What is Kava?
Piper methysticum
Kava is a drink made from the root of a pepper-family plant that grows across the South Pacific, including Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa and Hawaii. For generations, the ground root has been steeped in water and shared in social and ceremonial gatherings — it's a drink that's meant to be sipped slowly, together.
The taste is earthy and a little peppery, and it can leave your lips and tongue feeling pleasantly numb for a few moments. Many people describe feeling calm, relaxed and sociable. Everyone's different, and effects vary with the amount and the person.
What is Kratom?
Mitragyna speciosa
Kratom is a tropical evergreen tree in the same plant family as coffee, native to Southeast Asia — including Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. The leaves have long been chewed or brewed into tea by people in the region.
Its leaves contain natural compounds called alkaloids, the best known of which is mitragynine. People describe a range of experiences, including increased energy and focus (White Vein), decreased social anxiety (Green Vein), and pain relief (Red Vein).
What is Kanna?
Sceletium tortuosum
Kanna is a small succulent native to South Africa. The Khoisan peoples of the region have traditionally chewed or fermented the plant for centuries, and it's still known there by the name kougoed.
Today it's most often prepared as an extract. At Beans & Roots you'll find it in our gummies and seltzers. People commonly describe kanna as light and uplifting rather than heavy or sedating, though experiences differ from person to person.