| 21 August 2010
Once known as Soapberry because of its ability to clean and detoxify the body, Guarana is native to the Amazon. It is a climbing ramified tree that produces round fruit in bunches, with an intense red colors. After picking the fruit is sun dried and the skin naturally opens, exposing the round black and white seeds that resemble a human eye, and once dried they are then ground into powder.
The basic chemical breakdown of whole seed Guarana is starch, protein, tannin, caffeine, theophilline, theobromine, resin, malico acid, saponin, catequina, epicatequina and allanton. Guarana extracts DO NOT carry all the goodness Guarana has to offer as it is just the caffeine these extracts offer. Guarana suffers the same fate, as do so many other valuable plants… through production much of the plants potential is wasted for the want of a particular aspect of the plant.
Guarana provides a long list of benefits, for both the mind and the body. Whole seed Guarana contains two mood elevators (Theobromine and Theophylline) that are also found in dark chocolate.
Whole seed Guarana is useful to anyone who wants to burn fat faster, improve physical and mental performance in work, sports, and play. In fact Guarana causes the brain to ignore signals of fatigue and discomfort, making it most effective for high intensity exercise such as field sports and weight training.
Clinical trials have shown that caffeine will boost the fat burning effects of exercise by 30%. It is well known that coffee (caffeine) does not work in the same way as Guarana does because one or more of the substances in coffee interferes with the effects of caffeine. This is not surprising considering the amount of heat applied in the process of roasting the coffee beans. On the other hand, Guarana is sun dried and ground, which retains the integrity of the compound… the caffeine naturally found in Guarana is slow releasing, providing sustained energy and clarity over longer periods.
Guarana’s ability to improve cognitive skills are well researched and documented. A recent study involved giving people tasks to test their and mathematics English skills through the performance of particular subtraction and sentence verification, and there was a remarkable improvement in the group using Guarana and no improvement in the placebo group.
Studies have found Guarana is useful in the treatment of mental fatigue and concentration issues, and it has been widely used to treat migraines, to clear the mind and wake the body up after a ‘big night out’, and women are known to use it for headaches they suffer during their monthly cycle.
A cup of Guarana everyday is a great all round tonic as it stimulates and strengthens the circulatory, cardiac and nervous systems. Guarana is also used in the treatment of arthritis, arterioscleroses, dyspepsia, flatulence, and it also detoxifies the blood… yes it is much more than just a caffeine hit!!!
Our Mullumbimby based product development business Provenherbs has produced two new whole seed Guarana pre-mixes using only certified wild crafted Amazonian Guarana with a blend of local honey (no sweetener required) and balanced with specially selected natural spices—one of these is a catalyst for the mood elevators in Guarana, which makes it perfect for a sense of overall wellbeing.
Provenherbs product ‘Truckers Brew’ is legal, effective and a healthy alternative for the transport industry, which is well known for fatigue management problems. As well there is “Guarana Latte’, which is available at some local cafes in the Northern Rivers region… and both these products and other great natural alternatives for your health and recreation are available at Happy High Herbs, 1/5 Byron Street Byron Bay… drop in and you will be amazed by what is available to you.
For more information about Guarana and other Amazonian medicines email Will Vallentine at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
