10 Amazing Uses and Health Benefits of Bitter (Garcinia) Kola You Probably Don’t Know

Traditional Health Benefits of Bitter Kola

Bitter kola, also known as Garcinia kola, is a widely grown plant in Central and Western Africa. It has a long history of uses in traditional African medicine and is believed to offer numerous health benefits. Bitter kola contains various nutrients, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron, and caffeine.

In this article, we will explore ten remarkable uses and health benefits of bitter kola that you may not be aware of. From its potential antimalarial properties to its effects on weight management, blood glucose regulation, and respiratory health, bitter kola has gained recognition for its potential therapeutic value.

So, what are the health benefits of Bitter (Garcinia) Kola?

In this article, we will explore ten remarkable benefits of bitter kola that you may not be aware of. From its potential antimalarial properties to its effects on weight management, blood glucose regulation, and respiratory health, bitter kola has gained recognition for its potential therapeutic value.

So, what are the health benefits of Bitter (Garcinia) Kola?

Antimalarial Properties

Bitter kola is believed to possess chemical compounds that act as antimalarial agents. One of these compounds, called kolaviron, is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemical that has been found to have antimalarial effects. Research suggests that bitter kola extracts containing kolaviron can inhibit the growth of malaria parasites and reduce the severity of malaria symptoms. While bitter kola cannot replace conventional antimalarial medications, it may serve as a supportive therapy or a preventive measure in areas where malaria is prevalent.

Weight Management and Hunger Suppression

Bitter kola is known for its ability to suppress hunger and promote weight management. It acts as a natural appetite suppressant, making you feel fuller for longer periods. By reducing hunger cravings, bitter kola can help control calorie intake and support weight loss efforts. Additionally, bitter kola acts as a powerful thirst stimulant, encouraging increased water consumption. Staying hydrated is essential for overall health and can aid in weight loss by promoting proper digestion, metabolism, and toxin elimination. Remember to incorporate bitter kola into a balanced diet and exercise routine for optimal results.

Blood Glucose Regulation

Research suggests that bitter kola seeds have the potential to regulate blood glucose levels, making them a possible adjunct therapy for diabetes mellitus. The active compounds in bitter kola may enhance insulin sensitivity and promote glucose uptake by cells, leading to better blood sugar control. While bitter kola should not replace prescribed diabetes medications, it may offer additional support in managing blood glucose levels.

Relief from Cold and Fever

In traditional medicine, bitter kola has been used as a remedy for cold and fever symptoms. It contains bioactive compounds that can help alleviate respiratory congestion and provide relief from chest colds. Bitter kola works by enlarging the alveolar sac and duct, allowing for improved airflow and mucus clearance in the respiratory system. It may also possess antimicrobial properties that help combat the underlying causes of respiratory infections.

Aphrodisiac Properties

Bitter kola has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac, particularly for men. Research suggests that it contains compounds that can enhance sexual desire and address erectile dysfunction. Bitter kola may promote increased blood flow to the genital area, which can contribute to improved sexual performance. It is important to note that individual experiences may vary, and more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind bitter kola’s aphrodisiac effects.

Immune System Support

Bitter kola has been shown to have positive effects on the immune system. It contains bioactive compounds that can modulate immune responses and help the body adapt to stress. By supporting immune function, bitter kola may enhance the body’s ability to defend against infections and diseases. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and stress management for optimal immune system function.

Glaucoma Prevention

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by increased pressure within the eye, which can lead to vision loss if left untreated. Studies have found that using an eye drop made from a garcinia kola extract can help treat and prevent glaucoma. The active compounds in bitter kola may help reduce intraocular pressure and provide relief from glaucoma symptoms.

Osteoarthritis Relief

Bitter kola has been recognized for its potential benefits in alleviating symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research suggests that bitter kola contains compounds with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce pain and inflammation in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. These compounds may also improve joint health and mobility.

Lung Health Promotion

Bitter kola contains saponin, an antioxidant that has cleansing and purifying properties. These properties can contribute to improved lung health by widening the alveolar ducts and sacs, strengthening the lung tissue’s fibers, and help respiratory function.

Benefits for Pregnant Women

Contrary to popular belief, bitter kola has been found to provide potential benefits for pregnant women. It is believed to aid in the prevention of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Additionally, bitter kola may help strengthen the uterus, provide essential nutrients for the expecting mother, and support healthy blood circulation.

In Summary

Bitter (Garcinia) kola, with its wide range of potential health benefits, has been valued in traditional African medicine for centuries. From its antimalarial properties to its effects on weight management, blood glucose regulation, and respiratory health, bitter kola offers a diverse array of potential therapeutic applications. However, it is important to note that further research is needed to fully understand and validate these benefits. If you are considering incorporating bitter kola into your health regimen, it is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional for guidance and to ensure it complements your overall health and treatment plan.

Source Your Agric Products With Neogric

Neogric is a trusted global order fulfillment and sourcing solution company with deep expertise in the Agric industry. Our end-to-end supply chain solution makes the export of quality agric products easy, quick, and safe. Whichever region of the world you are in, be it Europe, Asia, USA, Canada, Other North/Central American countries, Africa, South America,or Oceania, you can reliably order your agric products and we will ensure it is successfully delivered to you.

How To Safely Source for Your Bitter (Garcinia) Kola Produce

If you find the right export company, buying directly from them can make the purchase process easy and stress-free, when compared with doing the sourcing on your own. That said, there are few things to note when dealing with an export company in Nigeria or Africa. The specific requirements for Nigeria are listed below, but they mostly apply to other African countries:

The exporting company must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to make sure the company is registered and permitted to carry out business operations.

The export company must also be registered with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

The company must possess a domiciliary account to accept international payments.

The company should get all necessary export-related documentation done before the shipment leaves the port of origin. Some of the documents are:

• Certificate of origin
• Bill of lading
• Inspection Certificate (SGS, Cotecna, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, etc)
• Phytosanitary certificate
• Fumigation certificate

Where To Find Reliable Exporters

An important question that still needs to be answered is how to find sesame seed exporters in Nigeria. You can use any of the methods listed below:

• Attend trade fairs
• Use search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc.
• Search for agents on Linkedln
• Sign up on trade platforms (e.g. Alibaba, Tradeford, Go4WorldBusiness)
• Neogric – Neogric is one of the reliable Bitter Kola exporters in Nigeria. Neogric is rated among the best in the exporting business in Nigeria. The company is not limited to the exportation of Bitter Kola alone but can export other agricultural produce ranging from perishables to dry seeds.

International Price of Bitter (Garcinia) Kola Per Metric Ton

The unit price ($ per kg) of Bitter Kola in the international market depends on a host of different factors including:

• The grade of the produce (usually the more the processing, the higher the price)
• The price of the raw material
• Age of the seeds (this can affect the price)
• The quantity ordered (the greater the quantity, the cheaper you can get it per ton)
• Harvest season (it is more costly when it is out of harvest season).
• Freight & haulage cost
• Percentage of markup
• Import duties
• Distance from the country of origin
• Technology/Infrastructure available in country of origin
• Relationship between the buyer and seller

That said, as at July 2022, bitter (garcinia) kola costs between $12,000 and $25,000 per metric ton (1,000 kilograms) in the international market (i.e. $12/kg to $25/kg)

How To Pay For Your Bitter Kola Produce

You can pay for Bitter Kola using different methods, but three of the popular ways of paying for your agric produce are:

• Bank (T/T) Payment
• Advance Payment
• Letter of Credit (LC)

Bank Payment (T/T)

Bank payment is also known as T/T, “Telegraphic Transfer” or “Telex Transfer” In other words, it is an international wire of funds from the buyer’s bank to the seller’s bank.

A T/T is technically not the same as a wire transfer, which is often done through the SWIFT network. However, when a seller or supplier asks for a T/T payment, a wire transfer is what they are really asking for.

The wire transfer based on the SWIFT system is the most common payment method in international trade. Typically, it takes 3-5 working days to clear, and generally costs between 25 and 50 USD, depending on your agreement with the commercial department in your bank.

Advance Payment

There are sellers that will demand anywhere from 30% to 50% advance payment, and for good reason. If both parties have done deals in the past, sellers can ask for a percentage of the sales (about 30%) before they ship the produce and they can request for the remaining amount after a scanned copy of the Bill of Lading has been sent to the buyer.

It is the safest option for exporters and it also guarantees that they will have some funds to help with sourcing. It is popular among manufacturers on B2B marketplaces like Alibaba and also with commodity traders.                                                                                              

However, advance payment carries considerable risk for the importer (buyer) because the exporter (seller) might not be under as much pressure to ensure quality checks compared with a stricter form of payment. Some might even disappear entirely.

Having said that, advance payment is very useful and is widely used. For instance, the seller might need to secure the commodity in the face of increased competition. It can also be used when the exporter needs some money for sourcing the produce or for processing raw materials.

The most important thing is for both importer and exporter to build mutual trust by having a track record of successful deals with each other or other known companies.

Letter of Credit

Letter of Credit is an agreement generated by the bank of the buyer, guaranteeing payment once certain conditions are met. It is one of the safest types of payment available to both buyer and seller.

Some of the types of Letter of credit are:

• Commercial Letter of Credit,
• Sight Letter of Credit
• Transferrable or Non-Transferable Letter of Credit
• Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC)
• Usance or Deferred Payment Letter of Credit
• Revocable or Irrevocable Letter of Credit
• Confirmed or Unconfirmed Letter of Credit
• Revolving Letter of Credit
• Green Clause Letter of Credit
• Red Clause Letter of Credit

L/Cs are not totally safe (for either buyer or seller) too. For instance, sellers can ship substandard products or those that are different from the ones agreed upon. In this case, the seller gets paid and the buyer receives good he cannot use.

And speaking of the dangers of L/Cs for the exporter, the conditions in the Letter of credit might be practically impossible to fulfil; if an exporter agrees to such, he might be unable to receive payment. A report stated that of the letters of credit received in the UK, 50% are unworkable while 70% are rejected by the banks for payment.

Shipping & Delivery Terms

When shipping your products, it is important to take note of a few factors:

Order Quantity

For smaller shipments, airfreight is often the preferred option but as the order volume increases, sea freight could become significantly cheaper. Usually when the order is close to a full container load (20 ft), sea freight is used. Despite all these, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an increase in cost of delivery of products.

Cost of Delivery

When the order is of a large volume, sea freight often turns out cheaper than air freight. In fact, airfreight could be up to 6 times more costly than sea freight if the volume is large enough.

Time of Delivery

Sometimes, time will be more important to the buyer than the cost of delivering the produce. In this case, air freight will be the logical option (as stated above, the cost will be more). But if you have more time as a buyer, you should strongly consider using sea freight.

Incoterms

Incoterms refer to generally accepted shipping and payments terms. For example, buyers that have representatives in the source country or that can negotiate with the freight company can use the Free of Board (FOB) terms, since it gives them more control and can save them some money.

However, if the shipment is small or the buyer doesn’t have an extensive network to effectively handle payment for freight, insurance and port charges, he will be better off choosing the Cost-Insurance-Freight (CIF) payment option.

Import Bitter (Garcinia) Kola The Right Way with Neogric

Neogric is a trusted global agric order sourcing and fulfilment company with deep expertise in the bitter/garcinia kola industry. Our end-to-end supply chain solution makes the export of quality bitter/garcinia kola nut easy, quick and safe. Whichever region of the world you are, be it Europe, Asia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Africa, South America or Oceania, you can reliably order your agric products and we will ensure it is successfully delivered to you.

Our Bitter Kola Trade Specifications are listed below:

• Origin: Nigeria
• Product Name: Bitter (Garcinia) Kola
• Physical Specification: Based On Buyer’s Specification
• Quantity: Based On Buyer’s Specification
• MOQ: 10 Metric Tonnes
• Trade Process: Ex Works/FOB/CIF
• Admixture/Impurities: 2% Max
• Inspection: SGS/Cotecna/Intertek/Bureau Veritas
• Packaging: Based On Buyer’s Specification
• Payment Method: TT (Bank Transfer) or L/C
• Shipping Time: 15 to 25 Days After Confirmation of TT or L/C
• Loading Port: Lagos, Nigeria or Tema, Ghana

Expected Shipping Documents

• Bill of Lading
• Certificate of Origin
• SGS Inspection Certificate
• Phytosanitary Certificate
• Fumigation Certificate
• Commercial Invoice
• Packing List

Contact Us
Tel: +2348147860157
Email: neo@neogric.com
WhatsApp:

Agric Market Articles & Insights

• 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Kola Nut (Cola Nitida & Cola Acuminata) You Probably Didn’t Know
• Top 30 Global Suppliers and Exporters of Kola Nut (Cola Nitida & Cola Acuminata)
• Dried Split Ginger: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa
• Kola Nut Powder: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa
• Dried Kola Nut: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa
• Kolanut: Uses, Health Benefits, Side Effects and Purchase
• Shea Nut: Uses, Health Benefits, Side Effects and Purchase
• 5 Highly Profitable Categories of Agric Produce in Africa
• Moringa: Uses, Health Benefits & All You Need To Know
• Organic Fertilizer: All You Need To Know About The Benefits, Procedures & Best Practices
• Top 7 Traditional Uses Of Kolanut
• Chili Pepper: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa
• Chili Pepper Medicinal Application and Health Advantages
• 10 Amazing Uses and Health Benefits of Bitter (Garcinia) Kola You Probably Don’t Know
• The Health Benefits & Uses of Sorghum You Should Know
• Cashew Nut Kernels: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa
• Top 10 Most Profitable Agriculture Business Ideas 2024
• Shea Nut: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa
• Bitter (Garcinia) Kola: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa
• Kola Nut: Complete Guide on Import/Export From Nigeria & Africa

Bitter (Garcinia) Kola Top Exporters & Suppliers (Nigeria & Africa)