Where does the cola nut grow, in which branches of the economy it is used. What useful substances are contained in the product, are there any contraindications to its use. Recipes and interesting facts about him.
Useful properties of cola nuts
Like all products containing caffeine, it has a pronounced tonic effect. If you eat it periodically, you can achieve a positive effect on the body.
The benefits of cola nuts are as follows:
- Weight loss … This nut is a product that actively starts metabolism. Caffeine reduces appetite, speeds up metabolic processes. The main thing here is not to overdo it. In pursuit of a slim figure, you can get a complication from the cardiovascular system, since the substance increases pressure and speeds up the heart rate.
- Protection against infectious diseases … The extract from this nut is used in medicines as a means of suppressing the development of many infections. But even simple consumption of food significantly reduces the risk of meningitis and tuberculosis.
- Prevention of oncology … The substances contained in the nut - phytoandrogens and phytoestrogens - kill cancer cells that originate in the prostate.
- Improving digestion … Promotes the production of certain enzymes necessary for the breakdown of fatty foods. It is recommended to eat kola nut dishes at feasts when the gastrointestinal tract is overloaded.
- Relief from headaches, dizziness, migraines … The stimulants in the product dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow. It helps relieve headaches, dizziness and migraines.
- Lowers blood pressure … Theobromine is responsible for this property of cola nut, which lowers blood pressure due to vasodilation.
- Makes the walls of blood vessels elastic … By increasing the tone of the blood vessels, the prevention of diseases such as stroke and heart attack occurs.
- Helps Deal With Bronchospasm … In particular, it helps with bronchial asthma, as caffeine is a strong bronchodilator. Even if the attack could not be avoided, it will be shorter and less intense.
- Supports the nervous system … Helps to relax and calm the nerves, cope with stress, depression, anxiety, weakness. Stimulates nerve endings, improves mood.
- Prevents puffiness … Due to its strong diuretic effect, it solves the problem of water retention in the body, which prevents swelling.
- Clears kidney and gallbladder stones … Another bonus of the diuretic effect is the ability of the nut components to remove sand and small stones from the kidneys and bladder.
- Stimulates the outflow of bile … The strong choleretic effect prevents the formation of stones in the gallbladder and its ducts, and the antioxidant properties help cleanse the liver of harmful substances.
- Blocks the development of diabetes … This happens due to accelerated metabolism and, as a result, a decrease in blood sugar levels.
- Prevents aging … The process of wilting of systems and organs is also slowed down precisely due to the antioxidant properties of the components of the product and their ability to fight free radicals.
- Increases libido in women, prolongs male strength … Walnut is a powerful aphrodisiac that can significantly prolong the age of male strength, cope with erectile dysfunction and induce sex drive in women.
Contraindications and harm of cola nut
Those who are familiar with the sense of proportion should not be afraid, but those who go overboard with the product may face such unpleasant consequences:
- Arrhythmia … This is due to the fact that caffeine has a strong effect on the heart muscle and, if consumed excessively, provokes heart rhythm problems.
- Nervousness … An overabundance of nut components causes an overstrain of the nervous system.
- Insomnia … This effect is probably familiar to those who like coffee in the evenings. Since caffeine excites the nervous system, it is recommended to consume nuts in the morning.
- Renal colic … They can be provoked by the presence of large stones and a strong diuretic effect. This also applies to large stones in the bladder, gallbladder and ducts.
- Premature ejaculation … A side effect of eating nuts as an aphrodisiac.
But there are also groups of people who, even in small doses, will feel the harm of cola nuts:
- Pregnant and lactating mothers … Agree, a woman in a position does not need an exciting effect at all. As a rule, you need to calm it down, not tone it up. Well, mother's milk with caffeine can cause irreparable harm to the baby on the part of the nervous and cardiovascular system. That is why during the lactation period it is impossible to use not only cola nuts, but also everything that has an exciting effect - tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate.
- Susceptible to neurological disorders … The use of nuts can aggravate the course of chronic neurological diseases. This applies not only to the period of exacerbation. They can bring you out of remission by causing a relapse.
- With heart disease … This is especially true for hypertension. Caffeine can raise already high blood pressure, triggering a hypertensive crisis and even a stroke.
- Glaucoma sufferers … Increased eye pressure can rise even more, increasing stress on the optic nerve and blood vessels in the brain.
- Using any medications … They can react with the components contained in the nut, provoking a significant increase in the effect.
How to eat cola nuts
Unfortunately, in Russia it can be found quite rarely, and then only in large supermarkets or specialized stores. Hence the lack of a culture of consumption of this product. Best of all know how to eat cola nuts in African countries. There it is consumed raw and dried, it is used for making energy drinks, desserts, and added to baked goods. To get the tonic effect, it is enough to eat just a few nuts. And to overcome the feeling of hunger during diets, a drink is made from 1 tablespoon of ground nuts and 200 ml of cold water. In both the first and second cases, the desired effect will last about 5-6 hours.
How to choose a cola nut
If you come across raw fruits, take them only closed. This will ensure that they are not dried out. In the photo, cola nuts of different colors and sizes. This does not mean at all that some of them are better, and some are worse. It's just that some got more pigment (which, by the way, is used in paint production), and some got less. Planning to use the walnut for your drinks or meals? Then it is better to immediately take it ground. It, of course, can be grinded in a meat grinder, and then in a coffee grinder and a mill, but this will require considerable physical effort. And the beneficial properties of grinding do not diminish, so do not complicate your task. When choosing, pay attention to the production date.
The nut will bring the greatest benefit within six months from the moment of packaging. If you take it in bulk, focus on moisture - it should not be wet.
You need to store raw nuts in the refrigerator, the best place is the compartment for vegetables and fruits. To make it easier to clean, fill it with cold water for an hour, then drain, dry and clean. But the rules for storing spices are applicable to ground nuts - in a dry, dark place in an opaque sealed container.
Cola Nut recipes
As noted earlier, in our country, there is practically no culture of consumption of this product. This is due to the fact that it is not imported in large quantities and is most often in demand among those who use it as a dietary supplement. But in vain! We advise you to pay attention to the following recipes with cola nuts, which will certainly appeal to everyone who loves non-trivial cuisine.
The product will add an exquisite piquancy to such dishes:
- Stew … The pork is very soft and tender. You will need 500 g of pork goulash. Fill it with water to barely cover it, and put it on fire. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of ground cola nuts with 100 ml of hot water in a separate bowl. Add the infusion to the meat, add 1 finely chopped onion, 1 coarse grated carrot, 100 g diced celery root, season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 1, 5 hours, stirring occasionally well. Serve with finely chopped dill.
- Herring salad … If you are a fan of boiled potatoes with herring, be sure to check out this recipe. Take a large, slightly salted herring. It is better to take whole, peel and mill, since the herring, already cut, is not so tasty. Cut the fish into pieces, 2-3 cm wide. Boil an infusion of 100 ml of water and 2 tablespoons of ground cola nuts. The brewing principle is the same as for natural coffee. Then cool the infusion, add 20 g of sugar, a pinch of salt and white pepper, 2 tablespoons of mustard and 100 ml of sunflower oil to it. Dip the herring in the marinade, refrigerate overnight. Boil 2 large potatoes and carrots, steam 200 g of pumpkin. Cut vegetables into cubes. Also cut 1 large onion into half rings and two hard-boiled eggs into slices. Place vegetables on a flat dish, top with fish, then onions and eggs. Pour the herring marinade over the salad. Serve with finely chopped dill.
- Nut biscuit … This biscuit turns out to be very fluffy, light and airy. It will appeal to everyone who loves coffee baked goods. Beat 3 eggs, 150 g sugar and a pinch of salt with a mixer until fluffy. Gently add 150 g of sifted flour and 2 tablespoons of ground cola nuts. Do this slowly, gradually, stirring with a silicone or wooden spatula. Try to stir so that the foam does not settle. Transfer the finished dough into a form covered with parchment, bake in an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 20 minutes.
Here are a few drinks you should definitely try:
- Homemade cola … The authors of the recipe claim that the drink turns out to be very similar to the well-known soda. You need to start cooking with syrup. For it, you need to take 1800 ml of water and add to it the zest of 2 lemons, 2 limes, 4 oranges, 4 tablespoons of dry orange peel, 4 cinnamon sticks, 4 teaspoons of coriander seeds, a pinch of nutmeg and 8 tablespoons of ground cola nuts. Bring to a boil, add 1, 8 kg of granulated sugar and stir the syrup until it is completely dissolved. When the syrup has cooled, pour in the freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons, 2 limes, 4 oranges, 4 ml vanilla extract and 100 ml of any brown BBQ sauce. Stir well and refrigerate. Use this drink as a concentrate, diluting in a 1: 1 ratio with mineral sparkling water. Serve over ice. Shelf life in the refrigerator is 2 weeks in a hermetically sealed container.
- Hot chocolate … This sweet and aromatic drink is perfect for the cold season. It will perfectly warm you in bad weather, will give you a charge of vivacity for the whole day and will saturate the body for a long time. To prepare it, melt 50 g of milk chocolate in a water bath. Add 200 ml of milk and 1 teaspoon of ground cola nuts to it. Bring to a boil, let it brew for a couple of minutes under the lid, serve with marshmallows.
Interesting Cola Nut Facts
There is a legend that the kola nut was once the food of the gods. Wanting to help people, one of the gods left a fruit while visiting the earth. People grew a tree out of it and began to enjoy the fruits. In written sources, seafarers have mentioned nuts since the 16th century. Europeans ate the fruit in the 18th century. He became especially popular after a French officer, climbing Mount Kanga, periodically refreshed himself with ground nuts, which allowed him to walk for more than 12 hours without rest or food, while remaining vigorous and in a good mood. After that, they began to study the product in the medical plane and immediately discovered its tonic properties.
In African tribes, kola nuts often became mandatory attributes of various ceremonies. They were also taken on hikes as an excellent source of nutrients, an invigorating product that allows you to activate physical strength, fighting hunger.
It is thanks to this plant that the world's most famous sweet carbonated drinks Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola appeared. According to some sources, the progenitor of the drink was created in Atlanta as a remedy for headaches. The American pharmacist experimented with mixing different ingredients and settled on combining cola nuts with sugar and coca leaves. Then he added water to the mixture and got a tonic drink, the recipe for which he sold to the businessman. Soda recipes have been kept secret for over 100 years. They have been changed, supplemented, but the producers assure that the drinks owe their energy properties to the cola nut. The nut is especially honored in Muslim countries, as it replaces alcohol for local men. And in African countries - from camel drivers. It helps to make many hours of transitions under the scorching sun, without wasting time, effort and money on eating.
Watch the video about cola nuts:
For all the benefits of using walnut, its biggest disadvantage is addictiveness. Of course, if you eat this product irregularly, then there is nothing to fear. But if you make it the basis of your cheerful mood or diet to reduce body weight, serious problems can arise. Therefore, we advise you not to get carried away with it, but at the first symptoms of addiction, seek help from a doctor. To overcome it is quite simple, you just need to pay attention to it in time.
