• What is Kava?
• What are the benefits of kava?
• Types of kava powder
• How to prepare kava
• The Kava Vanuatu difference

What is kava?

So, have you just discovered kava and want to try it for the first time? Kava has been used as a traditional beverage for hundreds of years among Pacific Island communities. If you are a first-time kava user and you are after some background behind the amazing, all-natural herb, as well as how to achieve a great kava drinking experience, here is a basic overview of what you need to know.

Kava is a term used interchangeably for the kava plant, dried kava powder, kava drink or kava beverage. There are other names used to refer to kava which originate from and are native to various Pacific Island cultures such as: ava, awa, yati, yagona, sakau, seka, malok, and malogu.

The kava plant is a robust, succulent, well-branching perennial shrub that is a member of the black pepper family Piperaceae. The bioactive ingredients contained in the kava plant are known as kavalactones. Using the roots from the kava plant, a kava drink is made by combining dried kava powder with water, or as is common in Vanuatu, by combining a freshly harvested (and macerated) kava plant with water.

There are well over 100 varieties of the kava plant. These various cultivars may be classified into four different categories – Noble kava varieties, Medicinal kava varieties, Tudei kava varieties and Wichmannii varieties. Noble kava is by far the most popular category of kava and traditionally only Noble kavas have been used for regular consumption. The other kava varieties that are not classified as a Noble kava are not particularly suitable for regular kava drinking.

What are the benefits of kava?

In Vanuatu, kava has traditionally been consumed not only to provide a sense of relaxation and tranquillity but also to help assist with relief from insomnia, headache and toothache pain, urinary pain, muscle relaxation, gastro-intestinal upsets, and constipation relief.

To ensure that you obtain the healthiest and best possible experience when consuming kava, it is best to consume a kava powder that has been cultivated and harvested within an environment that is free from the use of any synthetic chemical herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, or GMOs. Additionally, it is important that the Kava is handled and processed immediately after harvest to avoid spoilage.

When consuming a kava drink that has been prepared using Kava Vanuatu’s noble kava root powders, you are rest assured that it is of the highest quality and standard. Kava Vanuatu’s noble kava root powders undergo strict quality control and continual testing to ensure we consistently provide a premium range of kava powders.

Types of kava powder

There are two main types of Kava powders which are commonly available for consumption:

1. Ground Noble Kava Root Powder which is commonly referred to as “Ground Kava” or “Traditional Kava” powder.
2. Instant Use Noble Kava Root Powder which is abbreviated to “Instant Use Kava” or more commonly “Instant Kava” powder.

The key functional difference between Instant Kava and Ground Kava powders is that, as the name might suggest, Instant Kava does not require any type of preparation, brewing or straining. Instant Kava can be simply added to water (or your favourite juice) and after a little stirring, consumed.

In comparison, Ground Kava needs more preparation, initially requiring brewing (with room temperature water) and then subsequently straining before it is consumed. Historically, various types of traditional strainers have been used, however, more recently kava drink makers have emerged to provide an easier and quicker means by which to prepare Ground Kava. 

Kava Vanuatu’s Kava powders use only Noble kava. At Kava Vanuatu, we grow and process our own kava at the source and can rightfully brag that we have complete supply chain traceability.

•       Ground Kava

As with other plants, once a kava plant is harvested, the longer it is exposed to the elements, such as the sun, the more the kava degrades losing its freshness. At Kava Vanuatu we do NOT sun dry our kava, instead our noble kava roots are specially processed immediately after harvest to retain freshness. Kava Vanuatu’s 100% organic Ground kava powder is processed to the highest quality standard, resulting in a noticeably better and less bitter tasting kava powder. Some other kava manufacturers dry their kava on the ground in full light of the sun, resulting in a much poorer quality kava – which is why they sometimes offer their kava at a discount.

•       Instant Kava

As with our Ground Noble Kava Root Powder, Kava Vanuatu’s Instant Use Noble Kava Root Powder is processed immediately after harvest to retain freshness. Our Instant kava powder is manufactured using Kava Vanuatu’s proprietary processing method, which maximises bioavailability and conveniently negates the need for any straining. Compositionally, the average particle size of our Instant Kava powder is much smaller than the Ground Kava powder, and, unlike many other Instant Kava powder products on the market, Kava Vanuatu’s Instant Use Kava is less fibrous.  

How to prepare kava

So now you have bought your kava – how do you prepare it?

Everyone has their own preferences for preparing and consuming kava. Some like to prepare Ground kava in a traditional ceremonial bowl, while others enjoy adding their Instant kava to some ice-cream! After some experimentation, you’ll find your preferred method. But here’s a few ideas to get you started…

•       How To Prepare Ground Kava

For those who have time to prepare their kava drink, the following method is tried and true:

Place an empty straining bag into a bowl and add in 10g of kava powder. Pour 250mL of water (at room temperature) into the straining bag and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. Lift the bag slightly and twist the top of the bag closed to allow any excess air out. Begin to knead the straining bag in the bowl until you see the liquid change in colour from light to heavy brown. Lift the bag out of the bowl and squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Pour into a cup to serve. For those who prefer a weaker or stronger brew, the ratio of kava powder to water can be adjusted to suit your own preference.

If you are someone who is a little more pressed for time or don’t like getting your hands wet kneading, you may want to consider purchasing one of the kava drink makers which we stock. For the more frequent or serious kava consumer we recommend the following kava drink maker.

Alternatively, many household appliances can be readily used to help prepare your ground kava. For example, the same quantity of Ground kava powder and water can be placed into a blender and mixed for a couple of minutes and then passed through a household strainer of some sort.

TIP: do not use boiling water to accelerate the brewing process, the liquid will thicken making it too viscous to drink.

•       How To Prepare Instant Kava

The best thing about Instant Kava powder is its convenience! If it is properly manufactured, there’s no need for any straining and you can simply mix it with your preferred drink (or food) and enjoy.

Adding one or two of Kava Vanuatu’s Instant Kava sachets (2.5 g to 5 g of Instant Kava) with a cup of 200 mL of water (or juice), for example, is a good place to start. Again, you can adjust the ratio of Instant Kava to water up or down to make a weaker or stronger brew.

Some people thoroughly enjoy the taste of Kava, however, for newcomers it’s probably more of an acquired taste. For those who like to mask the slightly bitter taste of Kava, combining it with citrus and berry flavours works very well. It might seem unimaginable to some newcomers, however, in time many regular kava drinkers come to appreciate the taste and texture complexities of a kava drink in the same way that coffee drinkers do.

The Kava Vanuatu Difference

Kava has a long history of consumption within the South Pacific Islands and is considered a healthy and enjoyable beverage. As more and more people, both in Australia and abroad, try kava for the first time, they too are discovering for themselves why this “elixir of the pacific” is held with such reverence.

Here at Kava Vanuatu, our history goes back to 1995 when a group of like-minded individuals from various kava growing regions and islands formulated a plan to establish an organisation that would enable our kava growers to improve their standard of living and social welfare via the sale of their kava – knowing that the quality of our kava directly affects the quality of our standard of living.

All our farmers are registered, and the cultivation and collection of kava plant material follow Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP). All of the kava used in our products are export-approved Noble cultivars verified by the department of Biosecurity Vanuatu. Kava Vanuatu’s export facilities strictly conform to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), and our processing and packaging facility is HACCP certified.

As leading manufacturers of 100% pure organic noble kava root powder, our dedicated team work tirelessly to ensure our customers receive consistently superior products. So, if you would like to learn more about our kava powders, contact Kava Vanuatu today at contact@kavavanuatu.com.au

Your first thought might be… insomnia on a relaxing tropical island? It’s not surprising that some people, at times, have difficulty sleeping. In fact, a recent report from the Sleep Health Foundation Australia (“Rise and try to shine: the social and economic costs of sleep disorders”) estimates that 1 in 10 Australians have a sleep disorder that can substantially affect their well-being, safety, and productivity. However, the association of a sleep disorder such as insomnia with people living on a tropical island is probably a little more surprising. Nonetheless, kava has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy to help aid in the treatment of insomnia. Ni-Vanuatu people reportedly consume kava drinks both to help induce sleep and to help ensure a more rested sleep.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is one type of sleep disorder in which people suffer from some combination of either being unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. Insomnia may occur for a short time, for example, during periods of stress and anxiety, or insomnia may be chronic (aptly called chronic insomnia), lasting months on end.  

The symptoms of insomnia are not the same for everyone, and people experience insomnia differently. Some people have trouble falling asleep, while others don’t feel refreshed upon waking. Other symptoms of insomnia include often waking throughout the night or simply waking up earlier than desired without having the ability to fall back asleep.

As a result of the poor sleep associated with insomnia, the days can become more challenging as people may experience daytime effects, such as feeling too tired or sleepy to undertake normal activities or experience trouble concentrating on a task at hand. Others may feel irritable or moody, suffer from headaches, or lose interest in doing things. Unfortunately, these experiences may be further compounded with the anxiety that comes from the concern and worries about not obtaining a night of good sleep.

There have been numerous studies that have looked at a variety of causes relating to sleep disorders more generally, and insomnia more specifically. Typically, when there is no underlying cause associated with insomnia, it is referred to as Primary Insomnia. When there is an identified underlying cause associated with a general health condition, depression, anxiety, or some other sleep disorder, it is referred to as Secondary Insomnia. Insomnia may be worsened or compounded via the intake of various types of chemical compounds such as caffeine or from various other substances, for example, contained in some types of prescription medication.

 Other factors may also play a contributing role in sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Stress, for example, whether caused by grief, work-related issues, financial issues, or even personal relationship problems, can play a role. Additionally, people who work relatively unusual or long hours, such as shift workers, may find their poor sleep habits do not allow them to sleep as well as those who work regular hours throughout the day.

Given many of the previously mentioned contributing factors of insomnia are common to people from all walks of life, from any country, it is probably now a little less surprising to learn that even people living in a tropical paradise are susceptible to suffering from not only insomnia but other sleep-related issues –in Vanuatu, kava has a long tradition of being used to promote relaxation and sleep.

How is insomnia or other more general sleep disorders diagnosed and treated?

As a first step, it is always best to consult with a trusted health professional such as your local GP, who can undertake a thorough examination and help tailor a personal treatment plan.

In most cases, a sleep professional will ask about your sleep habits, medications, how much alcohol and caffeine you consume and other symptoms you may have. They will also likely try and determine if there are any underlying health conditions contributing to your insomnia. In any case, one of the first steps in helping to manage insomnia is to learn healthy sleep habits and change any lifestyle factors that are contributing to the problem.

Over the last 40+ years since the American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA) published the first classification system dedicated to sleep disorders in 1979, scientific knowledge and understanding of sleep health have significantly evolved. Notwithstanding those changes, there are some remedies that have endured and continue to be advocated for. 

Many of those remedies for insomnia fall under the collective term of good “sleep hygiene”, which includes things such as: going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, ensuring one’s sleeping environment is conducive to sleep (including having a comfortable bed), getting regular exercise (but not in the evening), and doing something relaxing before bed. More contemporary remedies include avoiding electronic screens such as hand-held devices just before bed and avoiding “staring at the time” while trying to sleep. Other lifestyle remedies include cutting out caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol – or at least trying to reduce their intake. 

Kava – a Traditional Remedy for Insomnia                                                                                                                  

Of course, people have been experiencing sleep problems all over the world long before the ASDA was even formed. In Vanuatu, the quintessential traditional remedy to help aid in the treatment of insomnia is kava – most often consumed as a kava drink.

The kava root drink has had a long history of use in folk medicine within Vanuatu. Long before the arrival of European explorers, the Ni-Vanuatu people had discovered that chewing either fresh or dried kava roots would release a substance, now identified as the bioactive compounds called kavalactones, that could be diluted with water to create a kava drink with great beneficial effect. In fact, Kava has important cultural and historical significance throughout the regions of Micronesia, Polynesia, and Melanesia for its relaxant and medicinal effects as a pain reliever, muscle relaxant, and as remedy for anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia.

It’s interesting to note that human and plant physiology inform the way in which kava has been traditionally consumed as a drink. All throughout the pacific, almost entirely, people down cups of kava all at once. It is not often savoured or sipped, likely owing to its bitter and earthy flavour and mud-like texture. But as many Pacific Islanders will attest, Kava is not consumed for its taste but rather for its effect.

Are You Ready to Reap the Benefits of the Kava Root Drink?

Kava has a long history of consumption within the South Pacific Islands and is considered a healthy and enjoyable beverage. As more and more people, both in Australia and abroad, try kava for the first time, they too are discovering for themselves why this “elixir of the pacific” is held with such reverence.

Here at Kava Vanuatu, our history goes back to 1995, when a group of like-minded individuals from various kava growing regions and islands formulated a plan to establish an organisation that would enable our kava growers to improve their standard of living and social welfare via the sale of their kava – knowing the quality of our kava directly affects the quality of our standard of living.

All Kava Vanuatu farmers are registered, and the cultivation and collection of kava plant material follows Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP). All the kava used in our products is export-approved Noble cultivars verified by the department of Biosecurity Vanuatu, and our kava is independently lab tested in Australia. Kava Vanuatu’s export facilities strictly conform to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), and our processing and packaging facility is HACCP certified.

As leading manufacturers of 100% pure organic noble kava root powder, our dedicated team work tirelessly to ensure our customers receive consistently superior products. So, if you would like to learn more about kava powder uses, contact Kava Vanuatu today at contact@kavavanuatu.com.au.

What are the effects of a kava drink? 

In Vanuatu, people regularly consume a kava drink so that they may feel a sense of relaxation and tranquillity. Regular kava drinkers often prefer drinking from a Noble kava variety. These and other reported biological effects are attributed to pharmacologically active compounds, named kavalactones or kavapyrones, which are contained in the kava plant.

These compounds may present some psychopharmacological effects on people which may act as a muscle relaxant, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant and/or local anaesthetic. However, even though kavalactones can exhibit psychoactive properties in those who drink kava, it is generally not considered to create any type of hallucinogenic effect.

It should be cautioned that Kava drinks may affect a person’s ability to drive or operate machinery effectively, depending upon the amount of kava consumed – the relative weight of an individual is a large contributing factor, as is an individual’s digestive system and various other genetically related metabolic factors.

Why have people traditionally consumed kava?

In Vanuatu, Fiji, Hawaii, and other islands throughout Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, kava root drinks are not just prepared to make people feel good – although many are prepared for that reason! Kava drinks are also prepared for several social, cultural, spiritual, and therapeutic reasons. Irrespective of whether a kava drink is prepared using a freshly harvested kava root or from dried kava powder, every consumer of kava knows that the quality of their kava drinking experience is inextricably linked to the quality of the kava they consume – something we at Kava Vanuatu understand to be of absolute paramount importance!

In a social context, one of the most popular uses of drinking kava is to reduce one’s inhibitions and to make a person feel more sociable. A kava drink is sometimes compared to drinking alcohol in that respect, except that a kava drink doesn’t affect a person’s cognitive abilities, such as decision making, in the way alcohol does.

From a spiritual perspective, fresh kava roots or dried kava powder is used to prepare kava drinks for use in various religious rites sometimes to achieve a form of enlightenment, reportedly because the consumption of a kava drink engenders physical relaxation combined with heightening mental clarity.

There are many cultural reasons for the consumption of a kava drink. There is a deep cultural belief that drinking kava makes it very hard for those people who have consumed fresh kava root or dried kava root powder to feel negative emotions such as anger. In some respects, it may be compared to a North American Indian “peace pipe”, as it is consumed during important meetings between various people.

Among the many anecdotal therapeutic benefits reportedly associated with the traditional consumption of a kava drink, one of the major perceived therapeutic benefits is the ability of kava to help improve one’s overall sense of well-being. Over the many hundreds and hundreds of years that kava has been consumed, kava drinks are perceived as being able to reduce tension and promote relaxation in both the mind and body. Moreover, many see the consumption of kava as a means to help reduce health problems linked to stress.

How are Kava drinks prepared?

Traditionally there are many methods and tools for making a kava drink, however, the major difference in the preparation of a kava drink is from the use of either freshly harvested kava roots, or from the use of dried kava root powder.

In Vanuatu, a kava drink is almost exclusively prepared using fresh roots and rhizomes from the kava plant, where it is usually macerated in water and then strained. In other areas such as Fiji, a kava drink is generally made from dried roots and rhizomes which have first been dried and then ground before being wrapped in a cloth, infused in water, and finally strained.

At Kava Vanuatu, we stock a variety of kava powders which are available in “instant use” kava powder and ground kava powder forms. Our Instant Use Kava Root Powder sachets are a convenient and easy option for a kava drink, which can readily be prepared by adding the contents of the kava powder from the sachet into a glass of water and simply stirring without the need for any straining. Kava Vanuatu’s Ground Kava Powder can be prepared in a more traditional or considered method dependent upon your personal preference.

How is a kava drink best consumed?

Fresh is best – to avoid spoilage it is better to consume your kava drink shortly after preparation. We also recommend to avoid using boiling water to prepare your kava drink as the boiling water can create an unpleasant taste and consistency.

It is also worth highlighting that because there is a lack of clinical research exploring the interaction kava has with many modern medications or drugs, it is prudent to seek individual medical advice if you are planning to consume a kava drink while taking any medications.  

You should not consume a kava drink at the same time as any alcoholic beverages.  

What are the added benefits of a kava drink prepared using Kava Vanuatu kava root powder?

At Kava Vanuatu it all comes back to quality – consistent quality!

First, to help ensure the healthiest possible experience from drinking kava, it is likely better to consume a kava powder which has been cultivated and harvested in an environment that is completely free from the use of any synthetic chemical herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, or GMOs.

At Kava Vanuatu our plants are organically grown on small traditional farms located on the remote islands of Vanuatu, where our kava roots are free from any nasty synthetical chemicals since the environment is completely free from any air-borne, soil, or water pollutants. All of Kava Vanuatu’s kava root powder products are 100% organic.

Importantly, our Noble kava varieties are both single origin and single cultivar which means we can ensure a consistently high quality, premium product, direct from our farms to you.

As with all living plants, as soon as a kava plant is harvested the kava root will begin to degrade. The rate at which the kava root degrades is largely contingent on several environmental exposure factors. The biologically active compounds in kava, such as the kavalactones, are especially sensitive to degradation to environmental factors such as sunlight and air – and at Kava Vanuatu that is why the kava roots from our kava plants are specially processed immediately after harvest to retain freshness!

Fresh is best and at Kava Vanuatu every step of the manufacturing process is designed with this in mind – and it is why we continually invest in our people, processing methods, and infrastructure. Our kava powders always undergo strict quality control and testing to ensure the consistently superior quality of our kava root is maintained up until the point you consume one of Kava Vanuatu’s kava powder products.  

Are You Ready to Reap the Benefits of Instant Kava Powder?

Kava has a long history of consumption within the South Pacific Islands and is considered a healthy and enjoyable beverage. As more and more people, both in Australia and abroad, try kava for the first time they too are discovering for themselves why this “elixir of the pacific” is held with such reverence.

Here at Kava Vanuatu, our history goes back to 1995 when a group of like-minded individuals from various kava growing regions and islands formulated a plan to establish an organisation that would enable our kava growers to improve their standard of living and social welfare via the sale of their kava – knowing the quality of our kava directly effects the quality of our standard of living.

All our farmers are registered, and the cultivation and collection of kava plant material follows Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP). All of the kava used in our products is export-approved Noble cultivars verified by the department of Biosecurity Vanuatu. Kava Vanuatu’s export facilities strictly conform to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), and our processing and packaging facility is HACCP certified.

As leading manufacturers of 100% pure organic noble kava root powder, our dedicated team work tirelessly to ensure our customers receive consistently superior products. So, if you would like to learn more about our kava powders, contact Kava Vanuatu today at contact@kavavanuatu.com.au.