# Has anyone tried kava? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [June 10, 2022, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-kava/965983 "2022-06-10T16:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2022, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-kava/965983/21 "2022-06-12T20:19:43Z")
None of the kava I’ve had was snot-textured, just the sakau. But the flavor is the same, and “dirt” isn’t a bad description of it. I don’t mind it much, it’s sort of interesting, but I can see why people wouldn’t like it. The closest I can come to describing it is to say that it’s kind of like the flavor you’d get from chewing a pencil (the wooden part, not the eraser), but stronger and more bitter. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-kava/965983/22 "2022-06-13T01:47:07Z")
Yeah, that’s not a bad description of it. I don’t find it wholly unpleasant at all, but I happen to like bitter and earthy flavors. Others clearly have a far more negative appraisal of the flavor. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-kava/965983/23 "2022-06-14T13:27:32Z")
I tried it in capsule form years ago but didn’t notice any effect. I may not have taken enough to make a difference though. > [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > IIRC, kava can increase your photosensitivity. I’ve also heard it can be hard on your liver, but probably not nearly as bad as alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-kava/965983/24 "2022-06-14T13:34:48Z")
I tried it a couple of years ago, in liquid brew form. Flavor like sour dirt. I would classify it as “marginally drinkable.” The psychoactive effects were not memorable, but then, I do expect a lot from my drugs. It seems like people have better experiences when using it in the native way with native people. But still a niche experience, takes a bit of work, and def. not to everyone’s taste. If someone asked me the up-or-down question “should I try kava or spend my time and money on something else”, I would definitely counsel someone to try something else, unless you have access to proper kava prepared in the native way. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2022, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-kava/965983/25 "2022-06-14T13:35:27Z")
> [@solost](#): > > I’ve also heard it can be hard on your liver, but probably not nearly as bad as alcohol. Yeah, if you google “kava liver toxicity” you will find some sobering literature about that, though the conclusions may differ, depending on the study: > [@](#): > > . In conclusion, in a few individuals kava may be hepatotoxic due to overdose, prolonged treatment, comedication, and probably triggered by an unacceptable quality of the kava raw material; standardization is now required, minimizing thereby hepatotoxic risks [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1665268119316345](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1665268119316345) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-tried-kava/965983.md?page=1)