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10 March |
How do I get the most out of kava kava root powder? |
I’m looking for the most potent kava kava root powder extraction technique. Anyone have some info? Or the most potent way to ingest kava kava root powder?
The active chemical components in Kava are not readily water soluble. You need some sort of fat to get the most out of it.
Coconut milk works very well and makes the preparation taste much more pleasant.
There are a few ways I prepare Kava.
1) Place 1-2 tsp kava (or more, depending on your need) in a covered stainless steel pot with 2-3 tbsp Coconut milk and a cup of water. As soon as it starts boiling turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain and enjoy.
With this method, you want to drink it while its still warm, otherwise the coconut milk will separate and float to the top as it cools, leaving a hard layer of fat. Its pretty gross to drink it that way. But you can warm it up again if that happens.
2) When I’m in a rush I make Kava shots by mixing 1 tsp of Kava powder in a small jar with a dollop of coconut milk and about 1/4 cup water. Shake it really well and drink immediately without straining, before the powder separates.
I include the coconut milk in this method for the taste. Its technically not needed to extract kava’s properties, since you are ingesting all the powder anyways.
I sometimes mix a larger batch of this in a water bottle and carry it with me throughout the day, taking a shot when needed and shaking the bottle beforehand. You won’t get that hard fat crust floating on the top with this method.
3) I also sometimes make Kava coconut macaroons (damn those are tasty). Just add the powder directly to any macaroon recipe. I generally calculate 1/2 tsp per macaroon
Between these three methods, the second technique will be more potent because it doesn’t involve any extraction at all or potential potency loss through heat.
I tend to alternate between the 3 based on my mood.
This video shows how to make kava in the traditional method. 
