How to Take Kratom Powder
It’s a well-known fact that kratom powder has an unpleasant, sometimes difficult-to-swallow taste. It’s earthy and bitter, so taking it can be challenging for some.
1. Toss ‘N’ Wash
For those who aren’t intimidated by the harsh taste, you can always combine the powder into a tall glass of water and drink it quickly. Or, you could toss the powder in your mouth and wash it down with a glass of water. This is known as the “toss and wash” method.
If you’d like to take your kratom dose rapidly, mixing it with a glass of water or trying out the toss and wash method would be ideal.
2. Mix it With Another Drink
A common practice is to combine it into your favorite refreshments to mask the flavor. Drinks with bolder flavors like orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemonade, espresso, and smoothies tend to do a better job at making kratom powder more palatable.
3. Kratom Leaf Tea
When making kratom tea, don’t boil the water; remove the kettle just before it starts boiling.
If you have a fancy kettle that allows you to set a specific temperature, set it to 85 or 90 ºC (175–200 ºF).
Add the powder to a tea bag or muslin bag, and pour the hot water over it. Allow this to steep for at least 10 minutes to make sure all the active alkaloids diffuse into the water.
Once it’s done steeping, remove the tea bag and drink. You may want to add some agave nectar or honey to sweeten — it’s going to be quite bitter.
You can reuse the same teabag 3 or 4 times. If you only brewed it once, you can throw it in the freezer to use in another brew. Just keep in mind it’s going to be weaker on the next brew.
4. With Yogurt or Pudding
Some users like mixing their powder dose into a yogurt or pudding cup; this also helps with the flavor. More adventurous users will even bake it into sweets like cookies or candies, which is a fun and effective way to get your dose of kratom. Plus, you can store them for an easy-to-grab kratom snack later on.
5. DIY Kratom Chocolate
Some say kratom pairs very well with chocolate; the bitter flavor mixed with the sweetness of chocolate can often give off a “dark chocolate” vibe. There are recipes online that make use of chocolate and kratom because they complement each other so well, such as chocolate banana kratom milkshakes and chocolate chip kratom cookies.
Related: How to Keep Kratom Powder From Foaming.
How to Take Kratom Extract
Kratom extracts are stronger in potency compared to powdered leaves.
When taking kratom extracts, users have to use extreme caution. Dosing guidelines are not the same as powder, and taking too much can be extremely overwhelming.
Extracts typically come in powder, tablet, or liquid tincture forms. You can also find resin extracts, which have a thick, waxy, resinous consistency to them — similar to a resin or wax concentrate from marijuana plants.
Due to its much higher level of strength and potency, you will require much less to achieve the results you require. Dosing with one single gram of a 10x kratom extract would be the equivalent to dosing with 10 grams of powdered leaf.
You must understand the difference in dosages when it comes to extracts since very little goes a long way.
Also see: Step-By-Step DIY Kratom Extracts Guide.
1. Mix it With Your Drink
Just like kratom leaf powder, the easiest way to use kratom extracts, and mask the flavor, is to mix it in with a drink of tea, coffee, fruit juice, or another beverage of your choice.
Pineapple or papaya juice is especially good at masking the bitter and alcoholic flavor of kratom tincture extracts.
For resin extracts, you’ll need to make sure you’re using a hot beverage, such as tea. The resin needs heat to melt and diffuse into the drink.
2. Hold The Tincture Under Your Tongue
The fastest way to experience the effects of a kratom tincture is to hold the liquid under your tongue for a few seconds before swallowing.
Under your tongue is a network of capillaries — tiny blood vessels that run right under the surface of the mucus membrane. The active alkaloids in kratom can pass directly from the mouth and travel into the bloodstream.
This method produces effects within about 15 minutes.
The downside is that the alcohol used to make some tinctures can burn the mouth and makes it difficult to hold the tincture for more than a few short seconds.
If you’re using resin extracts, this isn’t a problem. For the fastest onset of effects, hold the extract under your tongue for at least 60 seconds — the longer, the better.
Related: How to Make Kratom Tinctures.
How to Take Kratom Capsules
Capsules are filled with pre-measured doses of kratom powder, making it simple to dose wherever and whenever you feel the need to.
This takes the guesswork out of measuring doses of loose powder, and instead, you have a convenient little kratom pill to pop in your mouth and wash down with some water. It also helps users avoid the bitter and earthy taste.
Kratom capsules come in different sizes. Capsule sizes range from 000 (the largest size) to 5 (the smallest size). For example, using 00 capsules will have the capacity of 0.5 grams of powder. Therefore, if your usual dose is 2 grams, you would need to take 4 of the 00 size capsules.
This is why you need to understand what size capsules you are purchasing, so you know how many you’ll need to take.
Chewing Kratom Leaves
The traditional method of using kratom involves chewing fresh leaves.
If you’re lucky enough to access fresh kratom, this is the best way to use it for its energizing effects.
Chewing kratom leaves is the least likely to lead to side effects and provides a very pleasant euphoric, and stimulating effect. The effects of the fresh leaves are distinct from the dried, powdered, or capsulated leaves you’re probably used to.
Can I Smoke Kratom?
No. Kratom can not be smoked. Not only is it not going to provide any of the benefits associated with kratom use, but it’s also going to make you feel terrible. The heat from smoking this herb will destroy the vast majority of the active alkaloids in the plant — rendering it useless.
People who have smoked kratom report feeling extremely nauseous, lethargic, and dizzy.
Can I Snort Kratom Powder?
Technically, you can snort kratom. It will have very similar effects as drinking the powder — but it’s going to feel awful. It has a horrible taste, which is now distributed throughout your nasal cavity and throat. You’ll be tasting and smelling kratom for hours after you use it, and the effects are not going to be any stronger than if you simply drank it.
Please. Don’t snort kratom powder.
How Much Kratom Do I Take?
Doses depend heavily on what kind of results you’re hoping to achieve.
If you are looking for energizing or stimulating effects such as improved focus, enhanced mood, and overall positivity, you’ll want to stick with a smaller dose.
Larger doses work best to relieve pain, fight insomnia or restlessness and alleviate anxiety.
It’s also important to note that a user’s experience, tolerance, body weight, if your stomach is empty or full, and age can all play a role in how much of a dose you will require to feel the maximum effects.
Here are some general kratom dosage guidelines to follow:
- Stimulating doses — lower doses of around 0.025 grams/pound of body weight (2–4 grams).
- Sedative or painkilling doses — a higher dose of around 0.04 grams/pound of body weight (5–8 grams).
Doses between 2 and 8 grams are ideal.
Anything lower than 2 grams would be considered microdosing, and anything higher than 8 grams is very high and can be risky.
Higher doses should only be taken by experienced kratom users.
If you’re new to taking kratom, it’s highly recommended that you start with a low dose and work your way up until you’ve reached your desired effects.
Taking too high of a dose, to begin with, can lead to some uncomfortable side effects. While adverse side effects aren’t dangerous or pose any serious risks to your health, they can be unpleasant, and your only option is to wait them out.
Related: Can You Overdose on Kratom?
Best Kratom Vendors to Buy From
Not all kratom vendors are created equal; some sell lesser quality kratom while others consistently provide users with high-quality batches of product. Some of the best vendors to buy your kratom powder, extract, and capsules from include:
Kona Kratom
Kona Kratom
Kona Kratom is a member of the American Kratom Association, a nonprofit focused on maintaining safe, consistent, and high-quality kratom on the American market.
In an otherwise unregulated market, it’s important to have third-party associations that care about the quality of the kratom being sold today.
Kona is also known for offering a wide array of products and can offer virtually any strain imaginable. They have close ties with farmers located in Thailand, Indonesia, Bali, and Vietnam.
Star Kratom
Star Kratom
While Star Kratom is a bit newer to the market compared to others, they have proven their reliability and trustworthiness by offering an excellent, large variety of products and have successfully built a loyal customer following.
Star Kratom is also known for its extremely fast shipping speeds, which makes it a favorite among users. So if you are looking for high-quality kratom and you want it fast, Star is the vendor to go with.
VIP Kratom
VIP Kratom
VIP Kratom specializes in premium kratom leaf powders. They carry capsules and extracts as well but are known for their exceptionally high-quality powders.
They are, however, a bit more expensive compared to other vendors, but the quality of the product is worth paying a bit more.
VIP does not mess around with lower-grade kratom. So if you are purchasing from them, you can expect a great product and experience, and you will get your money’s worth.
Final Thoughts: What’s The Best Way to Take Kratom?
There are many ways to use kratom, but the best tried and tested method is to drink the dried powdered leaf.
You can either mix the powder with some juice or tea to try and mask the bitter flavor — or just try and get it over quickly with the toss and wash method. It will taste bad, but it only lasts a couple of seconds.
Kratom leaf powder is the most cost-effective, has a fast onset of effects, and provides the widest range of options. There are dozens of different types of kratom powders available that just aren’t offered in any of the other formats.
