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Learn about Kava

Botanical name: Piper methysticum
Other names: Kava-Kava, Golden Pepper

Also known as Kava Kava, this famous tropical shrub is native to the Pacific Islands, where it has been used for thousands of years as a ceremonial & social beverage. Kava is a part of many Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian cultures, including Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. 

Traditionally the roots are harvested after 5 years, and either chewed, ground or pounded into a paste, then mixed with water, strained and then drunk. The effects include feelings of calmness, euphoria, reduced pain, well-being and reduced anxiety without diminishing cognitive performance. Initially Kava may produce a talkative period, followed by muscle relaxation & drowsiness. It is generally accepted that Kava is non-addictive and not habit forming. 

Some anecdotal experience:

When the mixture is not too strong, the subject attains a state of happy unconcern, well-being and contentment, free of physical or psychological excitement. At the beginning conversation comes in a gentle, easy flow and hearing and sight are honed, becoming able to perceive subtle shades of sound and vision. Kava soothes temperaments. The drinker never becomes angry, unpleasant, quarrelsome or noisy, as happens with alcohol. Both natives and whites consider kava as a means of easing moral discomfort. The drinker remains master of his conscience and reason.” (7)

Many studies have shown Kava’s ability to reduce anxiety. The method is not totally understood, but is thought to be due to the action of kavalactones on neurotransmitters in the brain. Kava may also help with insomnia, especially if it is stress-induced insomnia.

According to a research paper on the neuroprotective properties of kavalactones, “findings suggest that the use of kava might also be beneficial for the treatment of many degenerative diseases or nervous system conditions” including oxidative stress and inflammation related diseases such as Alzheimer disease and stroke.

Kava also shows promise in the treatment of addiction. The active ingredients found in kava, known as kavapyrones, have been found to bind to many sites in the brain that are associated with addiction and craving. Preliminary findings indicate that Kava may reduce the cravings associated with addiction. (6)

PREPARATION: Use 2-4 Tablespoons (5-10g) per person. Scoop Kava into a cloth bag, place in bowl & cover with 200ml of warm water. Squeeze and kneed for 5-10 mins. Squeeze out bag and set aside (can re-brew it later). Strain liquid into cup. Alternatively, blend Kava with water for 1-2 minutes, then strain through muslin or cheesecloth. Enjoy!

NOTES ON SAFETY:

There is a distinction made between ‘noble’ and ‘non-noble’ kava varieties, the former being the preferred and most consumed & propagated varieties due to their more favourable composition of kavalactones and other compounds that produce more pleasant effects and have lower potential for causing negative side-effects, such as nausea or “kava hangover”. According to Wikipedia, “More recently, it has been suggested that the widespread use of tudei (non-noble) cultivars in the manufacturing of several kava products might have been the key factor contributing to the rare reports of adverse reactions to kava observed among the consumers of kava-based products in Europe.

There is also concern about the potential toxicity of kava extracts. “When compared with water extraction, organic solvents extract vastly larger amounts of flavokavains, compounds associated with adverse reactions to kava that are present in very low concentrations in noble kava, but significant in non-noble.” This may have caused the adverse reactions that lead to Kava restrictions in many countries. According to the WHO, moderate consumption of Kava in its traditional form, i.e., as a water-based suspension of kava roots, has been deemed to present an “acceptably low level of health risk”. (8) However, consumption of kava extracts produced with organic solvents, or excessive amounts of poor-quality kava products, may be linked to an increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including potential liver injury.

 

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4498339/
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9065962/
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23635869/
  4. Kraft, M; Spahn, T W; Menzel, J; Senninger, N; Dietl, K.-H; Herbst, H; Domschke, W; Lerch, M M (2001). “Fulminantes Leberversagen nach Einnahme des pflanzlichen Antidepressivums Kava-Kava”. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift. 126 (36): 970–972. doi:10.1055/s-2001-16966. ISSN 0012-0472. PMID 11544547.
  5. Kuchta, Kenny; Schmidt, Mathias; Nahrstedt, Adolf (1 December 2015). “German Kava Ban Lifted by Court: The Alleged Hepatotoxicity of Kava (Piper methysticum) as a Case of Ill-Defined Herbal Drug Identity, Lacking Quality Control, and Misguided Regulatory Politics”. Planta Medica. 81 (18): 1647–1653. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1558295. ISSN 1439-0221. PMID 26695707.
  6. G G Steiner (2001). “Kava as an anticraving agent: preliminary data”. ​​https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12180513/
  7.  Lebot, Vincent; Merlin, Mark; Lindstrom, Lamont (1997). Kava: The Pacific Elixir: The Definitive Guide to Its Ethnobotany, History, and Chemistry. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-89281-726-9.
  8. “Kava: a review of the safety of traditional and recreational beverage consumption” (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization, Rome, Italy. 2016.

Kava Common Uses

Kava Actions

Kava Recipes

Kava Precautions

Avoid if pregnant, breastfeeding or using medications. Traditional preparation (water extract) is safest, avoid extracts as they are more likely to cause adverse reactions such as nausea or ‘kava hangover’. Drink only ‘noble’ Kava, as ‘non-noble’ varieties may cause adverse reactions. Avoid driving or operating machinery after consuming Kava.

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