ABOUT KAVA & TEAS

Welcome to Roots & Leaves, Kavas and Teas! Our offerings are vast, but they all have one thing in common: they’re plant medicine at its finest. If you’re new to the plant world, you probably have some questions.

You may be asking yourself…Which plants should I drink for different occasions? Do I need to take any precautions when using your medicinal plants? Can they really help me heal? How do I know which plant is right for me? Where do these plants come from?

Traditionally, all of these questions are answered in a Materia Medica. A Materia Medica is an herbal dictionary of sorts. It’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about plants, their uses, and their origins. We’ve created this guide to act as our unofficial Materia Medica, and as your official guide through the world of kava, kratom, and tea.

At Roots & Leaves, we’re guided by one simple thing: to cultivate healthier lives through feel-good plants and welcoming spaces.

Our Kavas, Kratom, and Teas all act as conduits for a life that is full and rich. Our products will add more balance to your body and mind. Our high-caliber drinks are where the magic lies — they’re  a medium for cultivating deep, immersive community and self-expression. 

As a kava bar, we are building on communal traditions that have existed for generations. Throughout the world and history, our ancestors used plants for the same reasons we do today: to help ease physical imbalances, to connect us to our nourishing Earth, and to drink with others while creating deeply connected communities. 

Explore this guide to get acquainted with the plants we call friends. Then, stop by one (or all) of our locations where your new favorite remedies are waiting.

Kava

When it comes to plant-honoring, alcohol-alternative spaces, Kava is the root that started it all. 

Kava Kava, Piper methysticum

Origins

Kava is an indigenous Polynesian vine and grows throughout the Pacific Islands as far east as Hawaii. It is cultivated commercially in parts of the U.S. and in Australia. Kava is propagated from runners in late winter to early spring and is usually grown on frames. It needs well-drained, stony soil and a shady position, and the root is harvested at any time of year.¹

It grows best in dark, volcanic soil. 

• Parts Used: Root
• Preparations: Infusion, Extraction, Tablets, [MAYBE MORE?]
• Key constituents: Resin containing kava lactones, including kawain and Piperidine alkaloid (pipermethysticine)
• Key Actions: Tonic, Reduces anxiety, Urinary antiseptic, Analgesic, Induces sleep, Diuretic

Traditional Uses

Traditionally, Kava Kava is known by islanders as “intoxicating pepper.” A relative to the pepper plant, it is prized for its ability to calm the mind and relieve body tension. 

In traditional island cultures, Kava is largely ceremonial. At almost any social gathering in the South Pacific, from Vanuatu to Hawaii, Kava is central to the celebration. Beyond celebration, Kava has major ritual and cultural significance  to the people of the Pacific Islands, where it is as much a part of daily social life as coffee is in the West.¹ 

For thousands of years, Kava has acted as a social lubricant and community builder on its native islands. With its natural ability to bring people together, Kava acts as the glue to the traditional culture of most South Pacific Islands. Additionally, Kava is valued in the South Sea Islands as a calming and stimulating intoxicant. ¹

Bula

A Fijian word with a lot of meaning. We use it as a cheers to wish good health. 

A “shell”

When you go to a kava bar, or have kava in the traditional style on an island, you’ll hear it called a “shell”. From the beginning, Kava was traditionally served in a halved coconut shell. In modern times — especially in Colorado — a coconut shell wouldn’t hold up due to the lack of humidity. At our bars, you’ll be served Kava in a small bowl made to mimic the traditional coconut shell. 

Different Strains

There are many different strains of Kava Kava, all with their unique names. During your time with Kava, you’ll probably come across…

🌱 Van — aka Vanuatu

🌱 Tongan

🌱 Soloman

🌱 Waka

🌱 Fijian

🌱 Hawaiian

🌱 Somoan

… and MANY more. 

Each strain is named after the island it grows on and unique biological conditions of each island create a different effect, and experience, with each strain. 

The micro-climate, soil constituents, growing conditions, and traditional practices all have an effect on the Kava that comes from its respective region.

Effects

We know the general effects of Kava.  At modest doses, kava is calming and tranquilizing. At large doses, it leads to intoxication and euphoria, though without a hangover the next day. It has a hot, slightly aromatic and bitter taste and leaves the mouth feeling slightly numb. ¹  

It’s important to know that every person and every body is different. How Kava effects you could vary from the person next to you at the bar and the effect could change from day to day and strain to strain. 

You know your body best, so tuning into the energetic, mental, and physical shifts you feel is an important part of entering an allyship with Kava. From there, you can experiment with different doses and varieties. 

Reverse tolerance

There’s one significant way that Kava works differently than you’re probably used to, and that’s the reverse tolerance. With most substances, using a small dose in the beginning produces big effects. Think of alcohol, where the first time you drank, because of your low tolerance, you felt significant shifts and became “intoxicated” quickly. Over time, your tolerance grew and you needed more of the substance to feel the same significant shifts. 

With Kava, all of that is backward, literally. When you have your first shell, it can be completely normal to feel very little, if anything at all. Usually, you’ll feel a tingling in your tongue (that’s not an allergic reaction!), but you might not find the deep relaxation you were expecting. Over time though, as kavalactones build up in your body, you’ll begin to feel immense relaxation after just one shell. 

With reverse tolerance, as your tolerance grows, the effects that you’ll feel will grow and you’ll feel these effects with smaller doses. So, when you’re starting out, you’ll need to drink higher doses — either more shells or stronger shells —like extract — to feel the same effects that seasoned drinkers feel after a shell or two. 

How long does it take to build up a tolerance to feel “muddy” after a shell or two? The verdict is still out, but a good guideline is two to four weeks of several servings a week. 

Kava as modern medicine

🌿 Kava is a safe and proven remedy for anxiety that does not cause drowsiness or affect the ability to operate machinery. It is valuable for treating muscle tension as well as emotional stress.¹

🌿 With its tonic, strengthening, and mildly analgesic properties, kava is a good remedy for chronic pain, helping to reduce sensitivity and to relax muscles that are tensed in response to pain.¹

Cautions

If you are pregnant, caution is advised. If there is a history of liver disease, caution is advised. It is recommended to NEVER have alcohol and kava in the same day — adding alcohol can cause stress on the liver. 

Southeast Asian Tea 

Established in the West as a partner to Kava, Southeast Asian tea is our other signature feel-good plant drink. 

Mitragyna Speciosa

• Parts Used: Leaves
• Preparations: Infusion, Extraction
• Key constituents: Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (both found only in Mitragyna speciosa)²  
• Key actions: Antitussive, Anti-nociceptive, Anti-inflammatory, Antidiarrheal³ Analgesic

Origins

Southeast Asian tea is an endemic plant species originating in Southeast Asia. A deciduous tree that grows between 4 and 16 meters tall, it’s indigenous to SE Asia, the Philippines, and New Guinea.⁴

Modern Uses

A relative to the coffee plant, Southeast Asian tea tastes bitter when brewed and its effects can vary widely. It can be grouped into three different strains: red, green, and white. These groupings refer to the age at which the leaf was harvested and the effects most users experience. 

🌿  White — The most stimulating of the strains; it is your go-to for an extremely energizing and uplifting effect. 

🌿  Green — A middle ground type of strain; it can give you a great balance of energy and pain relief. 

🌿 Red — The most sedating of the strains; it is a great option to help you wind down. It’s the strain that can offer the most pain relief.

With Southeast Asian tea, there can also be a dose-dependent effect. Small doses (1-5g) can be stimulating and larger doses (5-15g) tend to be associated with more sedative effects ⁴. 

Traditional Uses

In its native Thailand, Southeast Asian tea has a long history of traditional use. It has been incorporated into many Thai traditional recipes for the treatment of diarrhea, cough, fever, muscle aches, opium withdrawal, diabetes, and hypertension. In Thailand, it is used in men to combat fatigue and enhance tolerance to hard work under the scorching sun⁵. In Thailand, it’s been used for millennia as a stimulant, a remedy in traditional medicine, and in a social context. It is still popularly consumed in Asian communities during social gatherings in the village⁴.

*caution* Southeast Asian tea is an extremely potent medicine that binds to opiate receptors in the brain. As a result, dependency is possible. Practice caution when using Kratom daily.

Tea

When it comes to tea, the health benefits can be enormous and the options are endless. We’ve got a wide selection of tea from single herbs and masterfully formulated tea blends. 

Each herb and blend can support different body functions. We’ve outlined the body systems that can benefit most from the tea we carry and which herbs can also be supportive. 

Nervous System Support

Your central nervous system is your line of defense and insurance against the stressors of everyday life. 

If you’re experiencing…

• Chronic anxiety
• Sleep imbalances
• Racing thoughts
• Lethargy
• Changes in appetite
• Tendency towards “fight or flight”
• Inability to sit still

… then your nervous system is probably aching for support. 

Our best herbs for nervous system support are:

• Chamomile
• Wild Lettuce
• California Poppy
• Passionflower
• Skullcap
• Lavender
• Blue Lotus — Known as the “Dream Weaver,” (use with caution during the day) 

Immune System Support

Your line of defense against bad bacteria, your immune system is on the front lines every day. Strengthening your immune system is a *vital* part of living a healthy life. 

If you’re experiencing…

• Recurring illness
• Frequent illness
• Low energy
• Brain fog

… then your immune system could use some strengthening. 

Our best herbs for immune system strengthening are:

• Echinacea
• Cat’s Claw

Stimulating/ Caffeine

If you’re just not that into coffee, we’ve got you covered. A traditional, plant-based alternative to coffee, we’ve got…

• Yerba Mate
• Mint Chocolate Mate
• Damiana — A stimulating tonic without caffeine 

Pain Relief

If you’d like to opt-out of Kava and Kratom for pain relief, we’ve got you. 

Aspirin’s derivative, White Willow Bark, is a great herb to help relieve aches and pains. 

Specialty Blends

We’ve got an abundant list of specialty blends that are full of plant healing power — and they taste really good!

• Berry Blast
• 5th Chakra
• Cinnamon Rooibos Chai
• Masala Chai
• Honeybush Blueberry Pancake
• Honeybush Banana Nut

A note on availability

All of the herbs listed are subject to availability. 

How it works

Tea is made from plant parts — think leaves, roots, and flowers. In the parts, you’ll find key ingredients, called constituents, that have effects on the body through key actions. Using tea as medicine consistently can bring significant benefits to your health. 

To find a tea that's right for you, consider things like desired effects, preparation type, flavors, indications, and precautions. Our bartenders would be happy to walk you through your options during your next visit!

Works Cited

1. Chevallier, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: 550 Herbs and Remedies for Common Ailments. 3rd ed., DK, 2016.
2. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. “Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) drug profile.” emcdda, https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drug-profiles/kratom_en. Accessed 30 March 2023.
3. Shaik Mossadeq, W. M., et al. “Anti-Inflammatory and Antinociceptive Effects of Mitragyna speciosa Korth Methanolic Extract.” Medical Principles and Practice, 2009, p. 7. www.karger.com, https://www.karger.com/Article/Pdf/226292#:~:text=Pharmacologically%2C%20M.,1%2C%206%E2%80%938%5D%20. Accessed 30 Mar 2023.
4. Cinosi E, Martinotti G, Simonato P, Singh D, Demetrovics Z, Roman-Urrestarazu A, Bersani FS, Vicknasingam B, Piazzon G, Li JH, Yu WJ, Kapitány-Fövény M, Farkas J, Di Giannantonio M, Corazza O. Following "the Roots" of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): The Evolution of an Enhancer from a Traditional Use to Increase Work and Productivity in Southeast Asia to a Recreational Psychoactive Drug in Western Countries. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:968786. doi: 10.1155/2015/968786. Epub 2015 Nov 10. PMID: 26640804; PMCID: PMC4657101.
5. “Kratom: Herbal Medicine or Nacrotic Drug | Journal of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.” ThaiJO, 26 February 2018, https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JTTAM/article/view/113546. Accessed 30 March 2023