Kratom is a common name for products that come from processing leaves of the Mitragyn speciosa.
Ancient Southeast Asian peoples used Mitragyna leaves thousands of years ago. They claimed it could do everything from fight fatigue to cure addiction to opium.
People still use kratom today to harness many of the same benefits. If you’re interested in using kratom, you may wonder how to use it.
We’re going to help you learn how to do just that with this guide. You’ll learn the difference between the various types of kratom so you’ll know how to shop for kratom and prepare it like a pro.
Ready to learn about how to use kratom? Then check out this article now.
The Different Types of Kratom
Since kratom’s humble beginnings, the simple preparation methods of its past have evolved. Now, chemists use more advanced methods to purify kratom products and increase their potency.
Here are four types of kratom you may find on the market today.
Loose Leaf Kratom
Ancient Asian peoples have been using loose leaf kratom for centuries. It’s the most unprocessed and simplest preparation of kratom. After harvesting the leaves of the kratom tree, they’re dried using the same process used to dry tea leaves.
Also like tea leaves, you can brew loose leaf kratom into a tea. Otherwise, you can use loose leaf kratom in the way it was traditionally used: picked fresh from the Mitragyna speciosa tree and chewed.
Kratom Powder
Arguably the most popular kratom product, powdered kratom comes in many forms. Kratom powder is made from loose leaf kratom or the dried leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree. Preparers grind the dried leaves into kratom powder.
Powdered kratom can be taken with water, cooked into food, or added to capsules. We’ll talk about more ways to use kratom powder below, so make sure to keep reading.
Kratom Resin
Resin is made using kratom powder. Chemists purify the powder through a process known as extraction, which separates the active ingredients of kratom— alkalines— from non-essential plant compounds.
The end product of extraction is a concentrated liquid with solids floating in it. The solids get strained out and the remaining liquid gets boiled until only a thick paste remains. While kratom extracts come from that paste (see below), resins come from the liquid product.
Use kratom resin in the same ways as kratom powder. That is, crush it up and add it to hot drinks, food, and put it into capsules. Just remember that this kratom product is potent— take a small amount and work your way up.
Kratom Extract
Kratom extract is easy to confuse for kratom powder. However, these two products are not the same. The difference between the two is important because kratom extract is concentrated and far more potent than powdered kratom.
Extracts are made through the same process as resins, plus a few added steps. After boiling extraction liquids into a thick resin paste, chemists dry the paste. They then grind it into a fine powder— the extract.
How do you tell the difference between extracts and powders? Due to the extraction process, kratom extracts are often much darker than non-concentrated powders. When in doubt, ask the seller of the kratom for more information.
How to Use Kratom by Type
You can use each of the different types of kratom in various ways. Depending on your experience level and tolerance to its bitter flavor, there’s a kratom preparation method for you.
Keep reading below for some of the most common kratom preparations.
How to Use Kratom Powder
Kratom powder isn’t as potent as almost all other types of kratom. The recommended serving size is usually 0.5 grams for a beginner. Once you get used to that serving size, you can bump it up by 0.1 grams up to 1 gram.
People love kratom powder because it’s so flexible.
One popular way to use it is the “toss and wash” method. This pared-down method means you place the powder directly into your mouth and “toss” it back with a gulp of water or other liquid. Beginner beware, though: kratom powder is extremely bitter, so don’t expect it to taste good in your mouth.
Powdered kratom can also be cooked into food and added to hot or cold beverages. Mask the bitter kratom powder with sweet flavors, including adding it to smoothies, milkshakes, or chocolate milk. Also, you won’t have to worry about diminishing kratom powder’s potency if you add it to food.
The final way to prepare kratom powder is as a tea. Loose-leaf kratom makes a great tea, but it does require more leaves for an efficacious dose. With powdered kratom, you won’t need as much for the same effect.
Add about a teaspoon of kratom powder to 2–4 cups of water, depending on your tolerance for the powder’s bitter flavor. Let the kratom powder steep for a few minutes or until the powder settles to the bottom of the mug. Decant the water, leaving the dregs.
Enjoy powdered kratom tea with sugar, honey, or flavored syrups. However, you make your cup, be sure to drink the whole thing to harness the kratom’s full effects.
How to Use Kratom Capsules
Kratom capsules are growing in popularity. Why? Because they’re just as convenient and discreet to use as they are to find in stores near you.
Kratom capsules come filled with kratom powder. Most kratom capsules come in pre-dosed 0.5 to 1 gram serving sizes.
Even if you can’t find kratom capsules near you, you can usually get empty capsules. These capsules come in 00 and 000. We recommend 00 capsules because they’re smaller and the perfect size for a dose of kratom powder.
How to Use Kratom Leaf Tea
Loose-leaf tea is the easiest way to get your daily dose of kratom. You can buy Mitragyna speciosa leaves in sachets or loose from retailers near you. Add the leaves or the sachet to hot water and steep until the water is light green or 15-20 minutes.
This kind of kratom tea is just as bitter as powdered kratom tea. Add sugar or other sweeteners to help you drink the whole cup. That way, you’ll get the full benefits.
How to Use Kratom Resin and Extract
Kratom resin is the solidified liquid byproduct leftover from making kratom extract. Once dried, kratom resin gets shattered into pieces, which are then sold in shops. Extracts are usually sold in powdered form.
You can further break apart your resin once you get it home. Add the fine powdered product to drinks, food, or brew it into a potent tea. You can do the same thing with kratom extracts.
Remember that kratom resins and extracts are highly potent. While not as bitter as kratom powder, they also have a distinct flavor.
Benefits of Using Kratom
Kratom was traditionally used for its four effects:
- Relaxation
- Pain relief
- Mood enhancement
- Stimulation
Depending on the strain you get, you can harness different combinations of these effects.
What is a strain? Kratom leaves come in three varieties— leaves with red veins, white veins, and green veins. Named after the color of their veins, these three different types of leaves are also known as the different strains of kratom.
White Vein Kratom Benefits
White vein kratom leaves are generally known for providing energizing effects. However, white vein kratom strain benefits vary greatly depending on the variety.
For example, white vein indo kratom is known more for its relaxing effects than its energizing qualities. White vein indo also provides mood-boosting benefits. Plus, it’s known to alleviate pain.
Green Vein Kratom Benefits
People generally use green vein kratom for its mood-enhancing benefits. Combined with its pain-relieving and stimulating secondary qualities, this makes green vein strains great for daytime use.
Green Vein Kali is one green vein kratom strain that also showcases the strain’s tendency toward balance. Kali is equally as relaxing as it is good for pain and boosting the mood. At the same time, this variety delivers enough energy to make it good for daytime use.
Red Vein Kratom Benefits
Red vein kratom is generally used for pain. It’s known to be the closest strain to traditional kratom. People love kratom not only because of its uses for pain but also because most strains offer a relaxing effect.
The ever-popular Maeng Da kratom is one exception to this rule. Better known for its stimulating effects, hard laborers historically used this strain to tackle a long day on the job. Surprisingly, Maeng Da is made from red vein kratom leaves.
The Final Word on Kratom Preparations and Uses
Now that you know the thousand-year-old secret of how to use kratom, make sure you understand how to use it safely. Always begin with small servings when you’re just starting out. That way, you can take advantage of kratom’s benefits and nothing else.
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