Kratom Powder

A product that you are going to see available at nearly every Kratom retailer is Kratom powder. The powder is one of the purest forms of the plant and is highly versatile. Not only can it be further manipulated into other types of products such as extracts or capsules, but it can also be bought in bulk quantities and stored for long periods. 

As the powder offers researchers a high degree of functionality and usability, it is one of the most popular products. Despite its popularity, some people often become confused when purchasing Kratom powder. They are not sure how much they need or how it differs from some of the other products you see available at many online retailers. 

Outlined below is an in-depth overview of Kratom powder, how it’s made, the popular types, and how you can source and use the best powder available. As the legal state of Kratom within the U.S. is still in flux, you need to make sure you are buying responsibly, which means staying informed and up to date with any news regarding Kratom and its laws domestically and around the world. As you do your research, you may find it helpful to contact a Kratom advocacy group such as the American Kratom Association. 

The Plant

Like all Kratom products, Kratom powder is derived from the tree mitragyna speciosa. This tree is a tropical evergreen that tends to grow primarily in moist jungles around the globe. The ideal growing locations have high sun exposure and humidity, most commonly found in the tropical and subtropical climate zones. While many farmers worldwide try to imitate these conditions, the healthiest and most bountiful mitragyna speciosa plants grow in Southeast Asia. 

Throughout Southeast Asia, in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, Kratom grows widely among other rainforest vegetation. These wild plants are a key component of the rainforest and have long been coveted by many indigenous communities that populate these countries’ rural parts. For hundreds of years, these communities have been reaping the powerful benefits of the Kratom tree, using it as a vital tool in their health, wellness, and medicinal practices. In most cases, these communities would pluck the leaves from the mitragyna speciosa tree and add them to boiling water. They would then drink this tea to fend off anxiety, stress, and even chronic pain. In other scenarios, the leaves would be chewed upon by workers throughout the day to help stay focused and alert.  

Once word started to spread about the plant and its therapeutic potential, Western researchers focused on plant medicine began to do more tests on the plant. They discovered that hundreds of active compounds are found within. The two most prominent of these compounds are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. The concentrations of each of these compounds will vary depending on where the Kratom is grown. Depending on how nutrient-dense and acidic soil is, the concentration in the leaves will change. As soils change from place to place, a Kratom powder from Malaysia will be slightly different than a Kratom powder from Thailand. 

Making Kratom Powder

The farmers who grow Kratom trees will create backyard crops or plant the trees amongst other rainforest greenery. Once the plant reaches maturation, it will come time to harvest. Depending on the strain the farmer is hoping to achieve, they will pluck the leaves once the veins turn the right color. For example, red vein powder is made using leaves with red veins, which usually form later than green or white variants. 

Once the farmer has collected only the leaves they will be using; they leave the rest of the plant intact. By staggering their harvest and leaving most of the tree’s structure to grow, the crop can continue to develop stronger. These careful harvesting tactics also guarantee that the rest of the surrounding rainforest is left unchanged, preserving the biodiversity.  

The leaves, after their harvest, are left to dry. Depending on the farmers and vendors, the techniques used to dry the leaves will vary. Sometimes the leaves are left in the sun, while others are cured in the shade or fermented. Each technique will alter the leaves’ active compounds’ concentration levels, further tailoring the final product. After the leaves have been dried, cured, or fermented, they are ground down into a fine powder. 

If the powder is coming from a reputable supplier, it will be lab-tested, guaranteeing no contaminants such as chemicals or bacteria are present. Once the product is designated safe, it is then shipped to vendors and researchers around the world. Depending on where you are purchasing your Kratom powder, you may be able to buy bulk amounts, which could prove beneficial if you plan on storing them for the long term. 

Understanding The Difference Between Powders and Extracts

It is important to note that extracts and powders are often confused as they tend to look similar. While some extracts come in liquid form, a majority of Kratom extracts come in powdered form. These powdered extracts are very different from the standard Kratom powders as they are much more concentrated. When looking through an online store, you can differentiate the powders from the extracts by looking out for a 2x or 2:1 denotation on the packaging. 

These refer to the concentration levels. The two means the product is twice as concentrated as a standard bag of Kratom powders. If you are new to Kratom powders, you should try to stick with the standard dosing before graduating to the more potent products. Once you figure out the best dosage for yourself, you can then tailor your research. 

For the concentration to be increased to extract levels, the raw Kratom powder undergoes further processing. The powder is added to water, which is then heated at a high temperature. Once the liquid boils, it reduces into a thick substance. This darker green paste is then left to dry. Once it has dried out on a large sheet, it is broken up and ground down into extract powders. If you don’t see the denotation of the higher concentration, check the color. Extract powders will be much darker than the standard less-potent powders. 

Using Kratom Powder At Home

When buying Kratom powder, you will be able to use it to create various products. The reason why powders are the most popular is because of their potential. When you buy a powder, you are also allowing yourself to widen your experiments’ scope compared to buying something less versatile. Some people choose to encapsulate the powder themself into pre-measured powders. Doing this provides convenience, making it ideal for researchers who are on the go and want to guarantee consistency across all capsules. 

You can also use the powder to make Kratom tea. You can make tea by adding a teaspoon of powder to hot water along with your favorite tea. Some people even try adding the powder to a smoothie or while baking. With a bit of experimentation, you can find out the best way to use your Kratom powder. There are many recipes online for DIY soaps, hand creams, and other beauty and wellness products that all harness the plant’s power. 

Sourcing The Best, High-Grade Kratom Powder

The most crucial step to take before using any Kratom products for your research purposes is to find the right source. Where you are buying your Kratom dramatically affects the product’s quality and the people behind the operation. If you are buying Kratom from a trustworthy source, you can count on the company compensating their farmers fairly in Southeast Asia while practicing ethical and fair trade business. On the other hand, if you source your Kratom powder from a company running a shady operation, you may end up with low-quality Kratom while simultaneously supporting a scammer. 

As Kratom currently stands in a precarious position in regulators’ eyes worldwide, researchers and educators must be using the product responsibly. While Kratom powder may be available for research purposes in the United States and several other countries, further work needs to be done to get into governmental agencies’ good books. By buying from a reputable source and getting information from advocacy groups such as the American Kratom Association, and learning as much about the product, you can better inform your studies. 

The more people who choose to buy Kratom products from vendors actively supporting sustainable operations in Southeast Asia, the more likely Kratom will become fully accepted as a medicinal substance. The farmer’s traditional harvesting techniques and professional processing techniques, which include lab testing, ensure that all the products you buy from a reputable source will give you the Kratom experience that you deserve. 

If you have questions about Kratom and other products, contact a trustworthy supplier or an advocacy group. Once you do some of your research, you can then share your experiments with other enthusiasts worldwide. As a positive reputation spreads about Kratom and the powder, more people will benefit from its beneficial properties. Hopefully, in the coming years, Kratom earns the respect of nations around the world.