Kratom tea has been used for centuries throughout Southeast Asia to combat fatigue and as a folk medicine. Today, many consumers make kratom tea at home for the same purposes. Some say the ritualized ceremony for preparing kratom tea represents a mindful meditation before consuming the therapeutic concoction.
Humans have drunk herbal teas for millennia. According to legend, the first herbal tea was prepared in 2737 BC by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung. However, the first historical evidence proves people drank herbal tea around 453BC-410BC. The 2,400-year-old carbonized tea leaves were discovered at a site by archaeologists at the ancient capital of the Zhu Kingdom.
Many cultures have used herbal teas in history for the effects of their psychoactive compounds. The same goes for kratom tea.
What Is Kratom?
Mitragyna speciosa—more commonly known as kratom—is a tropical tree that grows indigenously in rainforests throughout Southeast Asia. Kratom is a member of the Rubiaceae family of plants, which many colloquially refer to as the coffee family.
Natives pick kratom leaves off trees while working and chew them. Chewing kratom leaves releases active alkaloids. The method resembles chewing on a quid of tobacco. However, with a kratom quid, locals swallow the juice released from the kratom leaf and only spit out the flesh.
Another form of kratom consumption entails making large pots of kratom tea in villages. Then natives take the beverage with them to their worksite. Agricultural laborers take sips of kratom tea to ward off fatigue and food cravings while working.
What Are the Effects of Kratom Tea?
Several alkaloids in kratom have psychoactive properties that produce therapeutic effects. The types of benefits kratom provides change with the strain. Every strain has unique alkaloid profiles that create entourage effects for the consumer.
The two primary alkaloids in kratom are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH).
The mitragynine alkaloid increases stamina and ambition at work, while 7-OH produces therapeutic benefits for the consumer.
Together with the various other kratom alkaloids, you can expect several other kratom effects from drinking kratom tea:
- Boosts Energy and Productivity
- Performs Nootropic Functions
- Elevates Mood and Focus
- Influence Social Interactions
- Delivers Better Rest at Night
- Alleviates Discomfort and Unease
How Much Kratom Powder Should You Use to Make Kratom Tea?
The serving size of kratom used to make tea depends on the dosage amount necessary to feel the kratom effects. Long-time kratom consumers already know the amount needed. However, newer consumers need a starting point.
- Low Kratom Dose: 1-2 Grams of Kratom Powder
- Moderate Kratom Dose: 2-4 Grams of Kratom Powder
- Heavy Kratom Dose: 4-6 Grams of Kratom Powder
For first-time kratom users, start with the smallest suggested kratom dosage. Then wait until the kratom effects are evident to determine if more is needed. You can generally experience kratom effects after 30-45 minutes.
Microdosing Kratom
Some consumers microdose kratom. Microdosing allows them to drink multiple cups throughout the day. Only a half gram of kratom powder is necessary for microdosing kratom.
- Microdosing Kratom Dose: 0.5 Grams of Kratom Powder
Microdosing kratom works superbly for consumers needing continuous extra jolts of energy. We find people mostly microdose kratom when replacing workday coffee consumption. The kratom microdose serving size allows them to enjoy more cups of kratom tea during the day without the fear of building a high kratom tolerance with larger servings.
How to Prepare Kratom Tea Using Powder
Making traditional kratom tea is relatively simple. However, you will want to get some items together to streamline the process.
Ingredients and Materials
- Teapot, Kettle, or Small Saucepan
- 1 Cup of Water (8 oz.) Per Serving
- 1 Dose of Kratom Powder Per Cup
- Wooden Spoon or Matcha Whisk for Stirring
- Teacup(s)
- Filter, Strainer, or Cheesecloth
- Optional Sweetener
Directions
- Pour the water into your teapot, kettle, or saucepan. Then place on the stove and apply medium heat. Bring the water to a gentle simmer or rolling boil. You only want a few bubbles breaking the surface instead of allowing the water to start boiling completely.
- Add your serving size of kratom powder. Allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. The increased exposure to hot water makes the alkaloids more soluble. Use the spoon or whisk to stir on occasion.
- Afterward, you can use the filter, strainer, or cheesecloth to remove the plant material from the tea when pouring it into teacups. However, this step is optional. You can ingest the kratom powder with the tea. It’s not harmful.
- Allow the tea to cool down. Now, you can add your favorite sweetener—some people think kratom tea has a bitter flavor. You can drink it straight, though. Its earthy, rich taste is appealing to many consumers.
- Enjoy the kratom tea and appreciate its effects.
Does Boiling Kratom Destroy Its Alkaloids?
The alkaloids found in kratom have psychoactive properties. Consumers use kratom for the effects those compounds provide. However, high-temperature stress can make alkaloids unstable and less potent or effective.
For instance, studies show that the stability of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)—the most potent kratom alkaloid—begins to break down at 40°C (104°). Mitragynine—the most abundant alkaloid—starts to become unstable around 60°C (140°F).
Now, water boils at 100°C (212°F). Water simmers at approximately 82°C (180°F). Both temps are higher than any temperature needed to degrade kratom alkaloids.
However, you get less degradation of kratom alkaloids when you simmer the water at the lower heat setting. Besides, it takes prolonged heat for extended timeframes for the instability of kratom alkaloids to become noticeable—we’re talking hours. Therefore, using simmering or boiling water is not a concern.
Furthermore, applying heat to kratom benefits consumers. Temperatures above 70°C (160°F) can kill any foodborne pathogens. You’re better safe than sorry.
How to Prepare Tea Using Tea Bags
Some people prefer using disposable or reusable tea bags to make kratom tea. The reusable bags would be more economically and environmentally sound for consumers wanting to make kratom tea repeatedly using tea bags.
Now, some companies sell kratom tea bags that have powder or loose leaves already filled in them. That bypasses some of the work involved. However, filling the tea bags yourself lets you choose how much kratom dosage goes into each one.
Using Tea Bags with Kratom Powder
You can use fillable tea bags with kratom powder. Fill the bags with your preferred dosage to make a serving of kratom tea. Some kratom powder can escape into the water since the powder is a fine consistency. However, most of it won’t. Therefore, the tea bag works like a partial filter or strainer. When you use kratom powder in tea bags, pour boiling water directly into a teacup. Then place your teabag in the cup and steep the tea for a few minutes before drinking it.
Using Tea Bags with Crushed Kratom Leaf
Some consumers prefer using crushed kratom leaves to fill their teabags. The loose kratom leaves keep the plant byproduct out of the finished tea. Thus, the crushed leaf is preferable for tea drinkers who strain the powder products whenever used. Plus, you can place those tea bags directly into a simmering teapot and not worry about the kratom powder escaping into the water. Now, the amount of loose leaf you can put into a single bag is limited compared to powder. Keep that in mind when making multiple kratom servings in one batch of tea.
Using Mesh Infusers for Tea
Stainless steel mesh infusers are preferable by some consumers when making kratom tea. Likewise, they work best with crushed leaves. The mesh keeps the kratom leaf from polluting the water or the need to strain it afterward.
Now, it is possible to use a mesh infuser with kratom powder. However, kratom powder can sift through the mesh material. Some infusers have an extra-fine or ultra-fine mesh lining. Others do not. Therefore, it depends on the infuser used to determine if the powder would work.
Nonetheless, there are ways to use powder with infusers with a wider mesh. Outline the infuser with a paper coffee filter before adding the powder. Then use the steeping method for best results.
How to Prepare Kratom Sun Tea
Sun tea is a staple down in the South. It takes longer to make it than traditional tea. However, the flavor of sun tea is relatively mild compared to stovetop tea. Consequently, sweeteners make sun tea that much sweeter. The same goes for kratom sun tea.
The hot summer sun can shorten the time to make kratom sun tea. However, you can make sun tea in the winter. The seeping of the powder produces the tea, not the heat. Nonetheless, using hot or warm water to make sun tea speeds up the process.
Ingredients and Materials
- Gallon Glass Container
- 12 Cups of Water
- 12 Doses of Kratom Powder
- Optional Disposable Tea Bags for Kratom Powder
- Optional Sweetener or Lemon
Directions
- Pour the water into the glass container. Then add the kratom powder. You can either pour the kratom directly into the container or use disposable tea bags filled with the powder.
- Put a lid on the container and place it directly outside in the sunlight. Allow it to sit for 3-5 hours. The longer it sits, the more potent the tea.
- Afterward, bring the container back inside. Remove the teabags—if you used them. Pour out a cup of sun kratom tea and enjoy. Store the rest in the fridge to drink later.
Does Sunlight Destroy the Potency of Kratom?
Sunlight and artificial UV light produce damaging radiation to cellular structures. The same goes for compounds in plants. High temperatures can degrade alkaloids. However, the kratom would need to be in increased temperatures under UV light for days or weeks for that to occur. The few hours left in sunlight should not affect the potency at all.
Mitragynine Converts to 7-Hydroxymitragynine in Sunlight
Sunlight doesn’t necessarily degrade kratom compounds. On the contrary, exposure to sunlight on kratom oxidizes the mitragynine compounds and converts them into 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). Studies show that sunlight alone can convert 8% of mitragynine into 7-OH. Therefore, prolonged exposure to sunlight may increase the 7-OH concentration, making kratom sun tea more therapeutic. However, it loses some of its mitragynine in the conversion. As a result, kratom sun tea may have less energetic properties.
How to Prepare Cold Brew Kratom Tea
Another way you can make tea without using the stovetop is to prepare cold brew kratom tea. With that method, you use the same ingredients and materials used to make sun kratom tea (we listed those ingredients and items in the recipe above).
However, once you’ve finished getting the tea together, place the concoction into the fridge and refrigerate your cold brew for 8-12 hours. The longer it steeps, the more potent it becomes. Unlike the sun kratom tea, no mitragynine gets oxidized by sunlight. Therefore, you do not lose any of its energetic properties with kratom cold brew.
How to Prepare Iced Kratom Tea
Some people prefer their kratom tea poured over ice. In that instance, prepare the kratom tea using any method addressed in our article. Afterward, pour the tea into a tall glass filled with ice. As the ice melts, it dilutes the kratom tea. Consequently, you get flavor dilution to its bitterness. You can even add fruit juices to the mixture to make a cold, sweetened kratom cocktail during the summertime.
Make Thermos Brewed Kratom Tea
Thermos brewed kratom tea works great for consumers that want to take tea with them to work, school, or on the road. To make it, simply boil some water in a pot. Then spoon your desired kratom dosage into the bottom of the thermos. Afterward, pour the boiling water in. Make sure the servings of water match your kratom dosage. A thermos typically keeps liquids warm for 6 hours. That gives the kratom powder time to steep and release more alkaloids into the water, making its effects hit you quicker.
Make Microwaved Kratom Tea
Sometimes, you might need to make a cup of kratom tea quickly. Plus, you might not have access to a stovetop. In those cases, you can use a microwave to make your tea.
Take a teacup or mug and fill it with water. Place the cup in the microwave and heat it for a minute or two. Then take out the cup and add the kratom powder.
You can also pour the powder into the cup of water before heating it. However, a minimal molecular change can happen to the alkaloids using nonionizing radiation waves in a microwave. Plus, the heat in a microwave is more intense than the stovetop since thermal energy must transfer between the stove and a pot. The combined high temperatures and molecular shifts may affect kratom potency. Therefore, the safest bet is to add the kratom after heating the water. Then stir the tea, allow it to cool, and enjoy.
Tips to Improve Your Kratom Tea
Many consumers look at kratom tea preparation as an art form. They strive to become kratom tea mixologists and enhance the essence of the therapeutic libation by combining different elixirs, beverages, concentrates, and ingredients. The methods of mixology and elements used to make the tea can transform it into an extraordinary kratom cocktail.
Tips to Make Kratom Tea Taste Better
Kratom tea has a bitter taste. Many consumers cannot stand it. They prefer taking kratom capsules or some other method of consumption. However, there are ways to mask the taste of kratom. When preparing kratom tea, abide by some of these tips to improve its flavor.
Add Sweeteners or Delectable Spices to Kratom
The easiest method to make kratom tea more palatable is to add a sweetener or a preferred spice. Using flavorful ingredients can make the tea taste more pleasing to your tastebuds. You have various selections available. Find one that’s more suitable for your palate. Nonetheless, here are a few suggestions.
- Honey
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Simple Syrup
- Grenadine
- Molasses
- Cocoa
- Cinnamon Stick
Add Tropical Fruits and Juices to Kratom
Some fabulous ingredients that bring an appealing taste to kratom tea are tropical fruit juices. The wild fruity flavors make your kratom taste great while providing your body with essential nutrients and vitamins. Therefore, it’s healthier for you.
You can buy fruit juice in containers. However, to make an even healthier kratom tea, use a fruit juicer at home and make it fresh. You can add pieces of fruit to the mixture and muddle it with a cocktail muddler tool to bring some bonus texture and flavor to your drink. Here are some of our favorite tropical fruits to use for kratom tea.
- Dragon Fruit
- Mango
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Oranges
Make Kratom Smoothies or Milkshakes
Not only do kratom smoothies taste great, but they can replace pre-workout or post-workout smoothies. The energizing effects that mitragynine gives consumers allow them to boost their workout performance at the gym. The 7-hydroxymitragynine helps to soothe muscular stress afterward. Therefore, you can take kratom smoothies before and after the gym. However, try to pick a strain that produces the benefits desired.
Another way to make kratom taste delicious is to add it to a milkshake. Kratom milkshakes mask the bitterness completely. However, don’t overdo them. The added calories and fat content can increase your weight rather quickly.
Tips to Make Kratom Tea More Potent
The most convenient way to make kratom more potent is to buy high-quality kratom from a trustworthy kratom company. Premium kratom selections can make all the difference. However, after prolonged kratom usage, consumers can build up a kratom tolerance. Plus, some days throughout our lives may call for more kratom consumption. In those instances, increasing the kratom potency decreases the dosage required. Therefore, try some of the following tricks to make your kratom more potent.
Use Kratom Potentiators in Kratom Tea
The easiest method to make kratom more potent is to use a kratom potentiator as an ingredient when making kratom tea. You probably have a few kratom potentiators around your home already. These potentiating agents may include herbs, spices, acidic food products, or citrus fruits. The compounds and chemicals in the kratom potentiators react with either the kratom plant material or its alkaloids to increase its potency or metabolization rate, making the kratom effects more pronounced.
Use Kratom Extracts in Kratom Tea
You can always substitute kratom extracts for powder when making your tea. The kratom alkaloid content in kratom extracts are more concentrated. As a result, kratom extracts are extremely potent compared to traditional kratom powder.
However, kratom extracts bought online can have varying concentrations. Make sure you follow the recommended serving suggestions on the label.
Use Kratom Homemade Extraction Method to Make Red Bubble
You can always make kratom extracts in your home if you have the extra time. There are various methods to use. However, the most effortless recipe doesn’t call for any additional ingredients. All you must do for this at-home kratom extraction method is apply the kratom red bubble technique.
After you make tea, place the kratom tea in the freezer. When it becomes frozen, a red bubble materializes at the top of the ice. That area has a volume of concentrated kratom alkaloids. The frozen kratom tea breaks down the cellular walls in the kratom powder, allowing your body to digest it more quickly. Adding a touch of vinegar or another kratom potentiator increases its potency. Allow the tea to thaw. Then drink it.
How to Store Kratom Tea
Kratom tea can last up to a week whenever the tea gets properly stored. First, you want to stash it in an area with cool temperatures. Lowered temps preserve the tea from spoiling. Also, keep a tight lid on the container. That keeps any possible contaminants from getting into your tea. Plus, you may want to make sure the tea is away from UV light—you don’t want oxidation to happen.
Kratom tea eventually sours when left out at room temperature for more than 12-24 hours. Correctly storing your kratom tea maintains its taste, effectiveness, and quality.
Storing Kratom Tea in Fridge
While kratom tea only lasts up to a day at room temperature, storing brewed kratom tea in the fridge can increase its longevity. Tea stored in the refrigerator can last up to a week. However, the flavor of the tea may change the longer it’s stored. Added ingredients with sugar might make the kratom powder ferment. Yet, that can increase its 7-OH concentration and make it more therapeutic.
Traditional kratom tea made with only kratom powder stores the longest in the fridge without going sour. Cold brew kratom tea works even better: the kratom alkaloids and compounds seem less delicate in cold brew.
Storing Kratom Tea in Freezer
Frozen brewed kratom tea has a much longer shelf life. Frozen tea can last for months. You can typically expect it to last from 3-6 months. The container and other variables can change that timeframe.
For instance, thawing and rethawing frozen kratom tea would significantly reduce its expiration date. Not to mention, it increases the likelihood of contamination. Therefore, do not refreeze frozen kratom tea. If you have more than one future serving frozen, try using ice cube trays instead.
When you freeze the tea, you’ll see a red bubble inside the frozen kratom tea take shape. That’s not contamination but natural. The kratom alkaloids and pigments get pushed to the center of the ice.
Which Kratom Strain Works Best for Making Kratom Tea?
The type of kratom strain you want to use to make kratom tea depends on its desired benefits. Every kratom strain has distinct alkaloid profiles that produce varying effects. However, Maeng Da products are known to be more potent than other varieties.
There are several Maeng Da Kratom varieties. However, its three primary strains are as follows:
You can also purchase kratom with crypto whenever shopping for Maeng Da at Prometheus Products. The method is simple, safe, and reliable.
Now, take the time to follow any of our simple kratom tea instructions. Then sit back, lounge, and enjoy a delicious cup.