Guarana
Guarana
Guarana (/ɡwɑːrəˈnɑː/; from the Portuguese word guaraná [ɡwaɾɐˈna]), is a climbing plant in the family Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana has large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for the seeds from its fruit, which are about the size of a coffee bean.
Etymology
The word guarana comes from the Guarani word guara-ná, which has its origins in the Sateré-Mawé word for the plant, warana, that in Guarani means "fruit like the eyes of the people".
Uses
As a dietary supplement, guarana is an effective stimulant: its seeds contain about twice the concentration of caffeine found in coffee seeds (about 2–4.5% caffeine in guarana seeds compared to 1–2% for coffee seeds). As with other plants producing caffeine, the high concentration of caffeine is a defensive toxin that repels herbivores from the berry and its seeds.
The guarana fruit's color ranges from brown to red and contains black seeds which are partly covered by white arils. The color contrast when the fruit has been split open has been likened to eyeballs; this has formed the basis of an origin myth among the Sateré-Mawé people.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Guarana
- Wikipedia's article - Guarana
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