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A very popular question we
at Kona Kava Farm are asked quite often has to do with
how one goes about using Kava, and we’re pleased to say
that we are always happy to answer this question!
There are numerous ways to
use kava, to enjoy it, and to ingest it. Personally, we
love it best in drinks, pressed from freshly picked kava
root, but not everyone has the luxury of being close
enough to land on which kava is harvested in order to
enjoy the fresh root option. The next best thing is pure
shredded or powdered root, available from our farm,
direct to you.
Kava drinks should be prepared using cold or warm liquid
– never hot, for the heat destroys the active
ingredients in kava like kavalactones. One can make
quite a delicious and healthy cold kava drink by simply
extracting the active ingredients from the kava root
into a liquid such as water or milk. Both water or milk
are great for extracting kava, since the kavalactones
leech into either liquid quite well.
Nevertheless, the absolute best liquids that are
unsurpassed at pulling out the active constituents of
kava are liquids that contain a healthy amount of fat in
them, whether it is cows milk, goats milk, soy milk or
coconut milk – those are your best choices for
extraction and will all make a delicious kava drink.
Since all our kava is grown organically, we suggest that
you use the organic milk of your choice for a truly
healthful drink.
Be careful with traditional tea strainers though; the
mesh is not fine enough to hold in the kava powder, and
too much will escape into your cup. That is why we sell
reusable, fine muslin bags to use to strain the kava.
Once you have let your kava drink brew for a while, you
can squeeze all the liquid out of your solid material,
and throw it away. Then, sit back, relax, and enjoy your
creation at night, before going to sleep, while spending
time with a loved one, or even at a party with your
friends.
We have a page just for our favorite
KAVA RECIPES, and we also
have a very informative page that answers most of the
questions we have ever received about the different kava
products we offer and how to use kava in general. Have a
look there, and if neither of those places answer your
question, you can always pose a new question on our "Ask
Makaira" section of our
KAVA BLOG, and also check out Makaira’s personal
blog page, “Who’s Makaira,” where she shares with you
interesting stories about kava use the world over, from
her own personal experience to modern day kava
ceremonies led by well-known kava proponents, from
diplomats to athletes, as well as the experiences of
everyday people like us.
In short, though, the best way to use kava is a simple
water-based extraction, with a little added fat to help
out. The fat can come from coconut milk (our favorite),
from whole milk, or even soy milk. Keep in mind that
your extraction liquid doesn’t have to be water either;
it can be a juice such as pineapple or papaya or
whatever you like the best.
Traditional teas don’t work with kava because heat
destroys kava; the main reason why it must be enjoyed
cold after using an extraction with cold water, juice,
and/or milk. Powders work just fine, but make sure that
any instant drink mixes use extracted kava and not just
plain root; any kind of drink mix with plain root is
worthless. |
