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At Upstate Elevator, we’re always on the lookout for new ways to help you feel your best. Over the past year, we’ve been getting to know two extraordinary botanicals. Now, we’re thrilled to introduce a new line of mood-supporting kanna and kava gummies and beverages inspired by these time-honored plants.
Kanna, a South African succulent, has long been used to uplift the spirit and brighten the mood. Kava, a root from the South Pacific, is cherished for its calming, relaxing effects. Both have been trusted for thousands of years, both help you stay clear-headed, and neither will get you high. No alcohol. No THC. No crash, no comedown, and no next-day regrets.
Most ways to take the edge off come with a catch, but kanna and kava are different. Though they hail from opposite sides of the globe, they share a gentle purpose: helping you feel a little more like yourself.
If you’re just learning about kanna and kava for the first time, here is everything worth knowing.
What Is Kanna?
Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) is a succulent native to South Africa's arid Karoo region. The indigenous San and Khoikhoi peoples have used it for thousands of years, chewing it, brewing it as a tea, and reaching for it to brighten the mood and enhance social moments.
The name itself tells you how much it mattered. The San called the plant kanna, the same name they used for the eland antelope, the most sacred animal in their spiritual universe. The eland was the "trance animal," called on by healers during their dances and painted across thousands of rock-art sites. A plant that shares a name with your most sacred animal is not a casual remedy. It is an ally.
The Khoikhoi carried kanna on long hunts to steady themselves, shared it at gatherings to deepen connection, and used it in healing ceremonies. Dutch colonial records mention it as early as 1662, when administrator Jan van Riebeeck traded sheep for it. You don’t trade livestock for something that doesn’t work.
Much of the oral history is lost, since the San recorded their knowledge in stories, songs, and rock art rather than writing. What survives points to the same things people describe today: a brighter mood, easier connection, and a feeling of being more yourself.
How Kanna Works
Kanna's mood-related qualities are linked to a family of plant compounds called mesembrine alkaloids. Researchers studying kanna have looked at how these compounds interact with serotonin, the brain chemical most associated with mood and a general sense of well-being. In plain terms, kanna seems to help your body make better use of the serotonin it already has. That is part of why people describe a lighter, more open, more present feeling rather than a buzz.
Most people notice kanna the first time they take it, usually within 15 to 30 minutes. It is not sedating. If anything it is mildly uplifting without the jitters, which makes it a daytime kind of plant.
What Kanna Feels Like
Kanna feels like a gentle mood lift, not a high. Your outlook brightens, social moments feel easier, and a little weight comes off your shoulders, all without sedation or fog. Lower amounts can feel mildly energizing. A little more settles into a warm, easygoing sociability. Most people say it feels like being their best self, the version that shows up when you are not weighed down by a heavy day.
Who Kanna Is For, and How to Use It
Kanna is for anyone who wants a natural, everyday way to support a brighter mood. If you have ever wished you could just feel like yourself on a genuinely good day, that is the territory. It won't change who you are or fix your habits. It helps clear a little room.
It is a natural fit for the sober-curious, for people rethinking their relationship with alcohol, and for the wellness crowd already taking adaptogens who want something with a more noticeable onset.
A gummy with 10 to 25mg of kanna extract is a sensible starting point for a gentle daytime lift. That is exactly the range we built our Brighter Mood Mango Kanna Gummies around: 10mg of kanna to set the tone, 100mg of L-theanine to smooth the edges, and B6 and B12 underneath for steady, balanced energy.
Mango Brighter Mood Gummies
$34.99
Mango Brighter Mood is a daily kanna gummy made for the moments that ask more of you. It's crafted to support a positive mood and ease everyday stress, the way a long walk or a good conversation can, only easier… read more
If you'd rather sip than chew, kanna also comes in a can. Our new Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz leads with 50mg of Zembrin kanna, the standardized extract, paired with kava and L-theanine for a bright, sippable lift. It's a good fit for the same daytime moments as the gummy, an afternoon that needs a spark, an errand, a backyard hang, just in a sparkling, social format.
Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz
$39.99
Sip on this sparkling functional beverage with bright pink grapefruit flavor, formulated with kanna, kava, and L-theanine to promote a positive mood and light, social energy. It's made with 50mg Zembrin® kanna, 20mg kava extract, 90mg L-theanine, and 40mg potassium,… read more
Kanna works well at any hour, and many people find it a good companion for work, social plans, or creative time. Start with one and see how your day feels.
One important safety note: because kanna acts on serotonin pathways, do not combine it with prescription serotonergic medications. If you take an SSRI, SNRI, MAOI, or any other mood-regulating prescription, talk to your doctor before trying kanna.
How Kanna Compares
Compared To | The Difference |
Alcohol | Same social warmth, none of the hangover, fog, or regret |
THC / Cannabis | Familiar format but legal everywhere; similar to a sativa feeling but non-psychedelic, no high, no social anxiety |
Adaptogens (ashwagandha) | Faster-acting; immediate effect vs. weeks of consistent use |
CBD | A more noticeable mood improvement; less lethargic |
What Is Kava?
Kava (Piper methysticum) is a shrub native to the South Pacific islands, including Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, and Hawaii, with more than 3,000 years of ceremonial, social, and everyday use.
Traditionally, the root is brewed into a tea. But kava is far more than a drink to the people of the Pacific. It shows up at every threshold moment of life: births, weddings, funerals, coronations, the welcoming of strangers, and the settling of disputes. In Fiji, the kava ceremony, called sevusevu, is one of the most elaborate living ceremonial traditions in the world. In Tonga, a royal kava ceremony is performed at the coronation of every new king. Kava appears on Fijian currency and on the official seal of American Samoa.
The Fijian toast before drinking kava is "Bula," which means "to long life and good health." It is also simply the Fijian word for life.
How Kava Works
Kava's calming quality comes from compounds called kavalactones. They work with GABA, the body's main slow-down signal, which is what helps everything downshift and feel calmer.
Here is the interesting part. Kavalactones seem to act mostly on the emotional part of the brain while largely leaving the thinking-and-memory part alone. That is why kava can relax you without leaving you foggy or checked out. Think of it as dimming the lights in a few rooms while the kitchen stays bright. The noise turns down, but you stay present.
One thing worth knowing before you buy: not all kava is equal. Noble kava refers to traditional root varieties with well-characterized profiles and centuries of daily use behind them. Reputable brands use only noble kava root, and so do we.
What Kava Feels Like
The first thing most people notice is their shoulders dropping. Tension eases, the body relaxes, and the day's noise turns down a notch or two, all while you stay clear-headed and present. It usually comes on within 10 to 30 minutes and rides for two to five hours before easing off gently, with no sharp drop and no hangover the next day.
One honest heads-up: kava can be a slow handshake. It has a well-documented reverse tolerance effect, which means some people feel very little the first time and more after taking it a few times. If your first gummy is subtle, that is normal. Give it a few tries before you decide.
Who Kava Is For, and How to Use It
Kava is for anyone who wants genuine, physically felt relaxation, the kind where your shoulders drop and your jaw unclenches, while staying clear-headed. It suits adults easing into social and everyday moments, people cutting back on alcohol, and anyone who tried CBD and wanted something more noticeable. If you have visited one of the hundreds of kava bars now open across the country and wanted to bring that feeling home, this is that.
A gummy with 25mg of noble kava root extract is a good starting point for gentle daytime calm, which is where we landed with our Wild Strawberry Deep Delight Gummies: 25mg of noble kava root for a clean, clear-headed calm you can actually use in the middle of a Tuesday.
Wild Strawberry Deep Delight Gummies
$34.99
The workday isn’t going anywhere. Wild Strawberry Deep Delight just makes it better. Each gummy is powered by 25mg of premium noble kava root extract, standardized to 97% kavalactones. This is the purest Kava available anywhere! It provides a clean… read more
Prefer something to sip on? Our new Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda is kava-forward, built around 125mg of noble kava root alongside a smaller, supporting 15mg of Zembrin kanna and L-theanine. Bold blackberry and bright citrus up front, a grounded, easygoing calm underneath, best cracked open once the pace is ready to slow down.
Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda
$39.99
This functional botanical soda with bold blackberry and bright citrus flavors, is crafted with kava, kanna, and L-theanine to promote calm, comfortable relaxation without alcohol or THC. It's made with 100mg kava extract, 15mg Zembrin® kanna, and 90mg L-theanine, and… read more
Start low and give it 15 to 30 minutes. Kava is at its best when you need the pace to slow down, during the work day, before dinner, or on a long weekend afternoon.
Important safety information: The FDA has issued a consumer advisory noting that kava-containing supplements may, in rare cases, be associated with liver injury. If you have any liver health concerns, or take medications that affect the liver, talk to your healthcare provider before using kava. Do not use kava if you are pregnant or nursing, and go easy on combining it with alcohol.
How Kava Compares
Compared To | The Difference |
Alcohol | Same social warmth and loosening effect; no cognitive impairment, no hangover, fewer calories, no dependency |
THC / Cannabis | Similar to a gentle indica feeling, but less intense and not psychoactive |
CBD | Kava has an immediate, felt effect; CBD is more subtle |
Adaptogens (ashwagandha) | Adaptogens take weeks of consistent use; kava works within 10-20 minutes |
Melatonin / sleep aids | Kava relaxes without knocking you out; you stay present |
Kombucha / probiotic seltzers | Kava actually changes how you feel; gut health beverages require you to trust the process |
Two Plants. Two Traditions. One Intention.
Kanna and kava grew up on opposite sides of the world, but they share a striking common thread. Their traditional cultures understood them not as tools of escape, but as tools of presence. They did not dull the senses or pull people out of the moment. They made it easier to be fully there, in the hunt, in the ceremony, in the conversation.
That is what people describe today, too. Not a high. Not an escape. Just a better version of the day you were already having.
Where kava relaxes the body, kanna brightens the mind. Between them, they cover most of what people are really after when they reach for a drink at the end of the day: a way to feel calmer, lighter, more open, and a little more like themselves. That is the whole idea behind our kanna and kava lineup, in gummies and now in cans. Reach for Brighter Mood Mango or Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz when you want the lift. Reach for Wild Strawberry Deep Delight or Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda when you want the calm. Pick the feeling you are after, chew it or sip it, or keep all four on hand.
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*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. Consult a healthcare professional prior to use if you are pregnant or nursing, have a medical condition, or use prescription medications. For adult use only. Not intended for children under the age of 18.
FAQs
Are kanna and kava gummies legal?
Both are 100% legal and available now!
Will kanna or kava get me high?
No. Both deliver a noticeable feel-good shift with no intoxication. You stay clear-headed.
What is the difference between kanna and kava?
Kanna brightens the mood and eases social moments. Kava relaxes the body and quiets the day's noise. Kanna is the lift, kava is the calm.
Can I take Kanna and kava gummies every day?
Both are made for everyday use. Start with one serving and see how you feel.
Are kanna and kava safe?
Yes, but we always recommend you consult a healthcare professional prior to use if you are pregnant or nursing, have a medical condition, or use prescription medications.
How long does it take to feel the effects?
Usually within 15 to 30 minutes. Kava can take a few sessions to fully show up.
Should I try the gummies or the drinks?
Either one gets you to the same feeling. Gummies are pocket-sized and easy to dose on the go. The drinks are more of a moment, something to crack open and sip on, alone or with company. Some people keep both around and pick based on the occasion.
