Once people decide to try kanna or kava, the next question we hear is almost always the same. When am I supposed to take it?
Whenever suits you. There's no required hour.
The better question is what you want the next few hours to feel like. Here's how to match each plant to your day.
Table of contents
- When should you take kanna?
- When should you take kava?
- How long should you wait?
- Why can kava feel subtle the first time?
- Where should you start?
When should you take kanna?
Kanna is the one to reach for in the daytime: mid-afternoon, before a social plan, or ahead of the 3 p.m. wall. The Brighter Mood gummy pairs it with B vitamins.
- As a gummy: the Mango Brighter Mood Gummy promotes a balanced mood.† Each gummy carries 10mg of kanna, with 100mg of L-theanine, 5mg of B6 and 100mcg of B12.
- As a can: the Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz and Lychee Blood Orange Uplift Spritz lead with kanna: 50mg of kanna, 20mg of kavalactones and 90mg of L-theanine per 12oz can.
Start with one gummy or one can, and see how your day goes.
When should you take kava?
Kava is the one for the back half of the day: the end of the workday, before dinner, or a slow weekend afternoon. It fits when you're ready to clock out.
- As a gummy: the Wild Strawberry Deep Delight Gummy helps support relaxation.† Each gummy carries 25mg of noble kava root extract, standardized to 97% kavalactones.
- As a can: the Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda leads with kava: 100mg of kavalactones, 15mg of kanna and 90mg of L-theanine per 12oz can. It's the evening can in the lineup.
Kava has a long social history behind that timing. Across the South Pacific, the bowl has gone around at gatherings for more than 3,000 years, and in Fiji it still goes around with a toast of "Bula," to life.
How long should you wait?
Most people notice either plant within 15 to 30 minutes. Give it that long before you decide anything, and before you reach for a second.
Why can kava feel subtle the first time?
Kava has one quirk. It follows what's called a reverse tolerance curve.
Your first session can feel subtle, and it tends to come through more clearly over the next few. If your first gummy felt quiet, that's normal. Give it a few tries before you decide.
Where should you start?
If you want to find your own rhythm, the Kanna & Kava Sample Pack carries one Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz, one Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda, and two of each gummy. Try a kanna afternoon and a kava evening, and see which one you reach for again.
Already know you want cans? The Uplift & Unwind Variety Pack carries all three beverages, eight of each flavor.
The whole lineup lives in our kanna and kava collection. For a full day mapped out hour by hour, read Need a Lift or a Landing?, and if you'd rather drink them, start with our kanna and kava mocktail recipes.
For the full history of both plants, read What Is Kanna and Kava?
Two more questions we hear often:
- Kanna and Kava vs. CBD explains how these plants differ from CBD.
- Does Kanna Get You High? The short answer is no.
Still have a question a blog post can't answer? Book a free consultation with our education team.
†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.
