Did you know that Coca-Cola got its name from a common African tree? Some of the first recipes for Coca-Cola were made using the extract of the bitter kola plant. Though the company hasn’t used actual kola to flavor their sodas in years, the name remains a reminder of the unusual plant that inspired the iconic drink. Bitter kola, also known as bitter cola or Garcinia Kola, is a plant found in Central and Western Africa that has long been valued for its medicinal properties. Although traditional African medicine uses all parts of the Bitter Kola plant, the seeds are mostly commonly eaten. Bitter kola seeds have a sharp, bitter flavor that eases into a slight sweetness as you chew, and they’re typically eaten raw. In terms of taste, the plant is well named! The edible seeds have a notably bitter taste, while there is also a slight sweetness to them. When consumed, bitter kola offers many nutrients, and studies have shown that the plant is high in carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamin c, c