Guarana
Paullinia Cupana (AKA Brazilian Cocoa)
 Bodily Influence:
Aphrodisiac, Febrifuge, Narcotic (slightly), Nervine, Nutritive,
Stimulant
South
American legend says that the Incas discovered its nutritious and
stimulating qualities before the first Europeans even set foot on the
American Continent. The Maues and Murdorow Indians used Guarana to
be able to travel through jungles and across mountains for miles at
a steady pace. They carried hand rolled sticks that looked like
licorice from which they scraped off small amounts to chew as they
ran (the sticks were made form the seeds of the Guarana plant). It
is also reported that the Japanese consumed Guarana during World War
ll to aid in alertness and keep up courage.
In
the Amazon Jungles the natives use the seed of Guarana, which they
pick from the vine; the seeds are dried then ground into a meal.
They then make a paste from the meal which is formed into rolls.
When dried, these rolls become hard and look like dark sausages. In
this form the Guarana is transported to the markets by traders for
sale and distribution.
Guarana is considered to be the richest source of caffeine world
wide. Like all caffeine containing substances, Guarana can be
addictive and can cause the same unpleasant symptoms of excessive
coffee drinking. There is a difference in how Guarana and coffee
are released; coffee enters the blood stream immediately while
Guarana because it is not water-soluble enters over a period of 5 to
6 hours. Guarana has a stimulant nervine effect and is therefore
often found to be used by truck drivers and students who seek to
stay awake. I myself have taken Guarana from time to time and never
experienced a problem using it for a day or two and then stopping.
I still have a partially full bottle on my bookshelf that I have had
for more then five years.
In
its natural state, Guarana provides a synergetic delivery of many
nutritional compounds and trace elements to pleasantly and
beneficially affect your total body system. This is unlike coffee,
which has no nutritional value and can destroy vitamins in the food
you are eating at the time of digestion.
Guarana has been used by some for headache or depression that
accompany menstrual problems. It is also useful for decreasing
restlessness, improving alertness and as a general tonic for
headache and sore muscles. Some have used it to overcome menstrual
problems due to stress and tenseness.
Studies that indicate positive effects of Guarana use:
There are studies that indicate that Guarana has none of the
negative side effects of coffee drinking (1) Herbal Tonic (2,3)
Helps relieve mild anxiety, stress and nervous tension (2,3)
Temporary relief from headaches (2,3,4,5) Maintains stamina and
physical endurance (2) Relief of menstrual pain (2,3,4) Herbal
diuretic (4) Herbal anti-diarrheal (2,3,4,5,6) Appetite suppressant:
assists weight control in conjunction with a balanced low kilo joule/calorie
diet (1)
Studies:
1. Van Straten, M., (1994) Guarana, England: The CW
Daniel Co. Limited
2. Grieve M., (1998) A Modern Herbal, England: Watson and Viney
3. Willard T. (1991) The Wild Rose Scientific Herbal Calgary: Wild
rose College of Natrural Healing Ltd.
4. Duke J.A., (1985 Handbook of Medical Herbs, Florida: CRC Press
Inc.
5. Todd R G., (1990) Jextra Pharmacopoeia Martindale, 25th
edition. London: The Pharmaceutical Press.
Sources:
Guarana: The Energy Seeds of the Amazon Rain Forest, Michael van Straten, Random House, 2004
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