EXTRA-ORDINARY HEALTH BENEFITS OF BITTER KOLA

Bitter kola is found in several parts of Nigeria. The kola is about 3-4 cm in length. It has an ellipsoid shape. A deep brown peel covers it. This peel is removed before it is eaten. Anytime you eat this fruit, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth that can last for five to ten minutes, hence the name bitter kola.  Its biological name is "Garcinia kola" and belong to the family of "Guittiferal". The Hausa call it Na Miji-Goro, the Yoruba call it Orogbo, while it is called Aki ilu by the Igbo.

Bitter kola is known for its antibiotic functions, it is very effective in the treatment of many diseases. The fruit itself and the bark of its tree have been used for centuries in traditional medicines to treat many forms of sicknesses and allergies.

Bitter kola has been known for ages to relieve coughs, hoarseness, and throat troubles, some say that it also aids digestion. It is said to be a remedy for dysentery, osteoarthritis and antidote against poisoning. Bitter kola is such an amazing fruit! It is usually eaten raw, but whether eaten raw or cooked you can still benefit greatly from its high nutritional contents.

Eating one piece of bitter kola in a day will help in the treatment of low libido, low sperm count, erectile dysfunction and arthritis. It is also used in treating hangover, improving lung function and knee osteoarthritis among others.

Read on to find out more extra-ordinary health benefits of bitter kola,

Health Benefit for Malaria- Considerable experimental studies found the chemical contents in bitter kola have anti-malaria properties. Traditional healers have also for ages prescribed bitter kola for the treatment of malaria infections. Kolaviron, which is the powerful chemical compound found in bitter kola, is responsible for killing malaria parasites and curing the malaria.

Benefit for Male Fertility- Bitter kola is believed to cure impotence. Frequent eating of bitter kola can help boosts sexual performance in men.

Health Benefit for Glaucoma (Eye pressure)- An increase in eye pressure can lead to glaucoma; eye drops that contain 0.5 percent extract of Garcinia kola have been proven to be very effective in treating eye pressure. This eyedrops, when applied twice a day regularly, can significantly reduce eye pressure.

Health Benefit for HIV- Bitter kola is a very good antibiotic which can be effective in the treatment of HIV and AIDS. A research by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), told the news Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that bitter kola could be used in treating opportunistic infections associated with HIV. Bitter kola is highly recommended in the treatment of HIV and Aids because of its antibacterial, detoxification, and cleansing properties. There is a chemical in bitter kola called saponin which is responsible for its cleansing effect. It is also used as tonic for the liver and it enhances the functions of the liver and gall bladder.

Health Benefit for Osteoarthritis- Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis characterized by pain, inflammation and limited movement in the joints, the causes of osteoarthritis can include joint injury, obesity, and aging. Many arthritis patients prefer natural herbal medicines to other pain relievers and medications. Garcinia kola significantly reduced inflammation and pain and increased joint movement in people that have osteoarthritis symptoms. Garcinia kola works well as a result of its antioxidant properties.

Food Poisoning-   When food is suspected to be contaminated by bacteria or someone accidentally eats food that was poisoned, traditional healers often recommend that such persons can chew bitter kola immediately after eating the poison because it usually prevents the development of any infection or poisoning. Herbalists also recommend that, the seed and the bark of bitter kola should be eaten together in cases where food poisoning is suspected, it helps to detoxify the system. Bitter kola is not only anti poison, it also has the ability to repel evil spirits according to traditional beliefs and it has spiritual benefits.

Why not try and eat at least one piece of bitter kola a day so that you can also benefit from its extra-ordinary health benefits.