What is Kava? Piper methysticum, better known as kava or kava kava, is a very interesting plant that is found growing throughout Oceania on islands such as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Samoa and the Solomon islands. Kava even grows on Hawaii but does not appear to be endemic to Hawaii and was likely brought over by ancient explorers from Oceania. The occurrence of Kava on Hawaii is quite fascinating as it gives us clues to ancient migration patterns but also to the importance of Kava. Even more interesting is the fact that Kava meant for consumption (Noble Kava) cannot reproduce which means that its propagation is solely due to humans taking cuttings of Kava plants and propagating them. This also means that without constant human interference for thousands of years, we wouldn’t be enjoying the benefits of Kava today! This again goes to show just how important Kava was throughout Oceania because why else would you go through the trouble of keeping Noble Kava alive for so long? This also brings up some additional interesting questions, such as where did Noble Kava originate and was it entirely due to human activity? This is still a big unknown, which further adds mystery and intrigue to the world of Kava! Kava Benefits Kava may help promote relaxation Kava may help promote a positive mood Kava may help support pain management Kava may help promote cognitive function Attention: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.