Kava Kava Drink Benefits as a Healthier Alcohol Alternative

Delivering liquid tranquility in a bowl, the prepared milky brown-colored brew is native to regions of Melanesia, specifically northern Vanuatu, where today's cultivars were originally propagated nearly 3,000 years ago.

Today, there are many different types of kava all coming from the higher quality Noble cultivar species Piper methysticum. The only one that can be exported.

Once popular as a "recreational relaxant" in the late 90s, kava kava is making a new comeback, especially in the world of non-alcoholic social elixirs and phytomedicines for anxiety.

The herbal brews and extracts made from the dried peeled root or extracts are well-known for their stress-relieving properties, fostering a calming, clear, feel-good buzz that is non-addictive.

Although this kava drink is often called an "intoxicant", just to be clear, it doesn't make you feel "drunk". It simply tends to mellow nervousness, uplift mood as well as promotes a tension-free experience without causing a crash, comedown or hangover.

In proper doses, it helps to calm but doesn't cause drowsiness. Some describe it to spark a kind of mental clarity and/or euphoric state which allows for functioning at our highest level. The way we are supposed to.

Will it solve all of your life's problems? No, but it can be an opportunity to get you moving in the right direction.

On many islands in the South Pacific, like Vanuatu and Fiji, there are established ceremonial meeting places, called nakamals, used to gather and enjoy drinking kava with adult community members.

Today, places to share a booze-free feel-good energy are becoming popular in other parts of the world. Kava Bars are in fact predicted to be the next up-and-coming social tonic meet-up trend not just for wellness seekers but for anyone looking for a fun, uplifting beverage alternative for group socializing. 

Piper methysticum and its rhizome are from the pepper family. Piper meaning "pepper" and methysticum meaning "intoxicating".

In 1937, early explorer Tom Harrison wrote about his main travel expeditions to Vanuatu and his experiences with the local kava-consuming ritual. He states in his writings, "You cannot hate with kava in you". Interestingly, the kava plant has heart-shaped leaves, but it is only the peeled roots that are utilized for making thick brown kava kava drink.

Now we will discuss the taste and secret compounds behind these specific kava kava attributes and how they are believed to work in the body and brain.

Kava kava preparations have a somewhat spicy peppery taste and bitter earthy flavor that not everyone enjoys. Because of its notoriously strong pungency as a liquid brew, it's often quickly swallowed rather than slowly sipped and savored.

There are, however, ways to cater to picky palettes with commercial drink blends and mixes that "try" to mask the taste, but it is always somewhat detectable.

We personally don't mind homemade herbal brews. The initial tasting of herbs before you ingest them can be great for preparing the body for what’s to come. To us, it has a similar smell and flavor to that of ashwagandha root, although the two are unrelated.

The specific active compounds concentrated in the root of the plant are called KAVALACTONES. There are six main kavalactones identified as responsible for about 95% of kava's biological activity.

These include kavain, yangonin, methysticin, desmethoxyyangonin, dihydromethysticin and dihydrokavain. The other 5% comes from the phenols known as FLAVOKAWAINS.

It is the kavalactones that have a major effect on the central nervous system and are considered anxiolytic (anxiety-relieving) and analgesic in their actions. These are the constituents that cause a temporary numbing sensation on the tongue or in the mouth when chewing on the root or when drinking kava brew.

When consumed in a traditional kava drink prepared at low temperatures, they appear to work by influencing neurotransmitters, the signaling molecules that nerves use to communicate to one another.

Most of these kavalactones are found in research to potentiate GABAA receptors and able to boost dopamine and pleasure centers within the brain.

KAVAIN in particular is known to support the modulation of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine signaling whereas YANGONIN is shown to affect the endocannabinoid system due to its binding affinity for the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2.

All of these aspects are contributing factors to why kava kava drink has such beneficial psychopharmacology properties.

Kava root brews and products can affect everyone in a different manner. It is therefore good to consume them in moderation and start out slow with lower dose amounts, gradually taking more if needed.

The general recommendation is that you stay within the range of 70 to 250 milligrams of kavalactones a day.

It is easier to figure out how many kavalactones you are taking in when the product (always an extract) contains the per serving amount of kavalactones in milligrams.

When making the herbal liquid brew, often 2-4 Tablespoons of powder is the recommended amount per 8-12 ounce serving on product instructions.

It is best to drink a kava brew on an empty stomach, 3-4 hours before or after a meal, so it doesn't interact with other foods or supplements.

Although powders are sometimes available in capsule form, most information we have come across advises against the intake of whole root powders. Usually, you want to drink the liquid only after removing the bulk root material.

In some parts of Europe, in 2002, the sale of kava was banned because of claims is may cause liver damage.

However, the ban was lifted in some countries like Germany as hepatotoxicity was identified to cause no major adverse effects after intake of 120 to 280 mg kavalactones/day. Likewise, it was reported to be rare at the lower dose range of 120–240 mg/day, especially when properly prepared.

The U.S. FDA currently (as of 2025) advises, that while potential risk is rare, some dietary supplements containing kava have been associated with causing liver damage.

Traditional ways to prepare kava kava go back many centuries. Melanesian people and other Pacific Islanders would chew or grind the root into a paste, mix it with water (or coconut milk) and strain the brownish liquid.

This would create a bitter herbal brew that was consumed ceremonially in a bowl passed around within a social group.

This is the modern method of kava kava drink preparation using the dried peeled kava root powder. It is the closest we have found to the kava-making tradition and our personal favorite.

Because kava powder is not soluble in water and it doesn't work to simply steep or soak it, you have to place the powder in a fine mesh bag and knead the kavalactones out into the liquid to make a suspension.

Directions:

1. For a single serving add 2-4 Tablespoons of kava powder to a strainer bag. We prefer natural fine mesh cotton for this but you can also use a nylon nut milk bag.
2. Add the bag to a bowl with 8-12 ounces of warm (not hot) water.
3. Knead the tightly tied bag with the water for 5-7 minutes or until it appears somewhat oily and turns a muddy milky brown.
4. Squeeze out the bag thoroughly and remove it. Serve the brew in a gourd, wood bowl or coconut bowl and consume in quick gulps.

Alternatively, you can blend the powder with warm water and strain.

Kava Liquid Tincture or Extracts - Kava is also available as a liquid extract or tincture in which the roots are macerated with alcohol or other menstruum to condense active compounds. If you have the roots or powder, you can also make your own kava tincture.

This is actually an easy way to consume it as you simply drop it into a small amount of water or juice to mask the taste and drink. It is important to use proper dose amounts however as these types are very concentrated. Liquid tinctures are great for adding kava kava to homemade mocktails or booze-free beverages.

Kava Drink Mix - The most convenient are commercial powdered drink mixes that you simply add to water. They can include other ingredients like sugar and "natural" flavorings so be sure to read your labels.

Kava Shots and Beverages - There are also a wide variety of kava "wellness" drinks available in small 2-4 ounce cans or blended with more flavorful ingredients. You can still taste some bitterness but these varieties can camouflage the taste for picky kava drinkers.