This is a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know About Buying Kava.  Our home page has a brief summary to get you started, but the purpose of this page is to guide you through the process of buying kava in vivid detail.  This should be a fun, brief ride that will empower you to make far more educated purchases when buying Kava.  Our hope is that you find a passion for this ancient, safe, and sacred plant of Oceania.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

First, everyone wants to know WHERE TO BUY KAVA.  I have to admit that I’m just a bit biased. After all, I’m Makaira, part owner of our family-run Kava Farm in Kona, Hawaii.  But, I’m biased only because we and our loyal customer base feel that the Kava from Kona Kava Farm is not only the most potent of any Kava anywhere in the world, but our unique Kavalactone lineup of 4-2-6 gives us a Kava that’s less bitter than any other Kava we’ve tried.  And trust me, when you’re growing ‘Awa, you taste a lot of Kava, both from your own crops, as well as from the crops of as many other organic farms as you can get your hands on!  It’s important to know what the competition has to offer, after all.

Buying kava direct from us gives you a big advantage over ordering from companies that merely distribute their product.  We oversee every aspect of the kava production, from its growth and harvest to its processing and packaging.  That means there are no unknown variables, and the final product is very pure and safe.  Furthermore, since you’re buying direct from a farm that ships tens of thousands of kava orders each year, both to individuals and kava bars, you are getting the freshest kava available (our turnover rate is extremely high), and you get prices that only buying direct from the farm can offer!

KINDS OF KAVA

There’s a lot of confusion about the kinds of kava available, and whether Kava from Hawaii or Fiji or Vanuatu is the best. After all, a simple internet search for kava will lead you to hundreds of different websites offering kava from all over the globe, and each, of course, claims that the kava from their country is the absolute best!

We think that Hawaiian kava is the best out there, and we even have a little bit of science to back up our claim!  There are six key kavalactones in kava that produce the pleasant effects that we feel when we work with kava. According to Alden Botanica, which offers High Performance Liquid Chromatography of the kavalactones in various types of kava, the kava Fiji grows has the lowest percentage of kavalactones kavain and dihydrokavain, while Hawaii and Vanuatu kava have the highest percentages. This is very important because these two kavalactones are essential to the anti-anxiety action of kava. Therefore, if you are looking for a more potent kava, it’s best to go with Hawaii or Vanuatu kava rather than Fiji kava.

How to choose between Hawaii and Vanuatu kava, then?  Well, this is a matter of personal opinion, but myself and a great many of the kava lovers I know find that Hawaiian kava is much sweeter and more pleasant to the taste than Vanuatu kava.  So, to me at least, it’s clear that Hawaiian kava offers the strongest effect with the most pleasant flavor and experience!

FORMS OF KAVA

Now, onto the most fun part; choosing which form of kava you’re interested in buying! As mentioned above, there are an incredible number of kava products available online, so no matter what type of kava experience you are looking for, there is something out there for you!

The most basic, traditional type of kava is dried powdered kava root. Unless you live in a tropical paradise you probably don’t have access to fresh kava root, which is what is used in traditional kava ceremonies, but you can get the second best thing by purchasing dried kava root powder.  If you buy kava root powder, you can prepare it in a traditional method by placing  about two ounces of the kava powder in a muslin bag or other cloth strainer.  Place this in a bowl containing about three cups of water.  Then squeeze and knead the powder in the bag for a few minutes until the water takes on a very milky white color. This is my own personal favorite type of kava, as it provides the traditional taste that I love, and as it is very potent.  The only real downside is that the root powder takes a little bit longer to prepare than some other types of kava.

If, on the other hand, you are looking to for something that will provide you with a quick fix when you need a boost, you may want to considering kava capsules.  You can purchase kava root powder capsules, or kava extract capsules in various potencies.  This allows you to determine for yourself what strength of kava you would like to take. You can also purchase capsules containing kava that has been blended with a variety of other herbs to produce a relaxing and uplifting effect.  Our favorite kava blend capsules are the Kavalovetone capsules, which are an exclusive of just a few highly-respected websites.  These capsules are a combination of dried kavalactone macerate and fifteen other wonderful herbal extracts.  These include chamomile, hops, lemon balm, passion flower, valerian, ginseng, and others!  These capsules produce a truly unique and pleasant effect, so if you want to buy kava kava in capsule form, you might want to give these a try! We also have traditional kava root capsules and different strengths of extracts in capsules available!

Another very convenient form of kava that you may want to look in to is kavalactone paste.  Kavalactone pastes are kava root extracts that can be extremely potent.  If you purchase a kavalactone paste, all you need to do is take one to two small, pea sized amounts, and you’re on your way to a relaxed and pleasant experience. Kavalactone paste can also be easily blended in to smoothies and other beverages.  If you want to buy kava in a form that is convenient and easy to prepare, but you want something more potent than capsules, definitely give kavalactone paste a try!

If you want to drink your kava, but are looking for something more convenient and less strong tasting than the traditional root powder, it is possible to buy kava kava in a number of different instant kava drink mixes, chai blends, and so forth.  This is an extremely pleasant way to take kava.  Many kava instant drink mixes are naturally flavored, which means they taste amazing in smoothies and juices.  We also offer kava chai blends, which will allow you to create your own delicious, warm kava beverage.  Simply blend a few teaspoons of powdered kava chai in to a glass of lukewarm (under 105F) milk, soy milk, or almond milk, and enjoy a spicy, delicious and relaxing beverage!  Instant kava drink mixes and blends are wonderful because you can mix them directly into your beverage of choice, and they allow for an incredible amount of creativity!  If you want to explore the culinary potential of kava in beverages, buy kava instant drink mixes! You’re sure to enjoy yourself!

Finally, we offer concentrated Kava elixirs, which are exclusive to our farm!   We offer pure 1x and 5x full spectrum kava extracts infused into an organic blend of fermented grapes.  These are the first full spectrum kava extracts on the market that are pleasant to the taste! We also offer a unique kava/lotus blend which is a wonderful sweet blend infused with Blue Lotus flower petals, known to have relaxing effects similar to kava.  This elixir blend is remarkably sweet and floral – you’d have to taste it to believe how wonderful it is!

If you’re still not sure what sort of kava you want to try, I would highly recommend picking up one of our kava sampler packs.  These packs include a 1/4 lb bag of powdered kava root, a 1 oz pack of instant kava drink mix in cocoa flavor, six 30% kavalovetone capsules, and a muslin extraction bag to make your kava with!  This wonderful variety of products will allow you to figure out what type of kava best suits you! And, it comes with a 10% coupon on your next order so that you can pick up whatever product you like best at a discount!

THE BOTTOM LINE

I could go on for pages about different types of kava and kava preparation, but at the end of the day, it all comes to to personal preference. It’s fun to purchase several different products that are offered, and then share them with friends to see which ones are your favorites.  With so many options available, you’re bound to find something that’s perfect for you!  And, if you’re looking to explore the many delicious ways that kava can be prepared, there are several places to find recipes for Kava.  A few places we’ve found are:

01. Boiling and Baking With Kava
02. How to Prepare Kava
03. Kava Recipes for Kava Drinks

PERSONAL NOTE

Thanks for reading through this kava tutorial on where and why to buy kava, especially why it makes so much sense to buy kava direct from the farm!  I take great pride not only in our products, but our tireless personal support. I’m rarely comfortable plugging my own work, but I’m very proud of my Makaira’s Kava Blog at the kava farm’s website.  There I offer insights in to the world of kava, discussing its many medicinal uses, its safety, and the traditions and culture that surround its use.  Definitely check it out if you are seeking more information on this wonderful plant!  And, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment – I respond to all comments on my blog as quickly as possible, and I’m always happy to interact with readers and customers!