4 side effects of bitter kola you didn’t know

Kola nut is a cultural staple in many West African countries, prized for its effects as a central nervous system stimulant.

Throughout West Africa, every market, bus depot, and corner shop has small piles of kola nuts for sale. It’s a significant cash crop for rural farmers.

Stories about the many health benefits of kola nut go back thousands of years. People have claimed that kola nut sweetens stale water, treats fatigue, and eases hunger pains.

Most of the benefits of kola nut are connected to its high caffeine content, which increases energy and reduces hunger.

Although there is a long history of consuming kola-containing sodas without any adverse health effects. The kola nut is actually a seed taken from inside a fruit, so it’s not associated with tree nut allergies.

The side effects of kola nut and kola nut extract parallel the effects of a comparable dose of caffeine. These include:

Mouth cancer

Bitter kola can cause mouth cancer. According to researches chewing kola nuts can lead to mouth or gastrointestinal cancer.

Excess caffeine

Bitter kola contains quite a big amount of caffeine, which is why eating too much of this product can be quite unhealthy. So you should be careful with the amount of the eaten nuts. The product can be especially dangerous for people with cardio problems.

Glaucoma

Bitter kola can lead to glaucoma. An excessive amount of bitter kola nuts can be harmful. But if you eat a small number of nuts, it can prevent glaucoma.

Not good for diabetic patients

Bitter kola is not beneficial for those who suffer from diabetes. It is another one among the side effects of bitter kola related to the presence of caffeine in the product. Caffeine can lead to an incorrect sugar level in your body, so it is better to be careful with this product.