Every morning, in all four corners of the world, millions of people start their day in the same way: with a cup of coffee. The vast majority of them drink coffee for one reason only: to make waking up a little easier with a good boost of energy!
But coffee drinkers also know the major afternoon slump, acid reflux, headaches and stomachaches, palpitations, and anxiety caused by coffee. Is there another product capable of providing the same energy boost, but in a more sustained and, above all, healthier way?
That’s where guarana comes in.
Guarana: what is it?
Guarana is a super plant containing one of the highest concentrations of caffeine (2 to 4 times more caffeine than coffee beans). Straight from the Amazon rainforest, it is known for being a highly effective stimulant, rich in guaranine (natural caffeine).
Guarana has the particularity of being released slowly and continuously in the body, unlike coffee, which tends to have a fairly significant crash.
A little history
Indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforests have used the guarana plant for centuries in traditional medicine, where it was reputed to give hunters energy.
Fun fact: in the history of the Mawe, an Indigenous people of Brazil, it is said that the original guarana plant grew from the eye of a murdered child. It then gave birth to other children, the first members of the Mawe people.
What are the main benefits of guarana?
Its stimulating effect
Because of its high caffeine content, guarana powder is now found in many energy drinks. Two effects of caffeine are recognized at the European level: it helps improve concentration and helps improve alertness, from 75 mg per serving.
What distinguishes guarana is the way this caffeine is released. Bound to the plant’s tannins, it enters the bloodstream more slowly, resulting in a more prolonged effect and a less pronounced comedown than with coffee.
Guarana also contains theobromine and theophylline. These compounds are similar to caffeine but have a weaker effect. It is an option often mentioned by students during exam periods.
A good antioxidant
Guarana contains numerous compounds with antioxidant properties: caffeine, theobromine, tannins, saponins, and catechins. These compounds help limit oxidative stress, the process through which free radicals damage cells. This mechanism is well documented, but it should not be used to draw conclusions about any particular disease: no plant can protect against a health problem on its own.
An effect on appetite
Guarana is reputed to slightly suppress appetite, a classic effect of caffeine. The available data remains limited and the observed effect is small, so don’t count on it as your primary tool. It is a pleasant detail, not a method.
Guarana is often combined with ginkgo biloba in natural energy formulas. We explain the role of this second plant in detail in our article on ginkgo biloba, and put both of them into context alongside other active ingredients in our guide to natural nootropics.
A few tips
For optimal use of guarana, here are a few tips.
Choose clean options
In most energy drinks on the market, guarana is often mixed with other substances such as taurine and large quantities of sugar, which can amplify the effects of caffeine. If you’re looking for a 100% natural, organic, and clean drink, consider Buddy.
Consume in moderation
Because of its high caffeine content, choose small doses of guarana and, above all, limit your coffee consumption if you consume guarana on the same day. Whatever the source of the caffeine, always consume it in moderation.
Guarana is not suitable for everyone
This may be obvious, but a reminder never hurts: guarana is not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with cardiovascular imbalances.
The key to successfully using guarana is to see how it works for you before making it a regular part of your routine, consume it sparingly, and buy it from a trusted brand.
The difference between the caffeine in guarana and synthetic caffeine explains a significant part of these effects. We explain this in our article on natural caffeine and synthetic caffeine. Our energy drink gets its 80 mg of caffeine from guarana, contains 13 kcal per 100 ml, and has no sweetener; its composition is compared with that of other energy drinks on drinkscore.info.
