One of the most common questions we receive are related to kava’s effects on sleep. We’ve decided to write this quick post to share our thoughts on this topic and to hopefully present a useful perspective on kava’s effects on sleep.
Read moreKava and Caffeine
We've found people reporting that the mixture of kava and caffeine can cause an increase in the stimulation effects of caffeine when the two are consumed within a reasonable time together. Some people find the combination uncomfortable, while some enjoy the increase in stimulation. However you feel about it, there's always a good scientific explanation regarding why and we would like to share with you what we theorize the culprit to be. Read this blog post for more information.
Read moreDifferent ways of drinking kava and the art of “listening to the kava”
Today’s post looks at the different ways of preparing and drinking kava, as well as the art of listening to the kava. We start with a look at ways in which kava is consumed as a social lubricant, particularly in places like Tonga or Fiji and then look at the method of drinking stronger kava in a more contemplative, meditative manner, i.e. the practice of “listening to the kava”.
Read moreBest kava chasers
Few kava lovers drink it for its taste. Most people find kava to be quite bitter or even unpleasant. There are milder tasting kavas (e.g. some of our Hawaiian varieties or one or two Tongan kavas) and there are REALLY bitter kavas (e.g. the heavier kavas from Vanuatu). But in any case every kava can be a bit unpleasant. This is why many kava users try to find a way to mitigate the unpleasant tasting experience while still being able to enjoy the beautiful kava effects. Some people like mixing micronized or instant kavas with their favourite soft drink. This can be a very good solution for the beginners and those who want to drink only small amounts of kava. Those that want to have a longer kava session, feel that consuming a lot of sweet liquid masking the kava taste in itslef can get a bit unpleasant. These people prefer to use after kava chasers.
Read moreKava vs Kawakawa and the Maori memories of kava
Many people wonder whether there is any connection between the Kawakawa plant (Piper excelsum) and Kava (Piper methysticum). The two plants do not only have similar names, but also look similar. Is this just a coincidence or are the two plants related and their similar names tell us something about the Maori knowledge about kava?
Read moreWhat is the right amount of kava?
People often ask us how much kava powder they should be using per session. This is a really difficult question to answer. While the commonly published "maximum recommended daily dose of kavalactones" is 250mg, this is much less than the amount traditionally consumed. Why is there such a discrepency between the Western recommendations and the practices of kava's traditional consumers? In this post we will try to explain the rationale behind different kinds of recommendations and share our own perspective on the question of kava dosage.
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