Guarana – Powder

Brew & Taste

We won't lie to you – guarana in the form of finely ground powder is bitter. But not inedible! In our opinion, there's even a bit of sweetness with a pleasant herbal note. It smells really nice, similar to cocoa beans.

Origins

The natural habitats of this vine can be found in Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, tropical parts of the Americas and Africa. We brought the seeds from Brazil. The grower and the producer have proven their organic origin and the content of all the valuable nutrients.

You can find the guarana under the name of Brazilian cocoa, waranna, quarana, wanna... But it is always paulinia cupana, a climbing shrub with thin dented stems that often stretch up to 12m long. The leaves are composed of 3-5 oval petals and the flowers form grapes of yellow or greenish color. The fruit looks like a small red eye with a black pupil. It is said to have reminded the Natives of the evil eye. Of course, there is a legend attached to it: Supposedly, a Native American boy was killed by spirits (sometimes said to be a snake) and the first guarana vice grew from his eyes, which were planted into the ground by the boy's mother. Those who ate its eye-like seeds were said to gain the boy's strength and youth.

Guarana was introduced to Europeans by Jesuit missionary Joao Felipe Bettendorf in the late 17th century. Written records show that, before the discovery of the America by Christopher Columbus, the local natives cultivated guarana on plantations. A chemical analysis carried out in the year 1700 by the German botanist Theodor von Martius isolated guaranine, which was originally considered caffeine. Research in the mid-20th century confirmed that guarana is completely non-toxic and helps manage a range of ailments. For the purposes of folk and modern medicine, guarana seeds are grounded into a very fine powder. It's commonly used as a food supplement.

Guarana can be used to make a large number of beverages, including alcoholic ones, and is also added to foods.

Herb packaging preview

We pack our herbs in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. Thanks to the hermetic seal, the herbs are protected against humidity, light and foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew and the herb itself.