement
Originally a tree of tropical rainforest, it needs a hot humid climate but can withstand a dry season on sites with a high ground water level. It may be cultivated in drier areas where ground water is available.
C. nitida is a shade bearer but develops a better spreading crown which yields more fruits in open places. Though it is a lowland forest tree it has been found at altitudes over 300 m on deep rich soils under heavy and evenly distributed rainfall.
Weeding condition
Regular weeding is a must and this can either be done manually or by using herbicides. Some irrigation can be provided to the plants, but it is important to remove the water through an effective drainage system as excess water may prove to be detrimental for the growth of the plant. When not grown in adequate shade, the kola nut plant responds well to fertilizers. Usually, the plants need to be provided with windbreaks to protect them from strong gales.
Harvest and storage
Kola nuts can be harvested by hand, by pluging it at the tree branch. Like in western countries and other countries of the world, it has been harvested by the use of harvesters. When kept in a cold and dry place, Kola nut can be stored for a long time.
Pest and disease
The nuts are subject to attack by the Kola weevil
Balanogastris cola. The larvae of the moth
Characoma strictigrapta that also attacks cacao bore into the nuts. Traders sometimes apply an extract of the bark
Rauvolfia vomitoriaRauvolfia vomitoria, the poison devil's pepper, is a plant species in the genus Rauvolfia.2,6-Dimethoxybenzoquinone is a benzoquinone, a chemical compound found in R. vomitoria....
or the pulverised fruits of
XylopiaXylopia is a genus of plant in family Annonaceae. This genus is solely composed of trees, distribution of which is pantropical . It contains the following species :* Xylopia africana, Oliv....
and
CapsicumCapsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...
to counteract the attack on nursery plants. The cacao pests
Sahlbergella spp. have been found also on
C. nitida as an alternative host plant. While seeds are liable to worm attack, the wood is subject to borer attack.
External links