{"product_id":"cola-rouge","title":"Whole red and white kola nuts, to chew","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe kola nut, also called African cola or kola, is the seed of the kola tree, a West African tree. It is chewed raw, in wedges, for its bitterness, and offered as a sign of welcome. Whole nuts, red and white mixed, in a 250 g, 500 g or 1 kg pouch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is the kola nut?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kola nut is the seed of the kola tree, Cola nitida or Cola acuminata, a tree of the Malvaceae family that grows in West Africa. It is a firm seed, the size of a large chestnut, red, pink or creamy white depending on the tree, which splits into wedges along its natural cleft. It naturally contains caffeine, around 2 to 3% of its weight, like coffee or tea. It is called goro in Hausa and oji in Igbo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt gave its name to cola soft drinks, of which it was originally an ingredient, at the end of the 19th century. \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/kola-champion-bouteille-1-5l-solo\"\u003eKola Champion SOLO\u003c\/a\u003e, a West Indian soda with kola nut extracts, keeps its name and part of its taste.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKola nut or petit cola: not to be confused\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/petit-cola\"\u003ePetit cola, or bitacola\u003c\/a\u003e, is a different seed: it comes from Garcinia kola, another tree, from another botanical family. Smaller, more bitter and astringent, it does not split into wedges, and its caffeine content has not been established. Both are chewed, shared and offered, hence the frequent confusion, but the kola nut is the larger of the two and the only one whose caffeine content is established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA nut to offer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn West Africa, presenting kola to a guest is a gesture of respect. Among the Igbo of Nigeria, the Iwa Oji ceremony, the sharing of the nut, opens important gatherings. Among the Hausa, goro is offered at weddings and naming ceremonies. In Guinea, among the Malinké, a red nut and a white nut placed together represent the bride and groom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow is the kola nut eaten?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpen the nut along its natural cleft, break off a wedge and chew it slowly: the initial bitterness gradually softens and leaves a slightly sweet note. It is chewed in small wedges, during a visit or a ceremony, never in large quantities. The 250 g pouch is enough to discover it, the 1 kg pouch suits ceremonies and large gatherings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRed kola or white kola: what is the difference?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are nuts from the same tree: the colour varies from one nut to another, from creamy white to red, and the taste is similar. The difference is mainly symbolic: depending on the region, one or the other is more commonly offered, and some wedding ceremonies bring together a red nut and a white nut. Our pouches mix both.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eStorage and precautions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nuts are sold whole and undried. Keep them in a cool place, away from the sun, wrapped in paper or a clean cloth so that they do not dry out, and remove any damaged nut straight away: a spoiled nut quickly contaminates its neighbours. The kola nut contains caffeine: like coffee, it is not recommended for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and it is best avoided in the evening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlso to chew\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse the whole \u003ca href=\"\/en\/collections\/noix-de-cola\"\u003ekola nut and petit cola\u003c\/a\u003e section: \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/petit-cola\"\u003epetit cola (bitacola)\u003c\/a\u003e as whole seeds, \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/poudre-de-petit-colas-number-one\"\u003eNUMBER ONE petit cola powder\u003c\/a\u003e for cooking and \u003ca href=\"\/en\/products\/caramel-toffi-petit-colas-number-one\"\u003eToffi petit cola caramels\u003c\/a\u003e. For the identity of the two seeds and the known precautions, read our \u003ca href=\"\/en\/blogs\/culture-africaine\/guide-petit-cola-bitacola\"\u003earticle on petit cola and the kola nut\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eProduct information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct:\u003c\/strong\u003e whole kola nuts, red and white mixed, unbranded\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContents:\u003c\/strong\u003e 250 g, 500 g or 1 kg pouch, as you choose\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredient:\u003c\/strong\u003e kola nuts, nothing added\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAllergens:\u003c\/strong\u003e none of the 14 regulated allergens, by nature (the kola nut is not one of the tree nuts covered by European regulations)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStorage:\u003c\/strong\u003e in a cool place, protected from the sun and from drying out\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"NKOSI","offers":[{"title":"100g","offer_id":49652852490574,"sku":"NK_70_49652852490574","price":3.6,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/9232\/3662\/files\/cola-rouge-nkosi-agro.webp?v=1774103054","url":"https:\/\/www.nkosiagro.com\/en\/products\/whole-kola-nuts","provider":"NKOSI.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}