Kava Kava is a plant that can be found throughout the South Pacific Islands. Pacific Islanders have used it as a ritual drink to create tranquillity for centuries. This has also recently acquired popularity as a result of its relaxing and stress-relieving properties. It has, however, been connected to several health issues, raising worries about its safety.
What it Is?
Kava Kava is a heart-shaped tropical evergreen shrub with woody stems and heart-shaped leaves. Piper methysticum is its scientific name. Moreover, the kava drink has long been used in Pacific cultures for rituals and social events. People prepare it by crushing the roots into a paste.
Previously, this grinding was accomplished by chewing the roots and throwing them out, but nowadays, it is frequently accomplished by hand. After that, the paste is combined with water, filtered, and eaten. Kavalactones, which make up 3–20 percent of the dry weight of the plant’s root, are the active components.
The body may be affected by kavalactones in the following ways:
- Reduce your anxiety levels
- Safeguard neurons from harm
- Minimize pain sensations
- Decrease the risk of cancer
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of these neurotransmitters that reduces neuronal activity.
Different Forms of Kava Kava
It is available in the form of tea, a powder, a pill, or a liquid. These goods, with the exception of tea, are created from a diluted mixture made by removing kavalactones from the plant’s root with acetone or ethanol.
- Liquid or Tincture. This is liquid kava that comes in little bottles. It can be consumed as a dropper or blended into a beverage to mask the whiskey flavor.
- Tea. Because kava is so widely available, the most common way to take it for depression is as a tea. It’s made with hot water and sold alone or in conjunction with other herbs that are believed to help you relax. Check for teas that indicate the amount of kavalactone in the contents list. Avoid teas whose ingredients are listed as “proprietary blends.”
- Capsules. If you don’t like the flavor of it, it is available as a pill. Look for kavalactone-containing products, such as tea. You’ll be able to avoid consuming too much or too little kavalactones if you know what to look for.
