The coffee coffee or as it is known scientifically, Piper methysticumIt is a species that for several centuries, has had a great impact on the population and people. The reasons are due to the multiple uses that the plant has been able to give.
And its importance and existence are such that the interest on the part of people residing in the United States has grown considerably, and it is no wonder. Those who suffer from anxiety can prepare a good remedy with this plant and be more calm. And this is just one of the many uses that this plant offers.
Description and general data
So for being a great plant and being so versatile, we will talk about the most important and relevant data of Kava Kava. In case you manage to have one in your possession, know how to make the most of it.
We start by telling you that this plant is native to the islands of the South Pacificspecifically from Polynesia, the Sandwich Islands and much of Australia. So its density and quantity is quite wide and unlike other plants, this is not in danger of extinction.
The uses that have been possible to give to this plant have achieved that its population has spread to Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, all the regions of the South Pacific and many other places. The main reason is attributed to its medicinal and sedative properties.
The plant is so important that it has managed to acquire an important role at an economic level, since being very useful, it is usually exported and traded in countries of the region and foreign countries.
Characteristics of kava kava
Kava kava belongs to the family of shrub-type plants with classic perennial characteristics. Its maximum size to which it can grow is calculated around 3 meters in height.. Although there are times where you can easily exceed this height, but the common is two to three meters.
As far as its stems are concerned, they are of the woody type. This is not usually the same as the bushes you usually knowsince it does not have one or more thick and large central stems from which the branches branch. If not that it is rather thin and from this, endless branches begin to arise where at the end of these, there will be only one leaf per branch.
The color of the branches is usually a much lighter green than the leaf itself. Foliage tends to be dark greenbut that stands out a lot for having a little shine.
And if you are wondering if Kava Kava has flowers, the answer is yes. Its flowers tend to be elongated and begin just where the branch ends and the leaf itself begins.. The color of these flowers is pale yellow and has a somewhat spicy and peculiar aroma.
The curious thing about this plant is that despite having a flowering process, they are not capable of generating a single seed, so their reproduction is not typical, since it reproduces asexually.
In case you’re wondering what shape kava kava leaves are, it’s heart-shaped. That is its appearance closely resembles that of a heart and they tend to be large, to the point of covering an entire hand.
To be a little more specific about the dimensions of your sheets, they usually have a growth that is around 15 to 20 cm and they can have a width of almost the same measurements.
What are the effects of this plant?
As mentioned in the initial sections, the plant has medicinal uses and can be consumed in some way. Therefore, it tends to generate a sedative sensation since it has phytochemicals that tend to generate anesthetic effects.
Similarly, the use of this plant can cause a relaxing effect and cause a feeling of euphoria in the person but at low levels. The good news is that it can significantly improve low levels of depression or mood.
Some believe that using this plant produces greater mental clarity in the person and makes their mind feel more relaxed, calm and in harmony. So that it is common to see people who consume the plant become more sociable when in fact they are not.
In case you wonder in what time the effects of the plant begin to appear in your system and be noticed, that you know that it has only been half an hour after consuming it. And its duration to last up to two hours.
Of course, it all depends on the dose level you take, since if it is a strong dose, the effects will last around 8 hours. But to give you an idea of how powerful the plant can be, more powerful preparations reach a duration in terms of their effects of up to two days.
Uses
For this point we will focus solely on the cultural and traditional uses of the plant. In its place of origin, There are uses that are oriented more than anything to the spiritual, social or recreational uses.
For example, in Venuatu, the use that is given to kava kava is focused on the social and recreational. So it is very common to see Kava Kava in bars. As for rural areas, they focus more on traditional uses.
The way to prepare Kava is by repeatedly hitting the leaves of the plant. What is sought is to obtain a fresh rhizome. This is done well by crushing the leavesgrinding, pounding or any other method. Of course, always adding a little water to facilitate extraction.
The most common uses for kava Kava are:
- To relieve stress and fatigue.
- Internal or external inflammation in the body.
- Menopausal problems.
- It can treat anxiety and depression.
- Be a brain stimulant.
- It helps clear your mind and give you some basic nutrients.
- Effective to facilitate the rest of the body and insomnia problems.
These are basically some of the uses for kava while it is being consumed. However, in the European Union the consumption of the rhizome of this plant was prohibitedsince it was possible to identify some hepatic effects in some people who consumed it.
In case the Piper methysticum is very beneficial, as long as toxic substances such as alcohol are not used to prepare traditional medicine, believing that this can increase its effects.
If you do, rest assured that you are going to have problems in no time if you are constantly using it in this way. It is best to dig a little deeper and do the corresponding preparation.
