Guarana is the plant named after the Guarani tribe of Amazon. Its seeds are used to brew a drink. Guarana has a great significant in medicines. The plant bears a yellow-orange fruit that consist of three seeds each. These seeds are dry roasted on fire. The kernels are ground to a paste with cassava and molded into cylindrical sticks, which are then sun-dried. It is used as flavorings and a source of caffeine by the soft drink industry.
Guarana consist a high quantity of caffeine in it (about4-8%) which is greater than the quantity present in coffee beans. It is also rich in tannins and xanthine alkaloids theophylline and theobromine. The stems, leaves and roots are used to produce fish killing drug in Central & South America.
Best Option as a Stimulant
Guarana has caffeine more than the coffee beans thus its act as better stimulant for the humans. Guarana occasionally is combined with glucomannan in natural weight loss tablets. However, it cannot be recommended as a natural energizer or weight loss aid because of its potential serious side effects.
Guarana if taken appropriately will provide following benefits:
- Increases energy
- Speeds up metabolism
- Offers mental alertness
- Burns fat cells
- Helps with headaches
- Detoxifies Contains antioxidants
- Acts as a cleanser
- Decreases appetite
Guarana is prone to severe side effect. So it is necessary to check the intake of this fruit. It can cause excessive nervousness, insomnia, and other health risks in patients sensitive to caffeine. Also, its high tannin content, excessive use may lead to an increased risk of cancer of the oropharynx. It is also useful in treatment of ongoing diarrhea, fever, heart problems, headache, joint pain, backache, and heat stress.
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