According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, guarana is the common name for a tropical and sub-tropical plant and the paste that is derived from the seeds that are found in the pear-shaped fruits.
Plant
The guarana plant or Paullina Cupana Kunth is a member of the sapindaleae family of climbing plants. The U.S. Department of Energy describes the guarana plant as native to South America countries such as Brazil, Venezuela and Peru.
Paste
The plant, flower and herb information group Botanical reports guarana to be a paste made from the seeds of the plant that is made by and named after the Guaranis tribe of native South American people.
Process
To create guarana paste Botanical reports the seeds of the guarana are dried before being roasted for six hours. The roasted guarana seeds are then crushed into a powder before being mixed with water to form a dough which is rolled into long tubes before being dried.
Caffeine
The guarana information group reports the guarana seed to be chemically identical to caffeine leading to its use in popular Brazilian soft drinks and in drinks created by large companies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
Other Uses
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, guarana is used in a variety of products including use as a food additive for flavoring and in natural herbal remedies. The similarity of guarana to caffeine has led to its production and marketing as a stimulant.
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