Have you ever heard of Kava before? Wondering what it is we are talking about and what good it can be? Then this post is a must-read for you, as kava, a plant native to South Africa, comes with a host of health benefits.
Are you interested in knowing more? Keep reading!
Kava, a native plant to South Africa, is referred by different names, like Ava Pepper, Ava Root, Kew, Kava Kava, Intoxicating pepper, Intoxicating long pepper, Kao, and many more.
The name ‘Kava’ was given by the legendary explorer, Captain Cook. However, the name was not discovered by Captain Cook. Kava was popular among Pacific Islanders for thousands of years. It is a popular social drink in South Pacific akin to alcohol in Western societies. Moreover, it still holds an important role in various ceremonies and rituals.
Kava tea is loaded with chemicals known as kava lactones. These lactones are the key active ingredient in Kava. However, any treatment with the Kava tea would show its effect after a minimum period of eight weeks. Although there is little research present about Kava benefits, it is used widely around the Southern Pacific region.
The benefits of Kava plant come from its roots. Kava tea is prepared by finely grinding the roots and further letting this powder infuse in hot water to prepare tea. Kava roots are known to be loaded with rhizome components and lactones that are further purported to feature numerous health benefits. These lactones are generally believed to alleviate anxiety as well as mood swings.
Although it is new to many people, it has been popularly in use, not only for its pleasing qualities, but also for the various health benefits associated with it.
Kava plant belongs to the pepper family. The roots and underground stem are the parts used for medicinal purposes. These parts of the plant are treated and prepared to make drinks, pills, and extracts for use.
As stated by MedlinePlus, Kava tea could possibly be effective in the management of withdrawal symptoms related to medications (like benzodiazepines) for the treatment of anxiety (1).
Besides being an effective stress relieving agent, Kava tea has also been considered for over 3,000 years to possess medicinal properties. Additionally, the popularity of Kava tea in the food supplement market is due to its naturally occurring soothing properties.
Many studies have also revealed that the use of kava tea aids healthy weight loss and weight management (2).
Kava tea is usually available in the form of capsules, liquids, tablets, tinctures, and soft gels. Besides, it is also known for its anaesthetic and analgesic properties. The properties and health benefits of kava tea are explained further.
Being a well-accepted natural sedative, the Kava tea proves quite effective in treating patients with chronic depression and stress (3). As a natural tranquilizer, Kava tea helps relieve stress and various symptoms associated with it, including depression, restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, and nervousness. It has also been proved by studies that the Kava root, the basic ingredient of kava tea, can relieve palpitations prompted by panic attacks.
Loaded with intrinsic analgesic properties (4), Kava tea proves highly beneficial in relieving pain due to arthritis and muscle spasms. Moreover, the chronic pain experienced because of fibromyalgia can also be treated to a great extent through the regular use of this amazing tea.
There are numerous medical and health conditions that feature muscle spasms as a common symptom, including menstruation. Research conducted on Kava root and the tea prepared with this root has proven that it can be used in the treatment of serious spasms.
Kava tea is known to be blessed with anaesthetic properties. Consumption and use of kava root and the tea is known to numb body parts, albeit for a temporary period.
Menopause is considered as one of the most difficult stages in the life of a woman. This stage is accompanied by various physical and psychological problems. Kava tea is bequeathed with anaesthetic, antispasmodic, sedative, and alterative properties. All these properties, when combined, help combat the menopausal syndrome in a more convenient manner.
The sedative and tranquilizing properties of the Kava root, which is transformed into finely ground powder, have been used by conventional physicians to treat various sleep disorders. Insomnia patients are often advised to consume Kava tea for better sleep at night (5).
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