Kola nut



The kola nut is obtained from several West African or Indonesian trees, such as Cola nitida or Cola vera, and the Abata Cola (Cola acuminata), of the Cacao family (Sterculiaceae). It has a high caffeine content and is chewed in many West African cultures, individually and more often in a group setting. It is often used ceremoniously or presented to guests. Kola was originally used to make cola soft drinks, though today the flavor of these mass-produced drinks is generally artificial. An exception is Barr's Red Kola one of the few cola soft drinks that actually tastes like cola. Actual kola nuts are very bitter-tasting.