Holistic Products January 2008
Kava King Brings Kava To The Mainland
Kava. The name evokes images of the tropics and talkin’ story with friends at the local ‘Kava Bar.’ On mainland U.S.A., people relate mostly to Piper Methysticum (kava’s scientific name) in capsule or tincture form. Many praise its positive effects on sleep problems, stress, anxiety, even fibromyaligia. In Polynesia, however, kava has been used for the last 3,000 years as a social beverage. With the aim of promoting kava’s more social function, Kava King, a company that distributes unique herbal products of the highest quality, introduced its line of kava blends over ten years ago.
It has been a while since I drank kava. There was a time in my life, however, when the social experience of kava was a regular part of my routine. Many times, sitting at the local kava bar a short walk from Kaimu Beach on the Big Island, I gave away my newcomer status by tentatively sipping my kava drink as I got use to its characteristic bitter taste. Sitting next to me, the locals enjoyed their kava drinks like fine wine. I have been told that kava is an acquired taste and to feel the mellowing effects of this pungent little root at the end of a stressful day makes it is a taste worth acquiring.
“Originally it was used as a beverage for weddings, when dignitaries came to the island, funerals, and special events,” says Richard Bahman of Kava King. “Throughout the course of the next couple of thousand years, it became more mainstream in the islands. Soon most people drank it.”
At one time, kava was also served in meeting places called Nakamals, where men would gather to network amongst themselves. Today, modern day Nakamals, simply called kava bars in most cases, thrive across the South Pacific and Hawaii. On the mainland, kava is catching on in unique ways. Many coffee houses and smoothie stands serve kava in addition to their regular faire; kava drinks have become popular in college areas as well.
I sampled Kava King’s berry flavored regular kava blendn as well as the King’s Reserve. The fruity taste of the berry blend helped smooth out the root’s bitterness. The King’s Reserve was earthy and potent. Per the company’s suggestion, I added a small amount of natural sweetener to the drinks. The difference between the two blends has to do with the amount of ‘lateral root’ that is used. Kava body roots are like the stumps of the plant and count for the majority of the plants weight. The lateral roots are skinny and tubular. Kava contains Kavalactones, which are the main substances responsible for the root’s mellowing effect. The King’s Reserve blend by Kava King contains a different spread of Kavalactones than the regular blend, thus producing a different sensation for most drinkers.
“Customers report more of a ‘head feel’ [from the Reserve] as opposed to a body feel for the other [regular blend],” says Bahman. I found that this was the case for me as well. Bahman cautions that the kavalactones will react differently with each person depending on their body chemistry. Age is also a factor in the potency of a kava plant. The older the root, the more potent it will be. Kava King is unique among kava importers in that they receive whole roots no less than five years old directly from South Pacific growers in Tonga and Vanuatu and then grind the roots themselves using their patented Kava Micronization System©. The pure, powdered root is sold as an instant drink in single packets and canisters and can be added directly to water or juice.
After trying both the berry flavor (cocoa and banana-vanilla flavors as well as Vitamin C and plain blends are also available) and the King’s Reserve from Kava King, I have to admit that I tended to favor the King’s Reserve the best. After a hard day’s work, it felt good to get out of my head for a bit and relax with the help of this ancient root with ties to Polynesian royalty.—NLP
For more information about Kava King’s products and to order, visit www.kavaking.com. Kava King has been offering kava products to American consumers since 1996. They are also the distributors of other unique, top-quality natural products, such as Caribbean Aloe Vera Juice, PhytoChi Herbal Products, Tamanu Tattoo Tamanu Oil and Scar Smoother Skin Care. Always consult your health care professional before taking any herbal product.