Guarana – the Overlooked Energy Herb

Guarana is a woody vine native to the Amazon Basin.  A cup of beverage made from the Guarana vine has 3x the caffeine contained in a cup of coffee.  South Americans who live in the region where Guarana grows, crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle, and then add a small amount of water form a paste.  The dried paste is used to brew a hot beverage similar to coffee.

In the 1970s, the dried paste was sold in tablet form under the name “Zoom”.  One tablet containing the whopping equivalent of four to five tablets of No-Doze!

Guarana, being rich in caffeine has shown positive effects on cognition.  In rats, it increased memory retention and physical endurance when compared with a placebo.  In a human study in 2007, alertness, mood, and memory were increased with used of Guarana.

Some other interesting studies are being conducted in the areas of Heart Attack Prevention, Antioxidant and Antibacterial effects and in Fat Cell Reduction from intake of Guarana.   One study has shown positive effects on weight loss, while one was inconclusive, so a final determination is not available.  However, there are some promising diet products available that contain Guarana plus a mixture of other herbs.  One such product is Diet Turbo Tea – this product has promising reviews from customers.  The best price for the tea can be found here.

As with any caffeine containing products, it is best used in moderation, especially at first when determining how your body will react.  You wouldn’t want to have the jitters all day!