Kava is much like coffee and tea and is taken in the same fashion. Kava is the root of the pepper tree that is grown only in the South Pacific Islands. After the Kava plant has reached maturity of about four years it is harvested. The roots are cleaned and dried before pounding or grinding them into a powder. The kava powder is then mixed with cold or warm water and then strained. What you are left with is a kava tea. The most effective way to consume Kava is in its powder form and taken as a tea. That is how you are able to get the most benefit from the plant and it is how the most kavalactones are released and then ingested. This is kava in its most natural and purest forms.

Kava is prepared like a tea with out the high heat. Heat above 140 degrees can damage the active ingredient in kava. We suggest using luke warm water when preparing your mix. The kava root powder is added to a straining bag. Not all Kava is ground the same. You can find medium ground to finely ground Kava’s on the market. Medium ground kava’s can be strained with your typical strainer bags or even women’s panty hose. For finely ground kava like our Fijian waka you will need a nut milk strainer or a cotton or cheese cloth strainer to prevent the pulp from getting through the holes in the strainer. Place the kava in the strainer bag then submerge in warm water to begin.

When you drink a pure quality kava the first thing you will notice is you feel your lips and mouth go slightly numb, this is normal. There are ingredients in kava has known analgesic effects. You know you are drinking good kava when you feel the numbing effects.

When Kava is consumed correctly it is very safe.
The World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius concluded kava has had at a 1500-year history of relatively safe use and that kava as a traditional beverage is safe for human consumption. Drinking Kava is self-limiting. If you drink too much, you will start to feel nauseous. Excessive daily continuous consumption of kava over a long periods of time can cause minor dry or itchy skin known as Kava Dermopathy. Kava Dermopathy is completely reversible, the simple solution is to take a break from drinking kava .One Study concluded kava was linked to liver damage and was later discredited for it’s bad science.
While drinking kava you can feel calm and content, and some people say even euphoric. Feelings of anxiety or stress that you may have had will fade away. Kava can help you to relax after a stressful day. Your body may start to feel heavy and sleepy as you continue to drink kava.