Guarana

Guarana, or Brazilian Cocoa, is prepared from the seeds of Paullinia sorbilis, a native of northern and western Brazil, which, though much smaller, resemble those of the horse-chestnut, a member of the same natural order. They are ground into paste and dried into hard round balls. Guarana has a bitter astringent taste, and when grated into water and sweetened forms a favourite South American drink. It contains 5 per cent. of caffeine, or five times as much as coffee or mate, and more than twice as much as tea; so that for medical purposes it may be regarded as impure caffeine. This alkaloid was previously to 1840 thought to be a distinct one, and was named guaranine.