Kava or Kava-Kava (Piper Methysticum ) is a plant that derives from the western pacific islands and is sold all over the world.  The roots are distributed in various forms such as powder, course root, extracts tinctures, and instant Kava.

The name Kava(-Kava) is from Tongan and Marquesan; other names for Kava include ʻawa (Hawaiʻi), ʻava (Samoa), yaqona (Fiji), sakau (Pohnpei),and malok or malogu (parts of Vanuatu)

Traditionally, plants are harvested around four years of age, as older plants have higher concentrations of Kavalactones. After reaching about 2 m height, plants grow a wider stalk and additional stalks, but not much taller.

The roots of the plant are traditionally used to produce a drink with sedative, anesthetic, euphoriant, and entheogenic properties. Kava is consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia, including Hawaii, Vanuatu, Melanesia and some parts of Micronesia. Kava is sedating and is primarily consumed to relax without disrupting mental clarity. Its active ingredients are called Kavalactones.

Characteristics

The several cultivars of Kava vary in concentrations of primary and secondary psychoactive alkaloids. The largest variety are grown in The Republic of Vanuatu, and so it is recognized as the “home” of Kava. Kava was historically grown only in the Pacific islands of Hawaii, Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Samoas and Tonga. Kava is also grown in the Solomon Islands since World War II and imported. Kava is a cash crop in Vanuatu and Fiji.

Strains

There are many different strains of Kava.  One element is where the plant has been cultivated, considering that some areas can produce different Kavalactone variations.  Other factors include the part of the root.  There are basal root and lateral root.  Lateral root dominant blends are actually sold for more than basal root blends, as they are more potent and highly sought after.

Cultivars of Kava not only differ in requirements for successful cultivation but also displays unique characteristics both in terms of its appearance and in terms of its medicinal and psychoactive properties.

Composition

Fresh Kava root contains on average 80% water. Dried root contains approximately 43% starch, 20% dietary fiber, 15% Kavalactones, 12% water, 3.2% sugars, 3.6% protein, and 3.2% minerals. Kavalactone content is greatest in the roots and decreases higher up the plant. Relative concentrations of 15%, 10%, and 5% have been observed in the root, stump, and basal stems, respectively.

The mature roots of the Kava plant are harvested after a minimum of four years (at least five years ideally) for peak Kavalactone content. Most Kava plants produce around 50 kg (110 lb) of root when they are harvested. Kava root is classified into two categories: crown root (or chips) and lateral root. Crown roots are the large-diameter pieces that look like (1.5 to 5 inches (38 to 127 mm) diameter) wooden poker chips. Most Kava plants consist of approximately 80% crown root upon harvesting. Lateral roots are smaller-diameter roots that look more like a typical root. A mature Kava plant is about 20% lateral roots. Kava lateral roots have the highest content of Kavalactones in the Kava plant. “Waka” grade Kava is made of lateral roots only.

Instant Kava powder is made from Kava roots and is a highly concentrated water extract of fresh Kava root juice that is dehydrated to form a powder that dissolves in water. Instant Kava isn’t ground, it doesn’t contain the fibrous root material and doesn’t require straining. This concentration is typically twice as potent as traditional Kava root powders.

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