What is Kratom Tisane? Kratom Tea 101

Kratom has long been used in ancient civilizations for its properties that work to soothe various forms of discomfort. In areas where it grows endemic, locals take leaves directly from the Mitragyna speciosa plant and chew on them to experience the herb’s potent effects after a long day of work. While this method has proven effective for centuries, kratom is relatively new to western communities and so consumers might not have the same oral tolerance. That’s why people in the west have developed a variety of ways to enjoy kratom minus the bitter, offensive taste. And kratom tisane is one of them.

What is Kratom Tisane?

You might have read the term ‘kratom tisane’ floating around the internet during those long nights researching kratom and its effects. Kratom tisane is essentially another term for kratom tea. Tisane was once used to describe barley tea and takes its roots in the Greek language.

Tisane was then used in old French to describe medicinal teas. The use of the word was quite rare until the 20^th century when it was reintroduced and subsequently accepted in English to mean herbal, medicinal tea, or infusion.

The Benefits of Kratom Tisane

For as beneficial as kratom might be, the taste and texture of raw leaves can make it difficult to consume as is. And if you thought tossing and washing kratom powder was a better alternative, downing a mouthful of dry, bitter powder can be even more taxing on the tastebuds. Fortunately, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Kratom tisane or tea is one of the easiest alternatives for people who want to experience the benefits of kratom but don’t have the oral tolerance to deal with its unmasked flavor profile. Kratom tea can be made at home in under five minutes and provides the opportunity for users to add in various other ingredients to improve the herb’s flavor profile.

If you’re new to kratom tisane, here are some of its most noteworthy benefits:

• Easy to prepare – Sure, you could always make kratom tinctures or resin at home. But with time-consuming and often laborious procedures, these options aren’t really a choice for those who want a quick fix. Kratom tea is exceptionally easy to prepare, and entails nothing more than steeping your powder or crushed leaves for a few minutes.
• Improved flavor – This is one of the main reasons why people make kratom tisane in the first place. Although the tea probably won’t be completely void of bitterness, you can add things like honey or sugar to improve its flavor. This makes your dose much easier to take if you’ve got a low tolerance for unpleasant tastes.
• Simplified dosing – While tinctures might be more potent and convenient, there’s the issue of dosing. Because they come in such a concentrated form, tincture and resin doses can be tough to measure out. With tea, however, all you need to do is to add in your usual kratom powder dose to steep in warm water to get the same level of effects you typically enjoy.

How to Make Kratom Tisane

The process of making kratom tea can be pretty straightforward. But there are a few nuances that you might want to consider to make sure you’re getting the most alkaloids out of the powder or leaves you use. Improper preparation could actually degrade the plant’s chemistry and lead to a weaker brew.

Here’s what you’ll need to prepare kratom tisane:

• Hot water
• Kratom powder or leaves (your usual dose)
• Strainer (optional)
• Cup
• Spoon
• Sweetener, honey, or sugar (optional)

To make kratom tisane at home, here’s what you should do:

1. Boil enough water for your tea. Generally, you’ll want to have between 200 and 250mL of water to prepare your kratom tisane.
2. In a cup, add your usual dose of kratom powder or crushed leaves.
3. Pour the hot (not boiling) water into the cup. Stir with a spoon to make sure all the leaves and powder are completely submerged.
4. Leave the kratom to steep for between 3-5 minutes, depending on the heat of the water. The hotter your water, the shorter the steeping time.
5. If you’re using leaves, it might be ideal to strain out the kratom. For a kratom powder tisane, you might be able to drink up even with the powder still in the cup. However, if you’ve got a low tolerance for the bitterness and texture of the powder, then you can strain it out as well.
6. Add honey, sweetener, or sugar to taste. Stir well until completely dissolved.
7. Make sure you drink the tea immediately after preparation.

Remember that the alkaloids in kratom can be pretty delicate. So to get the best results out of your tisane, see to it that you make a note of the following tips:

• Do not use boiling water, and don’t add your leaves or powder to a boiling pot of water. Excess heat can damage and degrade the kratom’s alkaloids. A temperature of 160°F should be the ceiling for your tea.
• Add in some citrus. Lemon or lime juice can help protect the alkaloids from heat damage. You can also try apple cider vinegar that works the same way.
• You can add more water to combat bitterness. Don’t think that your tea will lose potency when you add too much water. As long as you drink every last drop, you will still get the same effects as your usual dose.
• Avoid leaving the tea to sit for too long after brewing. Those alkaloids can only stick around for so long — even with citrus in the mix. Drink up the tea as soon as its cool enough to preserve its potency.

Sometimes, All You Need is a Cup of Tea

For the uninitiated, the bitter taste of kratom can be tough to swallow. Heck, even veteran kratom users can still have trouble downing that mouthful of bitterness. Fortunately, kratom tisane is pretty easy to make. Just see to it that you follow these tips to get the best results and to enjoy the same potent effects as you would with your usual dose and method.