What is Guarana?

Guarana is a shrub native to the Amazon. The small, red fruit from the shrub is reputed to increase mental alertness and fight fatigue. It has been used by Amazonian Indians for hundreds of years for these very reasons.

Various parts of the plant are used but it is the seed, which is responsible for its popularity today.

Traditionally the seeds were dried and ground and made into a beverage. Today extracts are prepared from the ground seeds, which are then concentrated, dried into powders, or made into soft drinks. In Brazil locally made guarana soft drinks outsell Coca Cola.

Guarana grows naturally in the rain forest forming a vine reaching up to 10 metres high. In more open areas it is a tree 2 to 3 metres high. The fruit are orange or red and form in clusters. When ripe the skin splits to partially reveal the seed with a white flesh around it called arilo. Hanging from the tree the ripe fruit gives the impression of watching eyes. It is this appearance that gave rise to the legend of guarana.