Do I Need to Strain My Kava?

Posted by on Jul 13, 2008 in Ask Makaira | 11 comments

Do I Need to Strain My Kava?Catherine asked: Probably because I am always looking for a quick fix I decided not to blend and strain as recommended, instead I spooned 2 heaping tablespoons into a glass of water, mixed and drank quickly. Is this OK? Thank you for your time and your wonderful website.

Makaira says: We always eat the root with our kava drinks; it is full of nutrients, and provides pure, essential fiber for the continued good health of the body. I don’t quite know what you’re referring to when you say a “quick fix”, but 2 heaping teaspoons of Kava into a glass of water sounds delicious to me. The only problem is that kavalactone extracts into fats, so you probably missed out on much of the experience by only mixing it with only water.

We have a large number of recipes available on our website, but, if nothing else, your best bet if you’re in a hurry is to mix your kava with fruit juice, or even better; fruit juice with some lecithin, or best yet, with some coconut milk blended into juice. Anything with “fat” content (even vegetarian fat) will help extract the kavalactones (one of the many active components of kava kava) into the drink, so that your system can process them. Hope this helps!

Aloha no,

Makaira

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11 Comments

  1. Aloha Tiffany,

    Yes, that type of coconut milk works very well! 🙂

    Enjoy!
    Makaira

  2. Would the Silk Coconut Milk (http://www.silkpurecoconut.com) have enough fat content to work? Thank you!

  3. Alejandro,

    Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) for enjoying our Kava. The more you get to know this wonderful herbal supplement, the more familiar with and appreciative of the effects you will become! The bitter taste and numbing sensation is a sign of strong ‘Awa.

    Aloha,
    Makaira

  4. I just got some kavalactone paste, 84% to be exact. I blended that with some ice and chocolate milk and it smelled good and even tasted peanutty with chocolate. 🙂 very bitter and numbing but the results were really something! This is my first experience with kava and I’m glad I took your word on satisfaction and quality thanks

  5. Kava side effects are generally mild, and can vary from individual to individual. Consuming most plants that contain alkaloids such as kavalactone will cause some side effects, and the side-effects of Kava have shown them to be much milder than those of prescription anti-anxiety medication, so unless what you are experiencing is extremely unpleasant, I wouldn’t be too concerned. If you are very concerned, perhaps lower your dose or speak to your doctor.

  6. I get the following side effects from kava kava. Dry smooth hands and soles; dry, stinging eyes. I see no reference to these on your site

  7. try blending 5 heaping tablespoons with water then drinking it straight up. then eating a small, one serving bag of cheetos and a 2 slices of pizza. ive felt great for a few hours now

  8. Don’t forget that we have our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee that lets you return any kava that you’re unhappy with. We’ve been in business for generations and are in the business of making people happy rather than just trying to get their money, and kava truly isn’t for everyone. Maybe you’re one of those people!

    My advice is to either get the instant drinks for the best possible taste or to look at one of the many recipes we have on our Kava Recipes page. Choose your favorite, and then no matter if you go with the powdered root or an instant drink…add 1/4 of a teaspoon of the Kavalactone Paste to your final drink.

    The only other thing I can think of to offer is to try the 30% Kavalactone Capsules. Obviously we are very restricted by the US Government over what we can say about them, especially in reference to dosage, but let me remind you that the FDA guidelines are just that; guidelines.

    We’ve taken ‘Awa for generations upon generations in doses that triple and quadruple the doses outlined by the FDA on any of our Kava herbal supplements, without a single illness or complaint. Again, I would never advise to take more than the FDA suggests, but we are also humans with bodies and metabolisms that vary greatly, and only you can know what is best for you and your body.

    Hope this helps! Aloha no, Makaira

  9. well, I considered buying some of the instant kava as it sounds more appealing but i’ve experienced faulty kava in the past from other manufacturers and none seemed to give me the kava experience (I have yet to achieve it). The closet I have come is from a tiny paste extract that I purchased which gave me the numbing sensation on my tongue and mouth (I kinda hope this feature of kava sticks around in the powdered and instant kava products).
    Unfortunately, I have sitting around a Amazon box with another manufacturers (which is no longer a business) “insant” kava drink mix (I won’t mention the name, wasn’t yours). This is why i’m a bit weary when trying anymore kava that isn’t as close to the pure thing and the only thing I’m worried about (with the pure kava powder) is that the bitter taste that I often hear about will make me lose interest in kava. It’s a tough decision to make – original or instant kava…..I got some more thinking to do. This was really just some rambling, not really a question but I appreciate the speedy feedback!!

  10. Well, if you’re feeling lazy, we have just the cure; our Instant Kava Drinks. They give you all the effects of our Kava Powdered Root, but without all the mess or hassle. If you’re asking about making an extraction with ONLY water, and are wondering if it would be as strong as making it with water, pineapple juice and/or coconut milk, the answer is “NO”, it won’t be as strong as extracting the kava with only water.

    Many of the active alkaloids in kava root will not extract into water, and this is what the other ingredients are for, such as coconut milk. Coconut milk provides the vegetable fat component that kava root extracts into, ensuring that you get the full spectrum extract from your kava. Aloha no, Makaira

  11. a follow-up question before I buy some kava powder from you guys:  What if i’m feeling lazy and don’t want to strain or blend the kava with whatever I may mix it with (probably something that won’t make it taste so bad but also increases its strength like coconut milk or something); would this still be just as strong as the straining/blending?

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