Kava

Kava is the term used for both the root plant and the beverage made from it. The beverage is prepared from the root of a shrub called the pepper plant, Piper methysticum, found in Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, including the islands of Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga. The kava root is ground to a powder, and it has a brownish color. The brownish powder is then mixed with water and drank as a beverage, without being fermented. Extracts from the root are placed in capsules and sold as supplements. I don't recommend the use of kava in children or by teenagers. This stress reducing herb should only be used by healthy adults, and only occasionally. Additional herbs and nutrients involved in relaxation, stress relief and anxiety reductions include passion flower extract, tryptophan, 5-HTP, ashwagandha, lemon balm, theanine, GABA amino acid, and valerian herb.