Best Kava Online – Where to Start and What to Buy?
People always ask me, where can I buy the best kava online?
Being in the kava kava business, I have spoken to numerous manufacturers, developers, farmers, scientists, and customers. I’ve reviewed dozens of products, some of which are top-notch while others get two thumbs down. What sets kava apart for me is the taste, efficacy and consistency, as well as the significance of the format:
- ground root / powder – dry in bag
- alcohol or CO2 extract – typically in tinctures
- commercial beverage – can or bottle form
- swallowable as a brownie or candy
- topical as a spray or lotion
It’s hard to compare a ground powder to a commercial drink, for example, but I’ll try to point out some of the major flaws and benefits of some typical products:
1) Commercial Kava Kava Beverages (i.e. canned or bottled kava):
These products typically use a kava powder that is extracted using alcohol or sometimes CO2 extraction. The problem is that there is very little active ingredient in these drinks. When looking at typical kavalactone content, a bowl of kava can be in the 125mg to 800mg range. Most drinks are around 40mg so you would have to drink 3 cans to feel a “light bowl”. When you read the milligrams of kava, you are generally dealing with 30% extracts (so 100mg of kava = 30mg of actual kavalactone content). Basically these drinks don’t do much because it’s expensive to put good quality kava nobel in decent amounts. It’s hard to find one that really delivers.
2) Kava Root (bags of ground dry powder):
This is hard to judge. The more people I talk to, the more different preferences I hear, and for different reasons. It’s like judging a glass of wine. Some bottles for $4.99 might be $40 (ie Alice White). Other $100 bottles of wine I think are $5 bottles. Vanuatu Borogu always suits me as does Mahakea (it’s like a lighter, softer feel to me). On the other hand, a Piper Methysticum that I don’t usually sit well with is Isa – I find it a bit more difficult to get down. My advice is to try and try again. Sometimes just a different consistency in the brew can make all the difference with the same bag. Great place for more details and reviews on ground kava, see: Kavasseur.
3) Herbal Tinctures:
Kava kava tinctures are usually found in health food stores. Most of them are alcohol extracts, but some are CO2. If you buy one I suggest you go for the CO2 extract, although it is more expensive it will be worth it and it tastes better and feels better. Gaia herbs generally get pretty good kava on a consistent basis. These herbal tinctures are good to add to tea or something else so you can relax all night. Some of the alcohol extracts aren’t bad either, but maybe try a small bottle to see if it suits your taste and switch to a larger size if you like.
4) Ingest (such as a kava brownie, candy bar, or candy)
For kava products that you can ingest, think about how you would use it. For example, a brownie or chocolate bar will stay in your stomach longer and it will take a while before you start to feel the effects. Also, many of these products do not put enough kava in the product to feel a difference. Does it numb the mouth like a good kava does? Do you have a stomach ache? Does it feel warm and fuzzy? Is the taste up to par? There are excellent homemade preparations that you can make using extracts and cooking recipes. I encourage you to play.
There are few chocolate bars for sale commercially and brownies are probably more of a homemade preparation, but there is a Wow-Wee Maui Kava chocolate bar that looks delicious! The first commercial kava kava candy has been released and it is excellent for convenience. Today’s Kava fans generally like it between bowls to drink as a palate cleanser. People new to kava like it because the taste isn’t bitter or cloudy and it’s easy to drink (ie during work, traffic, or travel). If you know of specific digestible kava products, please post them.
5) Topical (as a spray or lotion)
There are some topical lotions from Hawaii that work well to relax the muscles and soothe the body. Some of these topical lotions are very nice. I’m not sure if it’s the placebo of getting a massage or if the product actually works. Either way, it can’t hurt to try one of these for something different and fun. As for the sprays, there is a new “1 hour rest” product. It works as a spray like Binaca with a bit of kava and other herbs. The concept is great and the marketing seems to follow the energy of the 5 hours. I’m still waiting for my sample, but I’ll let you know as I’m excited to try new kava products.
If you know of any new kava products online or in stores, please let me know and I’d love to try them out and post reviews.