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Guarana is actually called “paulinia guarana”, but in Poland it is called osmęta and thorny tangle. However, this plant does not grow in Poland, occurring naturally in Brazil, especially in the Amazon basin. Interestingly, it is guarana that contains the largest amounts of caffeine in the whole world of nature: more than coffee beans from which the coffee we know is produced!
Indian history of the plant
Guarana has been known for centuries by the Indians. It was not known to the Western world until around the XNUMXth century. The Indians called the plant “a gift from God” for a reason, and in other translations and names “the elixir of youth.” Western culture, examining guarana in a more scientific way, also attributed to it many advantages.
Nutritional values of guarana
Guarana seeds contain about 50% of fibre, 9% of starch, 3% of proteins and about 11% of fat. Guarana also contains about 5-8% of caffeine and ingredients such as theophylline and theobromine.
Guarana properties. Why is it worth consuming?
- Increases and strengthens physical fitness (great for athletes!)
- It has a positive effect on mental fitness, preventing, for example, mood changes, blues
- May act as a mild aphrodisiac
- It’s a great stimulant, much more so than coffee
- It has antibacterial and antioxidant properties
- Increases the ability to remember and concentrate. It helps in learning, especially intensified and long-term
- It can support slimming processes. Helps you exercise effectively for longer
Guarana is credited with a stimulating effect on all systems of the human body. It also enhances sex drive. First of all, the effect of guarana refers to the mental part of our health, improving information processing, eliminating fatigue and increasing the ability to remember, and thus memory and concentration at the same time.
Guarana and coffee. What’s better?
Caffeine contained in coffee is absorbed much faster: the effects are visible sooner than in the case of taking guarana. However, this advantage turns into a disadvantage when you compare the duration of action of the caffeine contained in coffee and guarana. Caffeine contained in guarana affects the body for about 2 hours longer, so the stimulation is longer, and thus more effective.
Healing properties of guarana
Consuming guarana helps reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Guarana can be purchased at any pharmacy in the form of a dietary supplement, e.g. as tablets. Guarana is also a component of various types of drinks and stimulants and energy, but it is also used in slimming, being in slimming agents.