Buying the Best Kava: Product Review

What Is Kava?

Kava has long been used as a spiritual and cultural drink in Polynesia. It has been recently gaining traction in the United States and other western countries as an alternative medical and social supplement. Drinking it causes pleasant feelings, relaxes the mind, and adds ease to conversation. If you’re curious about what kava does and the history of this radical root beverage check out this article all about kava.

The Kava Review Experience

I recently had the opportunity to try out two high-performance kava products with a couple of colleagues who are both in healthcare. They are doctors of physical therapy, well qualified to discuss the effects of the kava products on their bodies. We had kava drinks, shared laughs, exchanged stories, and most importantly had a thoughtful conversation about the pros and cons of each type of product. 

Read on to get the full scoop.

Kava Review

In this product review, we will look at our products based on metrics for taste, texture, effect, ease of making and overall impression. The rating out of 5 is based on the average of our scores. I have added links to be able to purchase the product if you’re interested. 

For our taste test we used two different approaches. During our first round, we tried to keep things traditional by mixing our kava with water only. Later drinks were mixed into mocktails with coconut water and almond milk. 

Kava Kings – Noble Kava Tonga Root Powder

This is a great variety of traditional ground kava root. As the name suggests it is from the polynesian country of Tonga. It has the look, smell, and taste an experience at a kava bar. This product requires some preparation before enjoying it. The kava should be added to a porous material, then add water to strain the kavalactones (the active ingredients in kava) out. The preparation instructions recommend straining the water a second time for a higher quality experience. DO NOT drink this variety without straining.

For our taste test we used a cheese cloth, folded 3 or 4 times, as our strainer. Although fine mesh straining bags are also available for purchase to cultivate the experience.

Ratings:

Check out this link for more details and pricing.

Fiji Kava – Noble Kava Root Powder

As the name suggests this product comes from the island nation of Fiji. This version of kava is micronized and has been milled very finely. This is a fancy name for powdered kava, meaning you do not need to strain and filter this variety before drinking it. Simply add the recommended amount to a glass of water and enjoy. This instant kava is a fantastic option.

Ratings:

Check out this link for more details and pricing.

Kava Comparison

Although both types of Kava exceeded my expectations for a home brew adventure, Fiji Kava edged out the competition. What really set it apart was how easy it is to prepare. Simply add water! What could be better than powdered kava? As a group, we also thought it had a stronger effect. Although it should be noted that we thought Kava Kings had a more pleasant taste and the texture of the drink was smoother. 

Bonus Knowledge

We noticed that drinking kava made us feel more connected with the present moment. And drinking it left our stomachs feeling full. We paired our kava drinks with light snacks and fresh fruit which seemed to go together naturally. Since kava has a diuretic effect (makes you need to urinate), we kept track of how many cups we drank until we needed to use the restroom. Two of us went after 5 cups, one of us went after 2 cups.

Final Thoughts

The group had the chance to talk about a few things that added to our experience. If you’re looking for the right setting to give Kava a try, make sure to set the atmosphere. Surround yourself with people you are comfortable with in relaxing surroundings. There’s often a lot to notice during your first kava adventure such as the unique taste and the gentle numbing of your mouth. Many people expect to compare drinking kava to drinking alcohol, but kava’s effects are more subtle. If you don’t get what you are looking for your first time, don’t be afraid to try again. One of the testers in our group experienced this phenomenon. He said this was his second time giving kava a try, and the experience was far superior to the first.

Kava Product: Nutrition Facts

For the purposes of this sampling, one cup of kava beverage was equal to one measured cup of liquid (approximately 235 – 250 mL). 

Kava Kings – Noble Kava Tonga Root Powder

The only ingredient listed is Pure Noble Kava root powder (Piper methysticum). There is no nutritional information available for this product. In this formulation 1 serving is equal to 6 g of unstrained kava, or roughly 1 tablespoon. 

Fiji Kava – Noble Kava Root Powder

The only ingredient listed is Kava Root Powder (Piper Methysticum). It contains almost no nutritional value per serving other than small quantities of fiber, carbohydrates, and some iron. 1 serving is equal to 2 g of micronized kava powder or roughly ½ teaspoon.

Feel free to contact us with questions about the products mentioned here.