kratom and coffee Archives

5 Kratom Drink Recipes that Are Not Kratom Tea

February 26, 2019 by Speciosa Guide 4 Comments

Kratom has numerous benefits and can be taken in a variety of ways. Kratom tea is one of the most popular of them. You can make kratom tea by simply simmering kratom in hot water.

Yet, not all kratom tastes the same. While some vendors offer kratom powder that doesn’t have a strong taste, in most cases, kratom is not that pleasant.

If you take kratom every day, you can also get bored with drinking the same thing, which is also normal.

So, you can also go a bit more creative and try more complex kratom tea recipes. These will help you mask the flavor and try something different.

However, these aren’t the only ways of taking kratom. You can make a variety of drinks such as smoothies with it.

Let’s take a look at a few and see how you can make your kratom experience a lot more pleasurable, varied, and delicious.

Kratom Chocolate Milk Recipe

If you love chocolate and have a sweet tooth, kratom chocolate milk can be a great option for you. Many users have reported that chocolate makes the taste of kratom less obvious.

That is because milk can neutralize the tannins in the kratom thus reducing its bitterness.

The fat in the milk makes it easier to consume kratom on an empty stomach. It also helps your body absorb kratom alkaloids better as they are fat-soluble.

Making kratom chocolate milk is relatively easy. All you need for it is:

your dose of kratom powder,
1 cup milk (add a bit more if you choose to boil the milk)
a tablespoon of cocoa powder,
a tablespoon of kratom sweetener (optional),
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
chocolate syrup (optional).

Feel free to swap regular milk for any non-dairy milk of your choice.

You can opt for cold or hot kratom chocolate milk. When properly done, it’ll bring out the alkaloids in the kratom powder. If you want to go for the former, simply combine all ingredients and use a blender to mix them together. You can add a few ice cubes if you’d like your kratom chocolate milk to be colder.

To make hot kratom chocolate milk:

Pour milk into a pot and bring it to boil. Add a bit more than one cup because some will evaporate as you boil it. Make sure to keep an eye on it since milk can boil over.
Reduce the heat until the milk simmers. Add the kratom powder and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend everything together.

Most kratom users prefer to add Nesquick because it tends to mix better with water. However, you can use any other cocoa powder of your preference.

Kratom and Coffee Protein Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

If you like taking kratom in the morning with or before your coffee, this could be the smoothie for you. Coffee is another kratom potentiator. Yet, be careful about measuring your kratom dose properly especially if you want to take fast strains with this smoothie.

The ingredients that you’ll need for this kratom smoothie are:

the dose of kratom powder that you usually take,
1 shot espresso,
1 cup milk,
2 frozen sliced bananas,
1 tablespoon chocolate powder,
1 tablespoon peanut butter,
chia seeds (optional).

To make this kratom smoothie, combine all ingredients (except for the chia seeds) in a blender. You can add a cube or two of ice if you’d like. Mix until the mixture is smooth. Then, pour into a glass and add the chia seeds.

If you dislike or are allergic to peanut butter, you can swap it for any other nut butter. Almond butter and cashew butter are good alternatives. You can use protein powder instead, as well.

Orange and Yogurt Protein Kratom Smoothie Recipe

This smoothie is great for breakfast or as a snack when you’re not yet ready for a full meal. Moreover, orange juice is one of the kratom potentiators. So, you’ll get an added benefit of having stronger and longer kratom effects.

Orange juice also has high vitamin C content that can strengthen your immune system.

For this smoothie you’ll need:

your kratom dose,
1 cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed for most benefits),
1 cup Greek yogurt,
a scoop of vanilla or chocolate-flavored protein powder (optional),
¼ teaspoon cinnamon,
1 ripe banana

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix them until they are smooth.

Banana and Blueberry Kratom Smoothie Recipe

Blueberries are packed with nutritional benefits. Yet, they are low in calories. They are also rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Some studies show that blueberries can reduce the damage to our DNA and even slow down aging and protect us against cancer.

To make this kratom smoothie, you will need:

kratom powder of your choice,
1 cup milk or Greek yogurt
2 ripe bananas
1 cup frozen blueberries
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract,
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (optional).

As with other kratom smoothies, mix all ingredients in a blender until everything is smooth.

Green Kratom Smoothie Recipe

Kratom is already green and very beneficial. How about adding some more green superfoods to make it even more potent? Why not, right?

Green smoothies have gained much popularity in recent years due to their high nutrient content. Especially when it comes to greens. Smoothies contain 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a glass or two. This makes it easier for us to intake more vitamins and minerals.

Smoothies can also be a healthy breakfast or snack option.

So, you’ll need the following ingredients to make this kratom smoothie:

your daily dose of kratom powder,
2 cups of baby spinach and/or kale,
2 ripe frozen bananas, cut into slices
1 cup pineapple,
1 cup mango,
½ lemon or lime juice,
1 ½ cups water,
fresh ginger (optional).

You can swap water for pineapple juice if you prefer that. You can also easily vary the ingredients by replacing them with any other fruit or vegetable of your choice. Some options are celery, apple, as well as cucumber.

However, many advise against adding coconut water. It tastes good on its own and is very nutritious and rich in electrolytes, but may have a peculiar taste mixed together with kratom.

To make the smoothie, place spinach and water or juice into a blender and blend until you get a smooth liquid. Then, add kratom and the remaining fruit and keep blending until everything is well mixed together.

Have you tried making kratom smoothies and other drinks? What are your favorite recipes? Don’t be shy. Share them with us and our readers! Let us know how our recipes turn out too!

Kratom and Caffeine: Should You Mix the Two

December 4, 2018 by Speciosa Guide 23 Comments

Coffee is extremely popular; it’s actually one of the world’s most popular drinks. For many, it has become a staple of their everyday life. As a matter of fact, in the USA, people drink more coffee than any other type of drink. Even bottled water and soda.

Chances are that you are one of the numerous American coffee lovers. And you also love kratom. So, what can you do about it? Can you combine your two favorite drinks and mix kratom and caffeine?

Let’s take a closer look at both first.

The Similarities between Kratom and Coffee

Origins

Both kratom and coffee come from the Rubiaceae (coffee) family, basically, making them cousins. That is largely the reason why kratom and caffeine can have similar effects.

Bitter Taste

Both are frequently described as bitter. Therefore, people usually prefer mixing them with something else, such as milk and sweetener with coffee or lemon and sweetener with kratom.

Effects on the Body

Coffee has positive effects on the body. And there are multiple studies to back that up. Moderate intake of coffee has the potential to lower the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and heart disease, as well as Type 2 Diabetes and liver cirrhosis.

Coffee drinkers are less likely to suffer from depression or commit suicide, as well as have an easier time to recover from workouts. They also have stronger DNA, live longer, and are even easier to work with.

These are excellent reasons to add coffee to your everyday diet. But how about kratom?

While studies on kratom are not nearly as extensive, it too has a wealth of health benefits. Existing research proves kratom more effective against opium addiction than medicinal drugs. It also has strong anti-inflammatory properties, enhances immunity, and helps manage pain.

Both Are Claimed to Be Addictive

Both are frequently labeled as addictive. Kratom is even claimed to be by some an addictive drug. However, studies show that kratom is no more addictive than coffee.

While coffee is often labeled addictive, it’s more habitual than anything else. People often socialize while drinking coffee which is pleasurable and may encourage them to have another cup.

Coffee also contains substances that enhance the flavor of anything else that it is consumed with which often are sugar, milk, and pastry. So, if you’re eating a chocolate muffin along with a cup of coffee, it’ll taste better.

This makes the whole coffee drinking experience even more pleasurable. And who doesn’t like pleasurable things?

Do, however, keep in mind that both kratom and caffeine can result in an alkaloid buildup in the system. It can happen if you consume them regularly and not leave enough time between intakes to let the alkaloids leave the system. This may cause tolerance. Yet, tolerance and addiction are not one and the same.

Side Effects

It’s possible to experience side effects when taking both kratom and caffeine. With coffee, these can be insomnia, agitation, nervousness, as well as nausea, vomiting, and faster or irregular heartbeat.

Whereas kratom can cause an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, and disrupt your sleep cycles. When it comes to kratom, the nature of the side effects will also depend on individual strains.

The Differences between Kratom and Coffee

Varieties and Different Effects

There are over 100 different species of coffee, Arabica and Robusta being the two most popular ones. However, they all have the same effect – stimulant.

It’s slightly different with kratom. There are three main vein types that are natural – red, green, and white. But kratom also comes in a variety of strains. Each vein type is responsible for different effects, and even the effects of each strain in the same vein category can be different.

There are also other trees in the Mitragyna family that are similar to kratom, yet do not produce the same effects.

Potency

The strength of kratom effects by far surpasses those of coffee. When it comes to their length, then they are similar on average. The effects of caffeine usually last 4-6 hours while those of kratom – 5-6 hours. However, there are strains such as Red Sumatra kratom that can last up to 10 hours.

Legality and Availability

While coffee is legal and widely available anywhere in the world, kratom is not. It’s banned in multiple countries such as New Zealand and Australia and listed as a controlled substance in others, such as Russia and Sweden.

In the United States, with the exception of certain states and countries, kratom is legal. You can view our kratom legality map here.

However, kratom legality in the US comes with restrictions. It can only be sold if it’s not labeled as a dietary supplement. What does that mean? That you can legally sell it for making products such as soap and body butter, but not as a dietary supplement.

Yet, it’s worth pointing out that coffee has gone through similar scrutiny in the past. It was banned for periods of time in certain locations such as Italy and Mecca. So, possibly (and hopefully), kratom will be properly regulated and freely available in the future. Same as coffee is today.

Dosage

While you shouldn’t take too much coffee, it’s easier to measure the right dose of caffeine. In places like coffee shops, coffee doses are standard.

On the other hand, kratom is a lot more sensitive in that regard. Not every dose will suit everyone, nor will it affect everyone in the same way. You need to carefully measure your dose using a sensitive scale or you risk experiencing kratom side effects.

Can You Mix Kratom and Caffeine?

There is no definite answer to whether you can mix kratom and caffeine or not. You can, and many people swear by it. But it will ultimately depend on you, your needs, and how your body responds to it.

How to Take Kratom and Coffee?

The method that works best or you will too depend on your lifestyle and preferences. There are a few ways of combining kratom and caffeine.

Mixing Kratom and Coffee

Some users prefer mixing them both together into one drink. To do so, brew coffee and make kratom tea. Then, strain the kratom tea and mix it into your coffee. If the taste is too much for you, try adding a sweetener to the mix. Many users suggest stevia.

Keep in mind though that you should not be using your regular kratom dose for that. Especially if you take the fast strains, e.g., white vein kratom. It may make you jittery and the whole experience may be unpleasant.

Lower your usual dose by approximately half. If that does not deliver the desired results, try gradually upping it.

Taking Kratom and Caffeine Separately

Another popular way is taking them both separately. Users take kratom tea or toss and wash and about 30 minutes later drink coffee. Though less common, some prefer taking coffee before kratom. Experiment and see what feels best for you.

Alternating Kratom and Caffeine

If you take white or green vein kratom for stimulating effects, you can use coffee as a substitute for kratom. For instance, you can take kratom on one day and coffee on another, or skip a day of kratom a few times a week and take coffee instead.

Coffee may not provide the same effect as kratom, but it will help you to keep your tolerance down. You’ll be able to give your body some time to reset and expel kratom alkaloids out of your system.

Which Strains of Kratom to Take with Coffee?

Taking Coffee and Fast Strains

White vein kratom and green strains are stimulating. And so is coffee. Taking both together may result in too much stimulation. You may feel your heart rate go up or become irregular. You may feel jittery, restless, or nauseous.

To avoid that, lower your usual kratom dose. I advise starting with half of what you usually take. You can always adjust the dose later if you feel that that’s not enough.

Taking Coffee and Slow Strains

Slow strains, such as most red vein ones, are usually taken in larger doses. They have relaxing and painkilling effects. However, larger doses can be sedative and put you to sleep. If you need strong pain relief in the morning, you may be feeling sleepy during the working hours.

How can you keep your productivity up? By taking coffee. Some users like to use slow kratom strains with coffee because they get the potency of the slow strains yet stay alert because of the coffee.

Are you taking kratom and caffeine? Which method do you prefer? Is your method not included? Feel free to share it with us.

Kratom Potentiators: How to Enhance Kratom Effects

October 9, 2018 by Speciosa Guide 52 Comments

When you purchase kratom, you are interested in receiving an effective and potent product. One that is definitely going to achieve your desired results.

In addition to making sure you purchase it from a reliable vendor whom you can trust, there are natural substances that can even further enhance the potency of your kratom.

These can make your dose stronger as well as help it last longer. Plus, these are healthy substances on their own. Therefore, you can reap additional health benefits.

Why Do You Need Kratom Potentiators?

Using kratom potentiators can mean that you can take a lower dosage, yet receive the same results. This way you will be less likely to develop kratom tolerance.

Your kratom batch will also last longer, which means that you’ll save money in the long run.

Kratom potentiators can make kratom last longer than usual and may also help it to kick in faster. You’ll be able to experience the results sooner and for a longer duration of time.e

If you are taking kratom daily and have already developed tolerance, you won’t need to increase your dose to potentiate kratom effects.

This will lower the chance of you experiencing kratom side effects because of increased dosage.

What Can Enhance the Potency and Length of Kratom Effects?

You’ll easily find many of these in your cupboard. Or by simply paying a visit to your local grocery or health food store.

Below are 10 kratom potentiators of our choice. We’ve also included our favorite picks for some of these potentiators in case you’re looking for suggestions.

1. Hot Water

Using your kratom with hot water (which is simply making kratom tea) can increase its potency.

Note though that most plant-based alkaloids are heat sensitive. Therefore, avoid using boiling water.

Instead, you can mix kratom in hot water. Turn the heat off after the water boils, let the bubbles settle, and then pour it over your kratom.

Alternatively, you can let you kratom powder or leaves simmer. You can achieve it by turning down the heat after the water boils. There will still be bubbles, but they’ll be much smaller and there will be less of them.

2. Citrus Fruits

Are you taking orange juice or grapefruit with your breakfast? Then we have great news for you.

Citric acid found in grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and lime is another kratom potentiator. It can make your kratom dose stronger and have kratom effects last longer. There are several ways in which you can take it.

Firstly, you can mix kratom powder with grapefruit or orange juice. You can also drink a glass of orange or grapefruit juice after you take kratom, for instance, if you prefer the Toss and Wash method. Or you can add a slice of lemon to your kratom tea.

In addition to the above, citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C. This can boost your immune system, prevent colds, and help your body absorb iron better.

3. Tea

While some users prefer making kratom tea that only contains kratom (along with some sugar and lemon), others prefer mixing kratom with other teas.

There are a few different options for you and each has its own unique effects. These two are our favorite:

Chamomile Tea. It has a mild and pleasant taste and can help you to calm an upset stomach and relax. Use it in combination with the slow strains, such as red vein kratom, to achieve more relaxation and be able to get to sleep easier and faster. People who use chamomile tea as a kratom potentiator report feeling effects for a much longer period of time. Check out our kratom and chamomile tea recipe.
- Tealyra – Egyptian Chamomile Tea
Green Tea. A powerful antioxidant on its own, it can give your kratom dose an extra energy kick. It’ll work best with faster strains like green and white vein kratom. Make sure not to brew your green tea too strong as it tends to be rather bitter. Be sure to buy high-quality loose leaf tea. Same as kratom, not all green tea is the same. Avoid using tea bags as they primarily contain tea dust rather than actual leaves and therefore will result in the lowest quality of tea.
- Tealyra – Imperial Jasmine Green Tea

4. Coffee

A number of users like mixing kratom with coffee to potentiate their dose. Coffee and kratom together can increase your focus and alertness and give you an extra energy boost.

You can brew them together or take them separately. Some users even Toss and Wash kratom with coffee. That depends on your personal preference. Make sure you drink plenty of water as both can dehydrate you.

Yet, we do not recommend everyone to do that, especially if you’re less experienced and taking lower doses of kratom. Kratom and coffee both come from the coffee family. You may become overly agitated and jittery.

Alternatively, you can take coffee as a kratom substitute on days that you’re not taking kratom.

5. Valerian Root

It is a herb used for sleep issues, as well as managing stress and anxiety. A number of kratom users like to use it as a kratom potentiator.

Taken together with slow strains of kratom, it can enhance its relaxing, sedative, and pain killing effects.

You can take valerian root pills or tincture, as well as steep valerian root tea and mix it with your kratom dose.

NusaPure Valerian Root Capsules

6. Watercress

An aquatic leafy green vegetable that grows near streams and streams, watercress is rich in vitamins and minerals. For instance, it contains more Vitamin C than oranges and more iron than spinach.

It can prevent colds and even some types of cancer. Watercress can also improve cardiovascular, eye, brain, and bone health among other benefits.

Some users report that taken as a kratom potentiator, it can make the effects last longer. For others, it also intensifies kratom effects.

Watercress is available in supermarkets, health food stores, and online. You can buy fresh watercress (that you can make a salad with), dried watercress, as well as watercress capsules.

Swanson Full Spectrum Watercress Capsules

7. Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a type of chili pepper that’s moderately strong and is used in spicy dishes. It has numerous benefits for the digestive system and can help to improve kratom absorption.

Users report feeling a faster come-up and more potent results from their kratom dose. Yet, it does not affect the duration of kratom as much as citrus fruits do.

You can mix some cayenne powder with kratom or take cayenne capsules. Use it sparingly if you can’t tolerate spicy foods well.

You may experience uncomfortable burning stools after taking larger amounts of cayenne. Eat fiber-rich foods and hydrate yourself well to avoid that.

8. Turmeric

A plant of the ginger family, turmeric is a bright yellow spice and one of the main ingredients in curry. Turmeric also acts is a kratom potentiator.

Turmeric improves kratom absorption. It also enhances the strength and length of kratom effects and can help reduce kratom tolerance.

Mix turmeric powder with your kratom powder to boost its effects. Start by adding a small amount first and gradually increasing it up to a teaspoon with your dose.

Apart from potentiating kratom, turmeric has a number of other health benefits. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric can also improve cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health, reduces cholesterol, and can even help in preventing cancer.

To experience all those in addition to the kratom effects and benefits, add a pinch of black pepper to the mix. Black pepper increases the absorption of turmeric.

Organic Wise Turmeric Root Powder

9. Cat’s Claw

Cat’s Claw is a powerful herb with anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and pain-relieving benefits. It can also help with various gastrointestinal disorders.

Taking Cat’s Claw together with kratom can intensify and prolong its effects. Avoid taking it though if you’re on blood thinning medication or if you have a surgery scheduled in the next two weeks.

Pure Mountain Botanicals High Potency Cat’s Claw

10. Magnesium

Magnesium is a go-to kratom potentiator for many users. It can aid with kratom tolerance and relieve constipation that kratom causes.

Magnesium is a beneficial substance on its own. It’s excellent for managing diabetes, calcium absorption, and bone health. It also can help if you’re fatigued, relieve headaches, migraines, and anxiety.

Many people are magnesium deficient so supplementing your kratom dose with magnesium can be a great way to combat that.

However, you may want to avoid it if you suffer from diarrhea. It may also turn to be rather pricey if you take magnesium supplements.

Instead of taking magnesium pills, you can make a smoothie from magnesium-rich foods, for instance, leafy green vegetables, bananas, raspberries, figs, and avocados, and add kratom to it.

Taking regular Epsom salt baths is another way of exposing yourself to more magnesium.

Superior Labs Magnesium Citrate

Conclusion

Just like kratom, all these are natural substances. Therefore, effects may slightly vary by person.

If you choose to take kratom potentiators, make sure you’ve taken kratom alone before it and know how exactly your body reacts to it. Don’t start by using both at the same time.

By doing so, you’ll have a better idea of what exactly what needs to be modified If you aren’t experiencing the desired results or not feeling well.

Make sure you check out the uses and side effects of each of the kratom potentiators to make sure you can take them. Talk to your physician if necessary.

Are you taking any of the kratom potentiators that we’ve mentioned above? Do you have any other tips on how to potentiate kratom? Please, share them with us. While more discoveries are made about kratom, there is yet much to find out.