| Kava Drink |
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Kava Drink, For medicinal and Recreational Use
Though you might have heard about kava kava and its beneficial uses,
you might still be unsure of the best way to ingest it. Kava kava is most
often (and most traditionally) made into a drink. Kava kava in drink form is
often considered an "acquired" taste, however, due to its bitter flavor.
The name of the plant translates as “sharp” or “bitter.” In the South Pacific
the kava root is either chewed or drunk as a tea, not taken in capsule
form. The Samoans tell of how kava came to earth. The gods in heaven
were the only ones who drank this precious drink. The god Tagaloa and
his two attendants descended from heaven to go fishing. When the fish
were caught, Tagaloa wanted to drink some kava with his meal. As there
was none available, the attendants had to return to heaven to get a kava
root. They uprooted a plant and Tagaloa scattered its parts all over the
earth where it flourished, aided by a divine rainfall that infused the kava
root.
The chemical ingredients of kava include kava lactones, which are
thought to be pharmacologically active. These lactones are absorbed
through the stomach wall into the bloodstream, and reach the brain
relatively quickly.
Kava is a drink prepared from the roots of the domesticated kava plant
(piper methysticum), which is related to the pepper plant (the vine that
provides peppercorns that are ground into black pepper). Unlike pepper,
kava is a bush with branches that radiate up from a central mass of roots.
Domesticated cultivars can only be propagated vegetatively, by planting
pieces of stem back into the ground after a mature plant (two to five years
old) has been harvested.
Though you might have heard about kava kava and its beneficial uses,
you might still be unsure of the best way to ingest it. Kava kava is most
often (and most traditionally) made into a drink. Kava kava in drink form is
often considered an "acquired" taste, however, due to its bitter flavor.
The name of the plant translates as “sharp” or “bitter.” In the South Pacific
the kava root is either chewed or drunk as a tea, not taken in capsule
form. The Samoans tell of how kava came to earth. The gods in heaven
were the only ones who drank this precious drink. The god Tagaloa and
his two attendants descended from heaven to go fishing. When the fish
were caught, Tagaloa wanted to drink some kava with his meal. As there
was none available, the attendants had to return to heaven to get a kava
root. They uprooted a plant and Tagaloa scattered its parts all over the
earth where it flourished, aided by a divine rainfall that infused the kava
root.
The chemical ingredients of kava include kava lactones, which are
thought to be pharmacologically active. These lactones are absorbed
through the stomach wall into the bloodstream, and reach the brain
relatively quickly.
Kava is a drink prepared from the roots of the domesticated kava plant
(piper methysticum), which is related to the pepper plant (the vine that
provides peppercorns that are ground into black pepper). Unlike pepper,
kava is a bush with branches that radiate up from a central mass of roots.
Domesticated cultivars can only be propagated vegetatively, by planting
pieces of stem back into the ground after a mature plant (two to five years
old) has been harvested.
Other methods of preparing the root include smashing it with a solid stick of wood in a device that resembles a butter churn.
Pounding kava root with a stone or grating it with coral are methods employed in some Fijian communities. More up to date
methods consist of putting the root into a meat grinder or power mulcher.
Kava's appearance is a bit like thin pea soup. To me, it tastes like dirty water with a hint of clove. Its first effect (after a
successful effort to keep it down) is a slight numbing of the back of the throat, which probably accounts for the hawking and
spitting that often follows drinking a shell. It is not like alcohol, in that one doesn't feel the systemic effects immediately, but
after about ten minutes, it can suddenly hit your mind with a bang. This is especially true for experienced drinkers, as you
learn with experience what to look for in the kava. First-timers can be lulled into a false sense of impunity by the lack of
immediate apparent effect, have a couple of more shells, and fall on their faces when they stand up.
In small amounts, kava may relieve stress and help you relax. As with alcohol, however, drinking too much kava can cause
intoxication and impair your ability to drive. Signs and symptoms of intoxication include drowsiness, blurred vision and muscle
weakness. Also, mixing alcohol with kava can increase these effects. So even if you're just going to a kava bar, you will still
need to appoint a designated driver.
Kava is a central nervous system depressant, and should not be taken by certain people including:
Pounding kava root with a stone or grating it with coral are methods employed in some Fijian communities. More up to date
methods consist of putting the root into a meat grinder or power mulcher.
Kava's appearance is a bit like thin pea soup. To me, it tastes like dirty water with a hint of clove. Its first effect (after a
successful effort to keep it down) is a slight numbing of the back of the throat, which probably accounts for the hawking and
spitting that often follows drinking a shell. It is not like alcohol, in that one doesn't feel the systemic effects immediately, but
after about ten minutes, it can suddenly hit your mind with a bang. This is especially true for experienced drinkers, as you
learn with experience what to look for in the kava. First-timers can be lulled into a false sense of impunity by the lack of
immediate apparent effect, have a couple of more shells, and fall on their faces when they stand up.
In small amounts, kava may relieve stress and help you relax. As with alcohol, however, drinking too much kava can cause
intoxication and impair your ability to drive. Signs and symptoms of intoxication include drowsiness, blurred vision and muscle
weakness. Also, mixing alcohol with kava can increase these effects. So even if you're just going to a kava bar, you will still
need to appoint a designated driver.
Kava is a central nervous system depressant, and should not be taken by certain people including:
- Pregnant women
- Breastfeeding mothers
- People who are driving or operating machinery
- Anyone already taking therapeutic medicines
- Children
- People with pre-existing heart, lung or liver problems.
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