Unless you are fortunate enough to live on or visit one of the many tropical islands on which the beautiful kava plant grows, chances are you will only ever come across dried or pre-prepared kava root products. Although, in a perfect world, it would be possible to ship fresh kava root to people all over the world, the fresh root does not keep well once it has come out of the ground, making it almost completely impossible to ship safely. On the other hand, dried kava root that is powdered will last for over two years, while dried kava root that has been minimally processed will keep for much longer. Therefore, the preferred method of kava exporters is to sell the dried root rather than trying to deal with all of the complications of shipping the root fresh.
Nevertheless, I want to take a moment to extol the many virtues of fresh kava root, in order to ensure that if any of you ever have the opportunity to work with the fresh root you take it without hesitation. First of all, fresh kava root will almost always be more potent than its dried counterpart, and it will also most likely taste sweeter, as well. It can be difficult to know when buying dried kava root how old it really is - some companies likely leave their dried root sitting on shelves for months, even years - but with fresh kava, you can be assured that it was just harvested. Furthermore, the young lateral roots of kava are known to taste much sweeter than the older taproot of the plant, probably due to different alkaloid contents in the lateral and vertical roots of the plant. When you buy the fresh root, you know exactly what type of kava root you are receiving, as well as what strain it is. This extra level of control will allow you to craft the type of kava experience you really want to have. A final benefit of fresh kava root is that traditional Pacific kava ceremonies always utilize fresh roots, so if you want to experience the real spirit of the kava plant, fresh root is definitely the way to go.
If you do not live in a Kava growing area, and if you cannot foresee a future in which you might have the chance to visit one, don't feel discouraged. I still have good news for you. With a little bit of conscious effort, it is absolutely possible to make your dried kava root experience as close to 'fresh' as possible! The most important thing is to find a supplier that offers high quality dried kava that has not been sitting around for too long. Now, no company is going to admit to selling stale kava, so here are some tips for figuring out which kava supplier is the best:
1. Try to buy your kava direct from a farm, if possible. Kava farms sell to retail outlets and kava bars as well as individuals, and therefore tend to have a much higher turnover rate than retailers. Therefore, kava purchased directly from a farm tends to be much fresher. Fortunately, there are plenty of kava farms who will sell directly to you over the internet.
2. The more details a kava seller provides about the kava, the better. Look for mentions of the specific strain that is being used, where the kava is grown, even kavalactone content! There are many types of kava, and this information will help you to discover what types are the most effective for you.
3. Finally, a great way to determine if your batch of dried kava is potent is to notice whether the prepared kava beverage numbs the insides of your mouth and your tongue. The more numbing quality you experience, the more kavalactones are likely to be present in the dried kava.
By using these tips and doing a little research, you will be able to create a dried kava experience that is as close as possible to the fresh kava experience. And if you are ever in a Pacific island region, make a point of searching out some fresh kava root - you won't regret it!
Kona Kava Farm ships worldwide and offers safe, effective, and unusually potent Kava made only from the roots of our organic-certified, estate-grown plants. Don't forget to register for our free monthly Kava giveaway when you stop by as well. Aloha no, Makaira Kealoha. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.
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