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.