Health Benefits of Garcinia kola
Bitter kola, botanically known as Garcinia kola, is a popular plant from the evergreen kola tree that has long been valued for its medicinal properties in Central and also Western Africa.
When chewed, it has a sharp, bitter flavor that fades into a slight sweetness as you chew it.
However, it is an important cultural symbol for many ethnic groups in Nigeria. However, it is distributed to guests at weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies, as well as used in medicine. The ceremonial breaking of the kola nut is essential for making people feel welcome in a village as well as gathering. Bitter kola is known as “Akiilu” in Igbo, “Orogbo” in Yoruba, and “Miji-goro” in Hausa.
Bitter kola has numerous health benefits, some of which are listed below:
1. It strengthens the immune system
Bitter kola provides the immune system with all of the necessary supports to protect against toxins and also to provide an effective immune response to foreign particles.
This high level of antioxidants found in bitter kola not only helps the body fight bacteria and other illnesses, but it also helps the body increase its immunity levels, and when the body’s immunity level is increased, it becomes strong enough to fight any pathogen.
2. It has anti-malaria properties.
Chemical constituents in bitter kola have been shown in studies to have anti-malarial properties. Therefore, this is why traditional healers have long prescribed it to treat malaria infections.
Bitter kola stem, bark, and seeds are also used to treat acute fever, respiratory tract inflammation, and throat infections.
3. It is also useful in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Bitter kola has also been identified as a potent antibiotic that, due to its antibacterial, detoxification, and cleansing properties, may be useful in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Despite the fact that this may appear difficult due to the complexity of the diseases, studies have shown that the seed and leaf of bitter kola have antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Streptococcus pyrogens.
4. It fights glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a condition that causes increased pressure within the eyeball, hence, resulting in a gradual loss of sight and, if left untreated, permanent blindness.
However, bitter kola, on the other hand, has been discovered to be an amazing cure for the disease.
5. It aids in the treatment of food poisoning.
It has anti-poisonous properties, and also aids in the prevention of bacterial infection caused by food poisoning. When the bark and seed are consumed together, they aid in the detoxification of the human system, particularly in cases of food poisoning.
6. It improves fertility.
Bitter kola is sometimes consumed by infertile women in order to improve fertility.
7. It aids in the regulation of blood sugar levels.
It is useful for more than just treating malaria. Therefore, it can also be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes in terms of keeping their blood glucose levels stable.
According to research, the plant’s seeds are also capable of lowering high blood glucose levels.
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