Die Guaraná Pflanze wächst fast ausschliesslich im Amazonasgebiet und rankt sich an den gewaltigen Bäumen des äquatorialen Regenwaldes empor. Die Nuss dieses Seifenbaumgewächses hat einen sehr hohen Koffeingehalt, der für die anregende Wirkung verantwortlich ist. Das Guaraná-Koffein ist in der Nuss sehr fest gebunden und wird daher im Körper nur langsam freigesetzt. Auf diese Weise wirkt Guaraná als Frischedepot für mehrere Stunden. Guarana is a climbing plant in the Sapindaceae family, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee berry. Each fruit harbors one seed which contains approximately five times as much caffeine as coffee beans. The guarana fruit's color ranges from brown to red and contains black seeds which are partly covered by white arils. The color contrast when the fruit has been split open has been likened to eyeballs; this has formed the basis of a myth. Guarana is used in sweetened or carbonated soft drinks and energy shots, an ingredient of herbal tea or contained in capsules.
