Kava Kava Powder Revealed

Traditional tribes still masticate and brew kava kava tea every day at dusk. The process can take hours but it ends with a gathering of people enjoying time spent talking about everything and nothing at all. This socialization is well worth the time spent on preparation, but in western cultures, not many people have hours free every day to grind, pulverize, brew and strain the own natural juice. Kava kava powder is available with all the delights of the natural plant and none of the preparation time.

In order to get the most out of the experience, it is important to understand the strength of the herb. Three things go into that strength – the age of the plant at harvesting, the dilution of the herb and the genus of the plant. Some plants provide a stronger experience than others.

The social nature of drinking the tea may certainly bring to mind the western practice of drinking alcohol and that analogy would be correct, aside from the negative side effects of the alcohol which the root does not have. As a matter of fact, experiencing the effects of the root has been compared to cocaine, heroin, prescription sedatives and other illegal drugs but without the harmful effects on the body. It is important to note that the tea must be consumed in moderation.

As with any mood altering or calming herb, there is a great effect and then the overuse effect. For the powder, drinking too much can lead to weakness in the legs and an immediate need to sleep. However, the mind retains the ability to think clearly up to the point of sleep which is not the case with any other mood altering substance. When the root tea is consumed in moderation, the effects take about twenty to thirty minutes to alter mood. The mood altering can last for up to eight hours depending on the strength of the potion.

Capsules Instead of Tea

Kava kava powder can also be used in capsule form to obtain a similar effect. The brewing process that releases the kavalactones which cause the mood alteration are not released as easily in capsule form so the result may not be as euphoric.

Many kava kava powder forms are used by people suffering from anxiety disorders and sleep disorders. The calming effect is of the root is known to make people sleepy when taken in large amounts. The sleep is compared to that of crashing after a night of drinking, but without the aftermath of dehydration known as the hangover.

The Power of the Root Revealed

Experiencing this root drink has been described as pleasant, stimulating and relaxing. As a euphoric herb, socialization is the key which is why the potion is brewed at the same time every day with large groups of people gathering during the process. Making the tea is just as important to the effect on mood as consuming the tea. 

Lewis Lewin, an author and researcher, described the effects of the brew in a paper written in 1886. In the paper he described the effects of the root as lifting a person beyond their common mind and into a state of well being. Words seemed to flow more smoothly, thoughts were more gathered and the thought process clearer.

When comparing the effects of the herb to those of grain based alcohol, Lewin proclaimed that anger, brutality and aggressiveness commonly associated with drinking too much alcohol did not occur even when too much of the potion was consumed in one sitting.