Root of Happiness is one of the leading suppliers of kava in the world. There’s something here for everybody.
While some of these products we’d only recommend for experienced users — this company has some of the best kava products we’ve ever tried.
In this Root of Happiness review, we break down and rate the brands’ entire product lineup and how these products compare to the competition.
We’ll also offer some insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each product, along with the most likely side effects, and recommended application.
Let’s dive straight in.
Table of Contents
- 1. Price & Value
- 2. Product Lineup
- 3. Product Potency
- 4. Customer Service
- About the Company: Root of Happiness
- Root of Happiness Product Reviews
- A) Raw Kava Powders
- B) Instant Kava Powders
- C) Kava Concentrates
- D) Liquid Kavas & Drinks
- E) Kava Capsules
- F) Kava Accessories
- G) Other Supplements
- Final Thoughts on Root of Happiness
1. Price & Value
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Root of Happiness is one of the bigger brands in this space, and as such, it’s able to maintain some very competitive pricing. Most of the dried kava root costs around 12 to 14 cents per gram — which is on par with the rest of the industry. The quality of these products is top-notch, which means these products are great value for the money.
Some of the more niche products, like the kava shots, can be quite expensive though for what you get.
2. Product Lineup
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
No other kava company has a lineup as extensive as Root of Happiness — period. These guys have everything — kava root powders, kava teas, kava drinks, kava tinctures, kava capsules, kava concentrates, and kava drink mixes. Even their lineup of kava root powders is quite comprehensive — covering multiple grades of Fijian and Vanuatu kava, as well as kava from Samoa, Tonga, and Papua New Guinea.
3. Product Potency
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The kava ROH sources have excellent potency — there are no complaints here. While some are definitely more potent than others, this is more a feature of the individual cultivar than the quality of the roots themselves. The strongest kava I’ve ever tried comes from this company in their Papua New Guinea ISA kava (not for the faint of heart).
4. Customer Service
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
As a larger company, ROH has more resources to allocate to their customer service team — and it certainly shows. They have a great return policy, they respond quickly and accurately, and the staff are clearly knowledgeable in the products they’re carrying. Full points here.
About the Company: Root of Happiness
Root of Happiness is a California-based company selling raw kava powders, tinctures, capsules, and accessories — all of the utmost quality. Everything the company sells is tested for quality and to prove the noble strains they offer are true nobles.
Root of Happiness is also one of the few companies we’ve seen yet that carries tudei cultivars — which we’ll cover in more detail later in the review.
What really sets this company apart is their physical kava bars located in Davis and Rancho Cordova, California. They’re excellent examples of what a kava bar can be — sporting a pleasant pacific island vibe, board games, comfortable seating arrangements, dim lighting, and friendly and knowledgeable staff. You can order all the kava varieties the company sells (there’s a lot) and have it served with a fresh bowl of fruit or other snacks.
If you’re not a fan of the flavor of kava (we don’t blame you), there are other specialty cocktail options made from concentrated kava extracts, fruit juices, and ice. They serve drinks like their kava kolada, outrigger, or straight-up kava shots.
As far as the company’s online selection, it’s enormous. This company has some of the best selection of products in the United States, with at least 19 separate kava options, and a handful of other herbal elixirs.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much information available about the founding of the company or who’s behind it
Root of Happiness Product Reviews
Search:
A) Raw Kava Powders
1. Fresh Frozen Hawaiian Kava
Rating — 5/5
Best For:
- Meditation
- Relaxation
- Anxiety
Positive Effects:
- Euphoria
- Relaxation
- Creativity
About This Kava
Most of the kava you’ll find from companies online (including Root of Happiness) is made from dried and powdered kava root. This form of kava is easier to transport and stores for longer periods of time. The problem is that the drying process can expose the kavalactones to heat, which can damage them, leaving the kava less potent than it could be. Drying also affects the flavor of the kava, giving it more bitter flavors, while removing some of the sweet and pepper flavors.
This kava is made from fresh kava root that’s been freeze-dried and stored in vacuum seal bags. This is a process unique to Root of Happiness that maintains the ideal kavalactone content and gives the final product a flavor as close to the original root as possible.
Every month, a fresh batch of Hawaiian kava (Awa) is harvested, freeze-dried from fresh, and shipped to Root of Happiness’ California warehouse.
You can get these products in five different cultivars:
- Hanakapi’ai — Balanced kava best suited for social drinking
- Hiwa — Heady kava best suited for anxiety
- Mahakea — Balanced kava best suited for relaxation and social drinking
- Mo’oula — Balanced kava with subtle effect profile
- Nene — Heady kava with an average potency of effects
Technical Details:
- Origin — Hawaii
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Heady
- Strength — Average
- Grind — Coarse
- Flavor Profile — Fresh, Strong Bitter, Strong Pepper
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect — Dizziness
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Fresh Frozen Hawaiian Kava | $35.00 | $0.77 |
2. Micronesian Kava Powder — Rahmwanger
Rating — 4/5
Best For:
- Sleep Support
Positive Effects:
- Sedation
- Relaxing
- Anti-Anxiety
About This Kava
This is one of the only two varieties of kava (called Sakau) grown in Micronesia. This is the cultivar nearly 90% of the people living in the region choose to drink on a regular basis.
Sakau is an integral part of Micronesian culture. You can even find the coconut used to consume the kava on the Micronesian state flag.
Traditional Sakau ceremonies last five and a half hours with some men consuming up to 9 coconut shells of kava per session (estimated to be as much as 2,400mg per sitting).
The Micronesian people really know their kava and take it very seriously. Which is why it’s surprising how few people know about Micronesian kava cultivars. When we saw this in the Root of happiness lineup we had no choice but to give it a try.
We found this kava to be very heavy in its effects — inducing sedative effects within about an hour after drinking. It has a very smooth flavor, with some pepper undertones — overall quite enjoyable.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Micronesia
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Heavy
- Strength — Strong
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Smooth, Woody, Mild Bitter, Mild Pepper
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — Experienced
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea, Sedation
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Micronesian Kava Powder — Rahmwanger | $36.00 | $1.59 |
3. Fijian Kava Powder
Rating
4.5/5
Best For:
- All-Purpose/Social/Relaxation
Positive Effects:
- Muscle Relaxant
- Relaxation
- Euphoria
About This Kava
This is one of two kava cultivars from Fiji sold by Root of Happiness. This is the company’s lower-grade option — but don’t get it twisted, this is still some top-notch kava.
This cultivar is harvested from Kadavu island and made from a half and half combination of lateral roots and basal stumps. The chemotype for this cultivar is reported to be 432. Root of Happiness doesn’t list the whole kava code, just the first three numbers which account for around 70% of the entire kavalactone content.
This kava has a much milder flavor than usual, with very few peppery tones compared to other kava cultivars.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Fiji
- Total Kavalactone Content — 8.0%
- Effect Profile — Heady
- Strength — Average
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Smooth, Fresh, Sweet, Mild Bitter
- Kava Code — 432XXX
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect —Grogginess
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Fijian Kava Powder | $33.00 | $1.46 |
4. Papua New Guinea Kava Powder — Madang Short
Rating — 4/5
Best For:
- Muscle Relaxation & Sleep Support
Positive Effects:
- Pain Reduction
- Muscle Relaxant
- Sedation
Warning: This kava is very strong, and has long-lasting effects. This is a poor choice if you’re looking for a light, social, heady kava. This is a strong, sedating, and analgesic kava.
About This Kava
This is an ISA cultivar (tudei kava). Be very careful when ordering kava of this type. It’s recommended only experienced kava drinkers dabble with kavas like this. These kavas are much stronger than noble kava cultivars and can quickly go from making you feel great, to extremely nauseous and drunk.
With that said, this particular ISA is exceptionally mild — and reportedly contains a very low flavokavain content (which is the main source of side effects from tudei kavas).
Madang Short is made from a Papua New Guinea domesticated Piper whichmanii cultivar — which has been used on the island for centuries. Locally, kava is referred to as Kau.
This kava offers particularly long-lasting effects and a unique piney flavor not found in any other kava variety we’ve tried so far. It’s actually quite pleasant and pairs well with rosemary or thyme for a bit of added flavor.
We recommend you drink about half as much of this kava as you would your standard noble variety kava. We sometimes add this kava powder to other cultivars in ratios of about 30% to boost the pain-killing and sedative effects of our favorite noble kavas.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Papua New Guinea
- Total Kavalactone Content — 11.0%
- Effect Profile — Heavy
- Strength — Strong
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Piney, Mild Pepper, Mild Bitter, Woody, Tangy
- Kava Code — 254XXX
- Recommended Experience Level — Experienced
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea, Intoxication
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Papua New Guinea Kava Powder — Madang Short | $28.00 | $1.23 |
5. Samoan Kava Root Powder
Rating — 4.5/5
Best For:
- Stress
Positive Effects:
- Creativity
- Relaxing
- Social
About This Kava
Samoan kava is notoriously hard to find. For about the past 6 years Samoan kava has been virtually absent from the market. The only other source we’ve come across this time is from another company, Kalm With kava, but even this company only offers it seasonally in limited batches.
Root of Happiness only recently bought this product to the market.
We’ve found this kava to be very gentle, with a well-balanced profile. These qualities make this particular kava perfect for those casual weekend kava gatherings, or during work for mild stress-reduction and creative thought process enhancement.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Samoa
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Heady
- Strength — Mild
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Smooth, Fresh, Sweet, Mild Pepper
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — Novice
- Most Common Side-Effect —Grogginess
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Samoan Kava Powder | $31.00 | $1.37 |
6. Solomon Kava Powder
Rating — 4/5
Best For:
- Sleep/Meditation
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Sedation
- Muscle Relaxant
About This Kava
This kava is very strong. Root of Happiness suggests it’s about twice as strong as their house blend of Vanuatu kava root — which is about accurate. This strain is much stronger as a sedative, but lacks the clarity of thought and muscle relaxing benefits of the Vanuatu strains.
This cultivar is hard to get, so get a bag while you can. Once it’s gone we may not see it again for a couple more years.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Solomon Islands
- Total Kavalactone Content — 8.0%
- Effect Profile — Heavy
- Strength — Strong
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Strong Pepper, Mild Bitter, Nutty
- Kava Code — 243XXX
- Recommended Experience Level — Experienced
- Most Common Side-Effect —Sedation
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Solomon Kava Powder | $30.00 | $1.32 |
7. Superior Fijian Kava Powder — 11 Year Organic
Rating — 5/5
Best For:
- Socializing & Relaxation
Positive Effects:
- Muscle Relaxant
- Sedation
- Euphoria
- Mental Clarity
About This Kava
This is Root of Happiness’ top-level Fijian kava — harvested from roots that are at least 11 years old. In general, the older the roots, the better the effect profile.
The company claims this to be the only certified organic kava in the world. Although we can’t confirm this, we also couldn’t name another kava product that’s achieved this official organic status!
Bula Kava House also has an 11-year Fijian kava (Waka) with similar effects and flavor (but not organic). Most likely, this cultivar from Root of happiness is grown in the same region, but from a farm that went through the difficulty of gaining certified organic status.
Getting certified as organic is a major headache for the kava farmer. It means having government officials coming in every few months to test the soil, check the plants, and run tests. The soil needs to be completely void of contaminants like heavy metals or synthetic fertilizers, and pesticide application is extremely regulated, making it much harder to keep the crop safe from hungry insects. Of course, none of this is exactly cheap either — so we commend Root of Happiness and the farmers that grow this premium kava stock for putting in the work!
If you’re a true kava connoisseur, you need to try this top-shelf Fijian kava powder.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Fiji
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Heady
- Strength — Average
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Mild Pepper, Smooth
- Kava Code — 436XXX
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect — Grogginess
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Superior Fijian Kava Powder — 11 Year | $36.00 | $1.59 |
8. Superior Vanuatu Kava Powder
Rating — 5/5
Best For:
- Social Drinking
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Euphoria
About This Kava
This is very similar to the house kava offered by Root of Happiness. The difference is in how the roots are processed.
Most kava is harvested, sun-dried, and powdered. This is the most cost-effective method of production and results in a decent end product.
For this kava, Root of Happiness takes extra measures to get the quality of the final product even higher. First of all, this root is never exposed to the sun to dry. The heat and UV exposure can damage the kavalactones and affect both the flavor and potency of the end product.
Instead, the company dries the root in a high-tech commercial dehydrator. This process takes a long time and can be very expensive — but it preserves the natural flavor and potency of the end product.
Overall, this is one of our favorite kavas. It has excellent flavor (for a kava powder), and potent effects (but not too potent). This is a great all-around kava strain for socializing, daily anxiety support, or just about any other application of kava.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Vanuatu
- Total Kavalactone Content — 8.4%
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Average
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Mild Bitter, Strong Pepper
- Kava Code — 423XXX
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect — Nausea
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Superior Vanuatu Kava Powder | $34.00 | $1.50 |
9. Tongan Kava Powder
Rating — 4/5
Best For:
- Social Drinking
Positive Effects:
- Euphoria
- Relaxing
About This Kava
Tongan kava from the island of Eu’a is widely considered to be some of the best kava in the pacific. It has a characteristic creamy flavor with mild peppery undertones.
This particular kava is a blend of three different cultivars — all grown on the same farm.
Tongan kava is hard to find, but this is one of our current favorites. The effects are about average compared to other kava strains — not too strong, but definitely strong enough to offer all the benefits of kava.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Tonga
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Average
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Creamy, Smooth
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect — Nausea
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Tongan Kava Powder | $30.00 | $1.32 |
10. Vanuatu Kava Powder
Rating — 4.5/5
Best For:
- Social Drinking
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Euphoria
About This Kava
This is Root of Happiness’ house kava blend. They claim to order this stuff in huge quantities — which allows them to keep the prices exceptionally low. At $26.00 per half pound this is certainly one of the most affordable options on the Root of Happiness website.
This kava is very well-balanced, offering heady effects in the first 2 hours, and heavy effects starting to come out around the 2 or 3-hour mark.
The roots used to make this kava powder are reported to be at least 5 years old, and have a kava code starting with 423 — which is the same chemocode profile as some of the most popular kava powders offered by Root of Happiness and other kava brands. This kavalactone ratio is known for producing a lot of the desired effects of kava, with minimal side effects.
Other 423 kava cultivars include:
- Root of Happiness Superior Vanuatu Kava Powder
- Bula House Nambawan Kava
- Cactus Kava Eva Kava
- Cactus Kava Ono Kava
- Kalm With Kava Borogu Kava
Technical Details:
- Origin — Vanuatu
- Total Kavalactone Content — 10.9%
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Average
- Grind — Medium
- Flavor Profile — Mild Bitter, Strong Pepper
- Kava Code — 423XXX
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect — Nausea
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Vanuatu Kava Powder | $26.00 | $1.15 |
B) Instant Kava Powders
1. Instant Kava Powder — Hawaiian (Organic)
Rating — 4.5/5
Best For:
- Creative Work
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Euphoria
About This Kava
This instant kava powder is suggested to be organic, but we presume this isn’t certified since the company already claimed that their Fijian kava is the only organic kava in the world.
This instant kava is made for people who want to use kava but don’t care to follow all the extra steps involved with preparing a fresh bowl of kava — which can take up to 20 minutes.
All you have to do is mix this powder with some warm water for a few seconds and it’s ready to drink.
Compared to other instant kavas, this was one of the smoother options we’ve tried. Normally, instant kava will dissolve quickly, but settle out of solution just as fast — leaving you with a thick layer of kava sludge on the bottom. Instant kavas also tend to have a fibrous texture that can sometimes irritate the throat while you drink, causing you to cough a little. This particular instant didn’t have this effect — which leads us to believe Root of Happiness is using a separate method of processing from their competitors.
As with any instant kava, you’ll be paying a little bit of a premium for the extra processing steps used to make this kava, but if you don’t like mixing and mashing your kava before every session, this is well worth the money for the added convenience.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Vanuatu
- Total Kavalactone Content — 9.0%
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Mild
- Grind — Very Fine
- Flavor Profile — Mild Bitter, Mild Pepper, Woody
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Instant Kava — Vanuatu | $25.00 | $5.00 |
2. Instant Kava Powder — Vanuatu
Rating — 4.5/5
Best For:
- Meditation/Relaxation/Anxiety
Positive Effects:
- Sedation
- Relaxing
- Anti-Anxiety
About This Kava
This powder uses the same Vanuatu kava roots used in the company’s house blend, but in an instant format.
The consistency of this kava is very similar to the company’s other instant option (Hawaiian), which is notably smooth and has less tendency to fall out of solution while you’re drinking it.
The effects of this instant kava are very similar to the non-instant Vanuatu root — just slightly less potent and with a different flavor profile. We’d describe the flavor to be slightly more bitter, and without as many aromatic undertones as the raw root.
The convenience factor makes up for any slight differences in effect strength or flavor of this kava.
If you want a solid well-rounded, no-fuss kava, this Vanuatu instant kava or the Hawaiian Instant kava are both excellent options.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Hawaii
- Total Kavalactone Content — 9.2%
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Mild
- Grind — Very Fine
- Flavor Profile — Woody, Mild Bitter, Mild Pepper
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — Novice
- Most Common Side-Effect — Dizziness
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per 10 Gram Dose |
| Instant Kava — Hawaiian | $25.00 | $5.00 |
C) Kava Concentrates
1. Kava Concentrate — Paste (Lemon-Honey)
Rating — 4.5/5
Best For:
- Stress
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Euphoria
- Sedation
- Anti-Anxiety
About This Kava
This is a highly concentrated product made from Root of Happiness’ premium Borogu kava. You only need a small amount to get a strong dose of kavalactones with this concentrated paste.
Kava concentrates are preferred by many daily kava users because they’re convenient (no mixing necessary), portable (comes in a small container instead of ½ pound bags), and taste significantly better than traditional kava brews. This particular kava concentrate from Root of Happiness is flavored with lemon honey.
This paste is made using a special technique called supercritical CO2. It involves cooling carbon dioxide gas and placing it in a high-pressure environment to force it into a supercritical state. In this state, carbon dioxide behaves like a gas and a liquid. These properties make it a perfect solvent for extracting the active compounds from plants.
The main benefit of CO2 extraction is that it’s safe and allows the company to avoid adding harmful solvents like methanol or hexane. It also means the kava root never needs to be heated (this destroys the kavalactones). Heat is normally used to evaporate the solvents from the final product — but with CO2, simply releasing the pressure will cause the remaining CO2 to evaporate into the air.
Each serving weighs about 2 grams and delivers 150 mg of pure kavalactones.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Vanuatu
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Strong
- Grind — Fine Powder
- Flavor Profile — Lemon, Honey
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — Experienced
- Most Common Side-Effect — Nausea
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Kava Concentrate — Paste | $20.00 $45.00 |
2. Pipers United Extract Blend
Rating — 5/5
Best For:
- Creative Work
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Sedation
- Muscle Relaxant
- Pain Reduction
About This Kava
Pipers United is a revolutionary solventless concentrate of two different species in the Piper genus — Kava Kava (Piper methysticum) and Black Pepper (Piper nigrum).
The addition of black pepper gives this extract a spicy flavor, and dramatically improves the absorption of the active ingredients through the digestive tract. Black pepper extract is used a lot in herbal extracts with low absorption (such as turmeric extracts) for this very reason. A compound in black pepper called piperine causes the epithelial cells in the digestive tract to spread apart, allowing compounds to move into the bloodstream more efficiently.
This extract comes as a powder that can be mixed with water or any beverage you like. It works really well in turmeric milk or nut milk to help balance the flavor.
Pipers United Extract Blend is made from Polynesian Gold 30 % CO2 water-soluble kava concentrate and black pepper extract (420:1 ratio).
Technical Details:
- Origin — Mixed
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Heady
- Strength — Strong
- Grind — Very Fine
- Flavor Profile — Strong Pepper, Creamy, Woody, Spice
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea, Cramping/Bloating
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Pipers United Extract Blend | $70.00 |
3. Polynesian Gold™ 70% CO2 Extract
Rating — 4/5
Best For:
- Muscle Relaxation & Sleep Support
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Sedation
- Muscle Relaxant
- Pain Reduction
About This Kava
This is one of the strongest kava concentrates you’ll find. It contains an incredible 70% kavalactone content by weight — giving it a thick, waxy consistency. Root of Happiness uses this extract to make other specialty products including their Pipers United Extract Blend, Kava Shots, and Kava Drink Mix.
You can take this supercritical CO2-extracted extract straight or mix it into drinks yourself. Just keep in mind this 70% extract doesn’t dissolve very well into water. If you plan on mixing this concentrate with water or nut milk, it’s better to go with the Polynesian Gold 30% extract instead. If you want this high-potency extract instead, it’s better to mix it with something with more fat content — like cream, MCT oil, or other cooking oils.
This extract is made from a blend of kava roots from Vanuatu and Hawaii, but the chemocode content resembles that of the infamous Borogu or Melo Melo kava cultivars (chemocode 245).
Technical Details:
- Origin — Mixed
- Total Kavalactone Content — 70.0%
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Strong
- Grind — Thick paste
- Flavor Profile — Strong Bitter, Metallic
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — Experienced
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea, Cramping/Bloating
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Polynesian Gold™ 70% CO2 Kava Extract | $35.00 |
4. Polynesian Gold™ 30% CO2 Kava Extract (Water-Soluble)
Rating — 4.5/5
Best For:
- Muscle Relaxation
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Anti-Anxiety
- Sedation
- Muscle Relaxant
- Pain Reduction
About This Kava
This is similar to the Polynesian Gold 70% extract, but has a much lower kavalactone content so you can mix it with water. Kavalactones are fat-soluble compounds, which mean they won’t dissolve very well in water. If you tried to mix the 70% extract in water you’d just end up with a clump at the bottom.
This stuff doesn’t dissolve as well as we’d like, but after a few minutes of mixing you can get it to dissolve. We recommend getting one of those little hand mixers to mix it into your water, juice, or nut milk if you plan on using this extract as a liquid.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Mixed
- Total Kavalactone Content — 30.0%
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Strong
- Grind — Powder
- Flavor Profile — Strong Bitter, Tangy
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — Experienced
- Most Common Side-Effect — Nausea, Cramping/Bloating
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Polynesian Gold™ 30% CO2 Kava Extract (Water-Soluble) | $65.00 |
5. Pride of Papua 70% CO2 Extract
Rating — 4/5
Best For:
- Pain & Sleep Support
Positive Effects:
- Pain Reduction
- Sedation
- Muscle Relaxant
Warning: This is an ISA cultivar kava, which is very strong, and has long-lasting effects. Recommended for experienced kava drinkers only.
About This Kava
This is a concentrated extract (70%) of the Papua New Guinea domestic ISA kava. This product is very strong, and should not be used by anybody without a fair amount of experience using kava. We really love this extract as well as Root of Happiness’ raw Papua New Guinea ISA kava powder — but at about half the dose we would normally use.
ISA kava cultivars are unique to Papua New Guinea and are made from a separate species of kava plant (Piper wichimanii). These cultivars aren’t tudei or noble forms of kava — they have their own category (some people will dispute this). We consider ISA strains somewhere in the middle of noble and tudei kava strains. They hit hard like a tudei, but have much fewer side effects, sort of like noble kavas. ISA cultivars are also known to last a very long time, sometimes up to two days (though not necessarily in a bad way as with tudei cultivars).
This is a good extract to have around for those times you want an extra kick. We usually mix a small amount with other kava extracts or teas to give it more knockout power.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Papua New Guinea
- Total Kavalactone Content — 70.0%
- Effect Profile — Heavy
- Strength — Strong
- Consistency — Thick Paste
- Flavor Profile — Piney, Strong Bitter, Strong Pepper, Chalky
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — Experienced
- Most Common Side-Effect — Nausea, Intoxication
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Pride of Papua 70% CO2 Extract | $40.00 |
D) Liquid Kavas & Drinks
1. Kava Shot — Tropical Mango
Rating — 4.5/5
Best For:
- Sleep & Anxiety Support
Positive Effects:
- Mental Clarity
- Relaxing
- Anti-Anxiety
- Energy
About This Kava
Kava shots are little bottles of pre-mixed kava extract, flavoring, and some additional ingredients. They resemble those little 8-hour energy shots you often find at the gas station.
This product is optimized for convenience. Simply grab a bottle as you head out the door to get a dose of kava whenever you need it.
Kava shots also contain standardized doses of the active kavalactones. This means you always know what to expect from each shot because they all have exactly the same amount of the active ingredients.
Compare this to raw kava root powder where each time you make the brew could result in slightly different effects. If you used different kava roots, or slight differences in the amount of powder you use it could have different strengths.
These shots are delicious, but you can still taste the bitter, peppery background of kava. The sweet mango flavor does a great job at masking most of the flavor though.
This stuff is very strong, so novice users may want to either split a bottle with a friend or take them in half bottles. Each full-bottle is only 2 oz (60 mL), but contains an incredible 500 mg of kavalactones.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Mixed
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Heavy
- Strength — Strong
- Flavor Profile — Tropical Mango, Mild Bitter, Mild Pepper, Sweet
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Kava Shot — Tropical Mango | $6.00 – $48.00 |
2. Liquid Kava Extract — Alcohol-Free
Rating — 5/5
Best For:
- Sleep/Meditation/Anxiety
Positive Effects:
- Relaxing
- Sedation
- Creativity
- Anti-Anxiety
About This Kava
This is Root of Happiness’ version of a kava tincture. It’s made by extracting all the active compounds of the kava plant and storing it in an easily dispensed liquid — in this case, MCT oil. This is essentially the same as a CBD oil, but with kava as the main ingredient instead of hemp.
This is a great product to keep around if you want a quick dose of fast-acting kava from time to time and either don’t like the taste of kava tea or simply don’t want to spend the time mixing some up for yourself. This stuff is just ready to go straight out of the bottle.
For faster onset of effects, hold the oil under your tongue for a few moments before you swallow — this will allow the active ingredients to absorb through the small blood vessels located directly under the tongue.
Each milliliter of liquid contains 100 mg of kavalactones. We’ve found we need about 2 or 3 milliliters (which works out to 2 or 3 dropperfuls) per dose but your experience may vary.
This tincture is made from the Polynesian Gold 70% CO2 extract — which is also available from Root of Happiness.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Mixed
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Mixed
- Strength — Mixed
- Flavor Profile — Sweet, Woody, Mild Bitter, Vanilla
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect — Nausea, Lightheadedness
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Liquid Kava Extract — Alcohol-Free | $18.00 |
3. Kava Drink Mix
Rating — 5/5
Best For:
- Social Drinking
Positive Effects:
- Promotes Socializing
- Creativity Enhancement
- Improves Mental Clarity
- Relaxing
About This Kava
Root of Happiness’ Kava Drink Mix is a premixed, flavored kava beverage for making kava cocktails. They normally sell this stuff to kava bars or herbal elixir shops for making kava-infused benefits.
This drink mix is perfect for use at parties or social events. It allows you to mix and mash whatever flavors you like with kava to make the drinking experience more enjoyable for yourself, or your guests (many first-time kava drinkers don’t like the taste of kava).
You can find Root of Happiness’ kava cocktail book available on Amazon where they show you how to make signature cocktails including Kava Kolada™, KavaJito™, KavaRita™, TropiKava™, Smoothie Kona Sunset™, Lanai Lemonade™, and Molokai Mule™.
Each pump dispenses 150 mg worth of kavalactones in 10 mL of liquid. You should be able to get about 509 servings out of each bottle. We were curious how long a bottle would last us so we counted pumps each time using a pen and paper taped to the bottle. We ended up getting 54 pumps from the bottle before having to pour the last few milliliters out of the bottom.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Mixed
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — Balanced
- Strength — Average
- Flavor Profile — Sweet
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost |
| Kava Drink Mix | $70.00 |
E) Kava Capsules
Kava Extract Capsules
Rating — 4/5
Best For:
- Social Drinking
Positive Effects:
- Promotes Socializing
- Creativity Enhancement
- Improves Mental Clarity
- Relaxing
About This Kava
These capsules come with a concentrated extract of several different kava cultivars. Each capsule is standardized to contain 250 mg equivalent of kavalactones — which is much higher than the standard kava capsules, and significantly higher than DIY capsules contain when made from raw kava powder.
The problem with using raw powder is that you’d need to take several capsules at a time to get the intended dose. With a concentrated extract, you only need one, or perhaps two capsules at a time for a strong dose.
Since the company changes the source of kava to make these products and doesn’t list the kavalactone content, we can’t be sure that each batch will produce the exact same results.
The capsules we tried were mild in nature, even in doses of two capsules at a time (500 mg kavalactone equivalent). These capsules are recommended for use during the day (for experienced kava users only) for alleviating stress and anxiety, or in double doses in the evening about an hour before bed to help with sleep.
Technical Details:
- Origin — Mixed
- Total Kavalactone Content — Not Listed
- Effect Profile — 250 mg Per Capsule
- Strength — Balanced
- Grind — Mild
- Kava Code — Not Listed
- Recommended Experience Level — All Levels
- Most Common Side-Effect —Nausea, Bloating
Cost Breakdown:
| Name | Total Cost | Cost per Capsule |
| Kava Extract Capsules | $26.00 | $0.86 |
F) Kava Accessories
As any good kava distributer should, Root of Happiness also sells all the necessary accessories to mix kava up yourself at home. This includes strainer bags and the AluBall pro Kava Maker, which resembles your standard protein shaker — but optimized for kava.
The AluBall Pro Kava maker is an excellent way to make kava at home and on the go. All you have to do is fill the strainer ball up with your favorite kava powder, seal it up, and add water. After a few minutes of shaking the bottle with the strainer ball inside, you’ve got yourself a batch of kava brew ready to go.
We like to fill the strainer ball up before we leave the house, and sometime after lunch just fill the bottle up with water and give it a shake for a dose of afternoon kava tea while we work.
Alu Bottle — Kava Shaker Bottle
Strainer Bag
G) Other Supplements
Root of Happiness also sells a variety of other herbal extracts, coffees, teas, and single-origin Samoa chocolate. There’s a ton of products on the company’s website to have a look through, so there should be something for everyone.
Final Thoughts on Root of Happiness
We really couldn’t recommend Root of Happiness more. The company has the largest kava lineup in the industry — all of which are thoroughly tested to prove the absence of adulterants like Palisi kava.
If you’re looking for a simple, all-purpose kava we recommend going for the Vanuatu, Fijian, or Fresh Frozen Hawaiian kavas. For more gentle effects we recommend the Samoan kava or the Instant Vanuatu/Hawaiian kavas.
For those of you looking for something with some serious knockout power, have a closer look at the Papua New Guinea ISA cultivar (in raw powder and extract forms), or the Solomon Island kava powder.
Overall, this is a top-notch kava supplier. They have the connections within the industry needed to get some of the rarest, and highest-quality kava products delivered to your door.
