What kava is, and why it is in Calm

Every Calm can lists kava root on the label. Most people have never had it, and the word raises a fair question. This is what it is, where it comes from, and why it is in a fruit drink from Cincinnati.

A root, not a leaf

Kava is Piper methysticum, a shrub in the pepper family that grows across the South Pacific: Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Hawaii. The part that matters is the root. For at least a thousand years, islanders have ground or pounded the root, steeped it in water, and shared the drink at gatherings, ceremonies, and the end of the working day. It tastes earthy and a little peppery. 

What it is in Calm

Calm uses a standardized kava root extract, measured in kavalactones, the compounds the root is known for. The amount per can is printed on the Supplement Facts panel on every product page. It sits behind real fruit. The fruit is the point of the drink. The kava is the functional element added to it.

What Calm is not

Calm is not a cocktail, a mixer, or a stand-in for one. It is a fruit drink for the end of the day, and it is a dietary supplement, which is why it carries a Supplement Facts panel instead of a Nutrition Facts panel and why it has a warning on the can. We put the same warning on the website, in full, because it belongs there.

Who should skip it

Calm contains kava. It is not for anyone under 18, for anyone pregnant or nursing, or for anyone with liver problems or taking medication. Do not drink it with alcohol. Excessive use, or use with other things that cause drowsiness, may impair your ability to drive or operate machinery. If any of that applies, talk to your doctor before trying it, or choose Wake instead.

How we drink it

Cold, slowly, in the evening. One can. The lemon is the plainest of the three and the one to start with if you have never had kava. Peach Tea is softer and a little darker. Strawberry Lemon is the lemonade you already know with the lights turned down.

See the three Calm flavors, or read the FAQ for shipping and subscription questions.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.