Guarana (a precious plant from Amazonia) is a woody vine/climber plant which belongs to maple/soapberry family, native to the Amazon basin, growing to a height of 33 ft (10 m) having divided compound leaves, clusters of inconspicuous yellow flowers, and Pear-shaped fruit that contains small shiny brown seeds, native to tropical forests of the Brazilian Amazon, but also cultivated in Brazil. It has been known and used since ancient times by the Satere-Mawe people.
Guarana Caffeine vs. Coffee Caffeine
Why is there so much difference between caffeine found in Guarana drink and caffeine found in Coffee and soft drinks:
• It is because its seed is fatty (even in powder form) and is not easily dissolved in Water.
• The Human Body can’t absorb its extract quickly, and it sometimes may take many hours to absorb.
• Its extract is absorbed gradually, therefore its Energy enhancement effects that are experienced from Guarana drinks are not like that of Coffee with its rapid and quick drop off.
It has large leaves and bears clusters of flowers, and popular for its Fruit which is similar to the Coffee bean in size, but orange yellow in colour and contain seeds within. The seeds are collected and dried over Fire. The kernel paste is made into cylindrical sticks.
A mature Guarana Fruit is about the size of a Coffee berry and resembles the human Eye, with a red shell encasing a Black Seed covered by a white aril.
The most common forms of Guarana are extracts, Syrups and distillates.
It is a flavouring agent and used as a source of caffeine in the soft drink industry.
The concentration of caffeine is twice the amount found in Coffee Beans.
History
Types & Varieties
Mechanism of Action
Additional Information
• Analgesic (Relieves pain)
• Anti-aggregant (Decrease platelet aggregation and prevents the thrombus formation. It is also effective in the arterial circulation, because of its Anti-Coagulants effect)
• Anti-Inflammatory (Reduces inflammation)
• Aphrodisiac (Stimulates sexual desire)
• Diuretic (Causes increased passing of urine)
• Immuno-Stimulant (Increase the motility of the gastrointestinal and smoothens the muscle)
• Stimulant (Temporarily increase alertness and Energy)
• Febrifuge
• Nervine
• Thermogenic (Increase the heat in the body)
• Tonic (Has the property to restore, tone and invigorate systems in the body)
Guarana Common Uses
Dancing, Endurance, Energy, Energy tonic, Exhaustion, Fatigue, Focus, Socialising, Stamina, Stimulation, Studying, Working,
Parts Used: leaves, stems, roots and seeds of the plant are used for medicinal purposes.
Seeds. The seeds are gathered when ripe. The seed of fruit is treated and ground using traditional methods to obtain a high-quality, pure powder, without additives or preservatives.
Preparation: – 1 tsp/cup. Steep covered 10 minutes.
• Guarana contain:
• Guaranine (the primary constituent in the seeds), a more ‘user friendly’ form of caffeine without the side effects of Coffee.
• Xanthine derivatives (including up to 7% caffeine, together with theobromine and theophylline),
• Tannin,
• Saponins.
• Natural Phenols (like Catechin and epicatechin)
• Ash
• Resin
• Starch
• Theobromine and theophylline
• Protein and fat (present in varying quantities in the seeds)
Note:
* Guarana and Coffee (Coffea arabica) have similar medicinal uses and even side effects on longterm application (or excessive consumption).
* It contains guaranine, a more ‘user friendly’ form of caffeine without the side effects of Coffee.
* Its taken in moderation, is an excellent Stimulant for dancing, work, sport, staying awake, study (even better combined with Ginkgo Biloba) and driving.
* Guarana usage has been spread across the globe and has become popular for its revitalizing and stimulating effects.
* Guarana seeds are considered as a dietary supplement and an effective Stimulant.
* The Guarana seeds has the caffeine which is twice (2) than found in Coffee seeds (about 2-4.5% caffeine in Guarana seeds, compared to 1-2% for Coffee seeds).
Precaution:
* Do not take if suffering from cardiovascular disease (or suffering from High Blood Pressure).
* Its long-term use is discouraged, because its high Tannin content impair The Intestine’ ability to absorb nutrients, thus alarming to proper nutrition.
* It should not be taken during Pregnancy (or while Breastfeeding).
* Over Dosage may lead to trembling, Insomnia and Palpitations, but safe when taken in moderation.
* Because of its caffeine content, it may potentially interact with lithium, theophylline, and clozapine.Excessive Nervousness, Insomnia, and other health risks in people sensitive to caffeine.
Contraindication of Guarana
* The pregnant and Breastfeeding mother should not use the herb
* Stomach irritation
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Insomnia
* Nervousness
* Increased heart rate
* Bladder control problems (Incontinence)
* Osteoporosis
* High Blood Pressure
Health Benefits of Guarana
Alcoholism
• Guarana is an excellent tonic for hangovers.
• Its taken for a short-term as a remedy for Headaches, Migraines and mild Depression.
• Guarana on the other hand keeps you vitally awake and alert for four (4) hours, without any comedown or hangover.
• Look for ground whole-seed powder (dark, warm, rich looking) as a lot of commercially available version, especially pills, are diluted and adulterated with fillers, giving one more Anxiety than Energy.
Foods & Alcoholism
Anti-Aging
• Guarana may improve Skin appearance through its anti-oxidant and Anti-Microbial properties, making it a common additive in cosmetic products. It may aid blood flow to your Skin, reduce damage linked to aging and minimize undesirable features (such as saggy Skin and wrinkles).
Foods & Bones
Cancer & Tumor Prevention
• Guarana may protect against DNA damage, suppress Cancer cell growth in the colon, possibly due to its content of xanthines (compounds that are similar to caffeine and theobromine).
Foods & Cancer
Circulatory System
• Guarana improves blood circulation and decreases Stress levels in the body.
• It may reduce the risk of heart disease through its anti-oxidants which appear to aid blood flow and may prevent blood clots and also decrease the oxidation of bad (LDL) Cholesterol.
Foods & Circulatory System
Digestive System
• Guarana has been used for centuries as a natural stomach tonic to treat Digestive problems (like chronic Diarrhea and Constipation).
• It relieves problems like Bloating and Diarrhea.
• It may have Anti-diarrhea properties, due to it’s rich Tannins astringency action which Waterproof the walls of the Digestive tract, restricting how much Water is secreted into the bowels.
• Its caffeine stimulates peristalsis (a process that activates contractions in the muscles of The Intestine and colon), thus may relieve Constipation by pushing contents to the rectum.
Note:
* Low doses of Guarana do not provide much caffeine, so they are more likely to have an Anti-diarrhea effect. High doses provide more caffeine and may have Laxative effects.
Foods & Digestive System
Energy
• Guarana is useful as a short-term remedy for boosting Energy levels.
• It stimulate the body over the short term, but tend to inhibit the body’s restorative processes over the longer term.
• The xanthines are Stimulant and Diuretic, and reduce fatigue over the short term.
• Satere-Mawe people consumed it when they had to cover long distances on foot, before hunting or during ritual fasting.
• Its an excellent source of caffeine, which helps you maintain focus and mental Energy. Caffeine works by blocking the effects of adenosine (a compound that helps the brain relax) through binding to adenosine receptors, preventing them from being activated.
• It contains B-complex Vitamins, Vitamin C, and Minerals which makes the body energetic and improves the exercise tolerance.
Foods & Energy
Immune System
• It inFluences the Immune System and provides stimulating effect to the body. Its loaded with compounds that have anti-oxidant properties (such as caffeine, theobromine, Tannins, Saponins and Catechins) which are important in neutralizing free radicals (potentially harmful molecules which interact with parts of the body cells and cause damage linked to aging, heart disease, Cancers and other diseases).
• Guarana contains compounds that Fight oxidative Stress (a major risk factor for age-related Eye disorders like macular degeneration, Cataracts and Glaucoma), thus can significantly reduce the amount of DNA damage and Eye cell death.
Foods & Immune System
Infections
• Guarana contains compounds that may inhibit or kill harmful bacteria (such as Escherichia coli [E. coli, which lives in The Intestine of humans and animals] and Streptococcus mutans [S. mutans, a bacteria that can cause dental plaques and tooth decay]).
Foods & Infections
Metabolism
• It acts as a natural appetite suppressing agent, thus encourages weight loss has control over the balanced weight.
• Guarana increases the burning of fat.
Foods & Metabolism
Musculoskeletal System
• Guarana has Anti-Inflammatory, analgesic property which reduces the Stiffness and inflammation which controls the pain of the joints.
• It has pain-relieving properties due to its high caffeine content.
• Caffeine plays a role in pain management, as it binds and blocks adenosine receptors (A1 and A2a) involved in stimulating feelings of pain.
Foods & Musculoskeletal System
The Brain & Nervous System
• Guarana is a safe Stimulant for all jobs as its absorbed by the body more slowly than caffeine, making it last longer. It has a soft, balanced and progressive stimulating effect on intellectual activity and physical capacity.
• If taken in moderation, its an excellent Stimulant for dancing, work, sport, staying awake, study (even better combined with Ginkgo Biloba) and driving.
• It contains a natural Stimulant with properties similar to caffeine.
• Guarana works as a Nervous System Stimulant and anti-fatigue (considerably increases vigilance and decreases fatigue symptoms to a great extent).
• When used in combination with Ginseng, it improves endurance and strength.
• In combination with Maca and Spirulina, Guarana shows tonic action and useful as a stimulator in sports.
• It has calm and coolant potency due to which it has the property of cooling the Stress, and calming the pressure of brain which gives relaxation.
• It facilitates learning and when used in combination with Ginseng, it enhances intellectual performance.
• Guarana is known to improve the level of concentration in combination with Rhodiola.
• It provides relief in Headaches and Migraines.
Foods & Nervous System
Weight Management
• It diminishes the sensation of hunger when used in the frame of a weight-loss diet, while preserving the natural cycles of the body and sleep.
• Roasted and ground Guarana seeds are now widely used in the health food industry.
• It contains caffeine, which may aid weight loss by boosting Metabolism.
• It has also been found to suppress genes that aid fat cell production and promote genes that slow it down.
Foods & Weight Management
