5 Jamaican Bissy Tea (Kola Nuts) Benefits

Bissy tea benefits include relieving headaches and migraines, treating hangovers, helping indigestion, easing arthtritis pain, counteracting poisoning and aiding weightloss.

But what is bissy? Bissy is the Jamaican name for Kola nuts.

The Bissy plant is related to the Cacao plant and is originally from West Africa. Cola acuminata or Cola nitida are both botanical names for Bissy.

kola nuts and Jamaican bissy powder for making bissy tea
Grated Bissy Powder and Kola Nuts

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Jamaican Bissy Tea Benefits

So what is bissy tea good for? Drinking Jamaican bissy tea may offer some of the following belefits:

1. Indigestion Relief

Bissy has antibacterial properties. So drinking the tea may help prevent or treat infection in the digestive tract. It is also believed that bissy helps the production of gastric acid which helps with digestion.

2. Brain Stimulation

Jamaican Bissy tea is a stimulant due to the high amount of caffeine it has. This makes the tea an excellent choice to help you stay alert and focused. Many people drink bissy tea just for the caffeine.

Help Weightloss

3. Caffeine rich Bissy tea may increase energy and rev up the bodys metabolism so it burns fat. Drinking the tea may also reduce the desire to eat resulting less food consumption.

4. Migraine Relief

Some theories suggest that changes in blood flow and blood vessels may contribute to migraine pain. Other sources say consuming bissy may improve circulation. So relief from painful migraines may be one benefit of bissy tea.

5. Help Arthritis

Bissy possess anti-inflammatory properties that may help arthritis by reducing inflammation in the joints. Reduced joint inflammation results is less sore, stiff, painful joints.

How to Make Jamaican Bissy Tea

Jamaican bissy tea is a creamy, delicious herbal tea made from grated kola nuts with added sweetener and spcies. Here’s how to make the tea.

Pour 2 cups of tap water into the pan. Add 3 tablespoons of Bissy Powder. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from leat and let sit to cool. Strain off the liquid (discard sediment). Sweeten and enjoy. (serves one)

Bissy tea is usually consumed while the beverage is warm.

Bissy Health Benefits

So what is Bissy good for? Bissy has several of useful active compounds. These are linked to important bissy tea benefits. Let’s look at them:

  • Catechins are a type of phenolic compound. They are found in foods like green tea, coffee, cocoa, berries and of course kola nuts. Catechins are proven to fight free radicals that cause diseases.
  • Theobromine functions as a vasodilator to widen and make blood vessels more flexible. Flexibility of blood vessels is important for maintaining normal blood pressure.
  • Tannins are also called tannic acid. Tannic acid displays antimicrobial behavior. It means Tannins play a vital role in inhibiting the growth of fungi, yeast, bacteria and viruses.
  • Anthocyanin are plant compounds. The demonstrate the ability to protect the cardiovascular system against diseases. The have also been reported to possess anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Caffeine stimulates the Central Nervous System (CNS). Caffeine is naturally found in foods and beverages such as tea, coffee, and cocoa.

Bissy Tea Side Effects

One of the side effects of Bissy is its high caffeine content which can cause dependency issues.

Some people who use kola nuts over long periods of time report experiencing anxiety, nervousness, nausea, insomnia, irritability, and diarrhea.

Who Should Avoid Bissy Tea?

Pregnant or Breastfeeding women: Talk with your doctor to determine whether it is okay to consume the tea. Be aware that caffeine in the tea may be secreted into breast milk. 

Individuals who take diabetic medication: Drinking too much bissy tea may alter blood sugar levels because of the tea’s high caffeine content.

People who have difficulty sleeping. Bissy tea is a stimulant. So drinking too much of the tea may lead to insomnia.

Anyone with cardiovascular problems. People with cardiac conditions may experience irregular heart beat. 

Individuals who have Osteoporosis: Drinking too much of the will increase urine production which may result in a large amount of calcium getting flushed out in urine.  This can lead to dehydration and further weakening of the bones.

Jamaican Bissy Tree

In Jamaica Bissy trees have dark green leathery leaves. A Bissy tree can grow up to 60 feet tall. The Bissy plant fruit pods also dark green and are hard and wrinkled. They can get to between 4 and 6 inches long. 

Bissy kola nuts are the seeds inside the Bissy pods. Other common names for Kola nuts are abata kola and caffeine nut. The nuts which are pinkish color are encased in a soft cream colored covering. This coating is scraped away to get to the kola nut inside.

Caffeine In Bissy

So does Bissy tea have caffeine? Yes it does and lots of it. Bissy tea is one of a few naturally highly caffeinated herbal teas

Researchers say a single cup of the Bissy tea may contain anywhere between 1.25 to 2.4 percent caffeine. This means one kola nut seed has more caffeine than 2 cups of coffee.

In addition to caffeine, Bissy has another stimulant, called Theobromine. Between both of these compounds the average cup tea will give you all the boost you need to stay alert.

Where to Buy Bissy

Jamaican bissy teabags is marketed on Amazon and oraganic bissy teabags, and bissy powder from around the world can also be purchased on Etsy.com These products are generally shipped directly from origin countries.

Disclaimer: This site is for informational purposes only. Nothing stated or implied on this website should be viewed as medical advice. Talk with a professional healthcare provider about medical treatment.

2 Comments

  1. This was very good information.
    Thanks

    1. Joy Walker Blogger at Jamaicateashop.com Joy Walker says:

      Hi Jas
      Glad you found it useful.

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