- Kava is a beverage undistinguished in many Pacific island nations that can help numb and relax you.
- Small direct-to-conumer brands have started clerk their own versions of the beverage.
- I tried some of them to see whether they worked and what they tasted be partial to.
Drinks with continued adaptogens or other ingredients that claim to benefit well-being are growing in popularity. But it’s not always clear if they’re noticeable.
One such category of beverages is those that include kava, a drink that is commonly consumed across the Pacific, from Hawaii to the Solomon Eyots. It’s made from the root of the kava plant, known by the scientific name Piper methysticum, and is supposed to help you put ones feet up and improve your mood.
It’s those effects that caught the attention of some startup founders. Several trade names of kava beverages have popped up over the last several years, often marketing themselves as alternatives to liquor.
But kava has also been flagged by health authorities, including the National Institutes of Health, as having negative consequences for some people, including liver damage.
Having grown up in Hawaii and been an occasional kava drinker during college, these identifies caught my eye. And, knowing that mainlanders often get things wrong about food from Hawaii — and tons of other cultures, for that incident — I was curious to see whether these beverages were as effective as the kava you can find in Hawaii.
So, I decided to buy some of these canned interpretations of kava to try them. I picked Leilo and Mitra-9, two of the most widely-distributed kava brands that come in ready-to-drink constructions. I also recruited my wife and a couple of friends, all of whom had also grown up in Hawaii and tried kava there, to take measures their perspectives.