Hi all - Newbie here with a question!

[Nola111]

Hello all, I'm very glad to have found this forum. I first tried Kava a few weeks ago via one of these little vials of "Kava Extract" I bought off Amazon. Boy I wish I would have discovered this forum before making that purchase!

I'm going to be placing my first order for the real stuff from Gourmet Hawaiian Kava shortly. I would like to know if someone can explain to me the difference between Instant, Micronized, and Medium Grind, and which you would recommend for a first-time user of real kava.

Thanks!

 

[The Kap'n]

Hello all, I'm very glad to have found this forum. I first tried Kava a few weeks ago via one of these little vials of "Kava Extract" I bought off Amazon. Boy I wish I would have discovered this forum before making that purchase!

I'm going to be placing my first order for the real stuff from Gourmet Hawaiian Kava shortly. I would like to know if someone can explain to me the difference between Instant, Micronized, and Medium Grind, and which you would recommend for a first-time user of real kava.

Thanks!

Welcome! Glad to have you with us

Instant Kava (Just add water)
Instant kava is kava which is produced from the dehydration of prepared powdered Kava. Either fresh kava juice, or prepared root that has gone through the traditional dry powdered prep is used. This is not to be confused with micronized kava which is simply the root stock which has been ground to a very fine consistency. The resulting Kava is mixed with water and consumed without the need for straining or any type of traditional preparation methods.

Micronized (also referred to as "micro) (Just add water, but is more gritty)
Whole kava root, or processed kava root that has been ground in a way that breaks the particle size down to the micron level. Straining this type of kava is exceedingly difficult with normal preparation materials, and as such is commonly consumed without straining.

Traditional Preparation (Medium Grind) (Normal preparation is required)
This refers to preparing your Kava as closely as possible to the way the Pacific islanders, from long ago, prepared their Kava. There are many variations to preparing Kava, but the most common one, and most "traditional", is to place your Kava in a strainer, in a bowl of fresh water and then for a period of time, continuously knead, massage, and squeeze the Kava that's in the strainer and covered in the water until as many Kava lactones are extracted from the Kava root as possible.

Instant kavas tend to be easiest on first time users. Literally no prep time, and you can control your dosage exactly. Great choice with GHK. You wont be disappointed.

 

[Nola111]

Hi Kapm,

Thanks so much for your very prompt response!! I'm very excited to place my order. I'll give the instant a whirl and as I become a more experienced "kava guru" I'll perhaps move up to the others.

Thanks again!

 

[The Kap'n]

Hi Kapm,

Thanks so much for your very prompt response!! I'm very excited to place my order. I'll give the instant a whirl and as I become a more experienced "kava guru" I'll perhaps move up to the others.

Thanks again!

Mahakea Instant is a divine instant kava, and you're most welcome

 

[I don't know]

Welcome! I prefer the more convenient ones as well.

 

[Edward]

I like using instants as I find them way more reliable in terms of effects. Also I'm yet to be convinced that instants are actually expensive in comparison to the other types. Once I have been drinking kava for a few days I need a relatively small amount of instant to get me where I want to be.

 

[dino9832]

You can't go wrong with Mahakea! I keep some GHK micronized on hand at all times.
http://gourmethawaiiankava.com/product-category/micronized-kava/

The idea behind kava prep is to remove the fibrous material from the good stuff. Chris from @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava created a unique process where he takes FRESH kava root and pounds it. Because the root is fresh, the fibers are moist and don't crumble. They stay long and stringy like the fibers in something like celery. The good stuff crumbles away, and the fibers can be easily pulled out. Then, the good stuff is dried into a powder.

Keep in mind that not all "micronized" is the same. I think some other micronized kava is more like what @Kapmcrunk described. It's the WHOLE root that has been ground to micron levels.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Hello all, I'm very glad to have found this forum. I first tried Kava a few weeks ago via one of these little vials of "Kava Extract" I bought off Amazon. Boy I wish I would have discovered this forum before making that purchase!

I'm going to be placing my first order for the real stuff from Gourmet Hawaiian Kava shortly. I would like to know if someone can explain to me the difference between Instant, Micronized, and Medium Grind, and which you would recommend for a first-time user of real kava.

Thanks!

Kapmkrunk and Dino9832 said it best, but if you have any other questions about my kava please let me know.
Most of all, welcome to the Kava Forums, aloha.

Chris

 

[Nola111]

Good morning everyone. So I just received my shipment from GHK. I got one instant Moi and one instant Mahakea. I have just now tried my first dose of Mahakea... 1 tablespoon in water on an empty stomach, about an hour ago. Don't notice anything at all. I've read around here enough to know this can be normal. Should I follow the rules of reverse tolerance and use small amounts for a week or two to build-up, or should I go straight to trying a bigger dose now?

 

[I don't know]

Try another dose with less water.

 

[Nola111]

Thanks for the reply I don't know. So I shouldn't assume reverse tolerance yet, and due smaller doses for awhile?

 

[I don't know]

Thanks for the reply I don't know. So I shouldn't assume reverse tolerance yet, and due smaller doses for awhile?

If you are not feeling much then it could be reverse tolerance. The amount depends on what your body tells you. I don't think it's necessary to stick with small amounts. However, since you are using instants it could be easy to go overboard. Just space out your "shells" at least 30 minutes apart so you have time to really notice if you are feeling anything. I would say a tablespoon of instant in 4 oz of liquid (I like chocolate almond milk, but most people use water) every 30 minutes and then stop at 3 servings for now unless you feel it is necessary to stop earlier.

 

[I don't know]

Also, try the Moi and see how that one feels. I said a tablespoon above because that's what you were measuring by. However, I use teaspoons. It's whatever feels right to you.

 

[Nola111]

Thank so much for the reply, I Don't Know!. I'll do that and report back.

 

[Edward]

If you are not feeling much then it could be reverse tolerance. The amount depends on what your body tells you. I don't think it's necessary to stick with small amounts. However, since you are using instants it could be easy to go overboard. Just space out your "shells" at least 30 minutes apart so you have time to really notice if you are feeling anything. I would say a tablespoon of instant in 4 oz of liquid (I like chocolate almond milk, but most people use water) every 30 minutes and then stop at 3 servings for now unless you feel it is necessary to stop earlier.

That's really solid advice. @Nola111 it has been noticed that most people who are experiencing reverse tolerance will tend to feel heady effects first so maybe stick with the moi for a while until you start to get some effects.

 

[Nola111]

Thanks Edward, will do.

 

[I don't know]

So, how did it go? @Nola111

 

[Nola111]

Hi IDK, and thanks for checking up on me. Unfortunately, nothing to report. I tried the Moi again and I tried the Mahakea again. Both times, heaping tablespoons in a very small amount of water. I literally felt nothing, other than numbness in my mouth and throat after taking it. However, I still haven't followed your advice exactly - I have not tried repeating the dose after 30 minutes yet as you've suggested. I will definitely do that next. But when I tell you I take a heaping tablespoon, that's with a capital H, and I've unfortunately felt nothing at all. I only got the 50g packs of these two so I fear I'm going to run out before I get to really understand what this is all about! In any case, I will try the repeated dose approach, most likely on Monday. Between now and then my stomach is going to be full of food for most of the time so no point in trying while that's going on

 

[I don't know]

Hey, thanks for the update. I guess it might be the case of reverse tolerance then. Good luck and keep on trying when you can. Once you break through kava truly a wonderful experience.

 

[Nola111]

Hi all still working on a breakthrough and crossing my fingers - quick question, this is sort of answered in the FAQ's but wanted to ask here - is it safe for me to take any amount of Kava? I'm now trying two heaping tablespoons at a time to see if I can feel any affect. Are there any safety issues to consider?