Most novice enthusiasts are confused between Kratom and Kava. While some think they are the same, others believe that both are derived from the same plant.
However, all these speculations are incorrect as both the herbs come from different plants and differ in other aspects too. With that, a debate arises: the Kratom vs Kava contest, with people divided into two sides.
Among these enthusiasts, some are equally excited about both the herbs and advocate for their legality and popularity. Let’s address the discussion in detail.
What is Kratom?
Kratom or Mitragyna speciosa is an evergreen tree related to coffee that grows in Southeast Asia. Although most commonly found in Thailand and Indonesia, Kratom trees are also present in Papua New Guinea and Myanmar.
Traditionally, Kratom has been a huge part of the local culture, and only recently, the rest of the world got familiar with this herb. The Kratom tree was studied scientifically for the first time by a Dutch botanist named Pieter Korthals almost two centuries ago in 1839.
Since its original description, the herb went through further classification and is now known as Kratom. George Darby Haviland suggested Kratom’s current name in 1859, and since then, this herb has been slowly becoming popular all around the globe.
What is Kava?
While Kratom is indigenous to Southeast Asia, Kava comes from the Pacific Islands. Apart from the commonly known name, there are a lot of local names of Kava. In Fiji, people might know it as yaqona while Hawaiians call it ‘awa.
Depending on where you live, you’ll come across a different name.
Like Kratom, Kava is also a traditional plant that has been grown for decades. Originally, the Austronesian Lapita community spread the herb into other parts of Polynesia. Gradually, Kava came to Hawaii, where you can buy it today very easily.
Kava vs Kratom: What are the Differences?
Other than being plants, there’s little in common between the two herbs. Both of them belong to different plant families and have different chemical constituents.
Legality
When talking about Kratom vs Kava, the first thing to mention is the difference in legality. While Kratom’s legality depends on the state you live in, Kava is legal all over the US.
The DEA has put Kratom on the list of drugs that are of concern and has tried making it illegal. Along with the federal government, the states also decide to legalize or ban a substance.
For instance, if you live in Texas, you can buy and carry Kratom legally. However, this isn’t true for all states. Till 2019, six of the states had banned the herb, while five more had one or more counties where Kratom was illegal.
On the contrary, Kava vendors sell the plant openly across the US because it is legal in all states. It did not raise the same level of controversy as Kratom did. Today, you can find Kava in specialty stores and pharmacies.
Maybe even check your local grocery store because some of them also stock Kava.
Thus, it’s not very hard to get your hands-on Kava. The story is a bit different when it comes to Kratom as you have to be a bit more careful, at least until buying and carrying it is legal across the US.
Plant Family
Another difference between the two herbs is that Kava belongs to the pepper family, while Kratom is a member of the coffee family. Thus, both plants differ in their physical and chemical features.
Where to Buy Kratom and Kava?
After this mini Kratom Kava discussion, you might be wondering where you can find both of them. As mentioned earlier, you can easily find Kava in grocery stores or pharmacies.
However, to buy Kratom, you should trust online sellers as they have the best quality.
From Kratom capsules to Kratom powder, you can get anything of your choice. Since there are multiple Kratom strains, it’s best to buy online where you can find a vast variety rather than settle for local vendors with limited choices.
When you buy online, you can choose from different Kratom Powder colors namely green, white, and red. Yellow Kratom is also gaining popularity these days, but most sellers don’t stock it because they still have a lot to learn about it.
Final Words
With that, our Kratom vs Kava discussion comes to an end. Hopefully, you would have learned a lot of things about both the plants and how they differ from each other. Since Kava is easily available, you should start with it as a beginner.
You can then advance to Kratom and make use of quick shipping, offered by most sellers, to get your hands-on different strains and colors. To learn more, keep reading our Kratom blog.
