Kratom vs. Caffeine
kratom
21 Dec, 2021
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Kratom vs. Caffeine
Kratom vs. Caffeine
Caffeine has been perking humans up for millennia. Tea drinkers date back to 3000 BC in China, and the first coffee is thought to have been consumed in Ethiopia in the 9th Century. Caffeine is nothing new.
Of all the forms caffeine takes, such as tea, coffee, sodas, and energy drinks, by far the most popular is coffee. It is estimated that around the world, 2.5 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily.
Caffeine is loved for its stimulant properties. Another natural stimulant is Kratom, and many people are starting to either replace, alternate or blend their morning cup of Joe with Kratom. We will take a deeper look at how caffeine and Kratom measure up so you know how and when to use them to kick-start your morning and stay focused during your workday.
In this article, you will learn:
- What is caffeine?
- What is Kratom?
- Does Kratom contain caffeine?
- Is Kratom related to coffee?
- Kratom vs. coffee benefits
- Can you mix coffee and Kratom?
- What are the best Kratom strains to mix with coffee?
- How to blend coffee and Kratom
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a bitter white powder derived from plants such as coffee beans, cacao beans, tea leaves, kola nuts, yerba mate, and guarana. Caffeine is an alkaloid that acts as a natural insecticide in these plants, and in humans, it helps to boost energy and focus, improve memory, and decrease fatigue and appetite.
The recommended daily allowance of caffeine, according to the FDA, is 400 milligrams. This equates to 4.2 cups of home-brewed coffee, 2.2 cups of coffee shop coffee, 8.5 cups of black tea, or 16.6 cups of green tea.
What is Kratom?
Kratom, or Mitragyna speciosa, is a tropical tree of the coffee family that grows predominantly in Southeast Asia. Its leaves contain the active alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. The leaves can contain up to 2% mitragynine, which is responsible for Kratom’s pain-relieving and sedative properties. They contain a lower amount of 7-hydroxymitragynine, but this is more potent and is responsible for the stimulant properties of Kratom.
The strength of the different alkaloids in Kratom depends on where the plant is grown, how mature it is, and the soil conditions. If the soil has a higher nitrogen content, the tree tends to produce stronger alkaloids.
There are three colors of Kratom, which denote the color of the veins in the leaf: White Vein Kratom, Green Vein Kratom, and Red Vein Kratom. White Vein Kratom tends to have a higher amount of 7-hydroxymitragynine and is more stimulating. Green and Red Vein Kratom tend to have higher levels of mitragynine, so they can have sedative and analgesic properties. There is also Yellow/Gold Kratom, which is created using a different drying technique.
The dosage of Kratom also determines its effects. If you take a small dose, you’ll likely get a stimulating, perking-up effect reminiscent of when you drink a strong coffee. In larger doses, the effect tends to be more sedative.
Does Kratom contain caffeine?
Kratom does not contain caffeine. This means if you are trying not to overdo your caffeine intake but still need a pick-me-up, you can alternate between caffeine and Kratom. This will also help slow the process of building up a tolerance to either.
Is Kratom related to coffee?
Kratom and coffee are both from trees of the coffee plant or Rubicae family. Coffee trees are smaller and the alkaloid, caffeine, is found in the pits of their fruit (beans). Kratom trees are larger and their alkaloids are found in their leaves. Coffee trees are grown mainly in East and West Africa, South America, and some parts of Asia. Kratom trees are grown predominantly in Southeast Asia.
Kratom vs. coffee benefits
The difference in terms of effects is that caffeine is purely a stimulant, whereas the alkaloids in Kratom can give a sense of euphoria or well-being, enhance mood, help manage anxiety or stress, and aid with sleep and pain relief. They can act as both stimulant and sedative depending on the vein, strain, and dosage you take.
Can you mix Kratom with coffee?
You can choose to fully replace coffee with Kratom to start your day, alternate between coffee and Kratom to avoid building a tolerance or having too much of either, or mix the two (with care).
What are the best Kratom strains to mix with coffee?
Replacing
Some good strains that will give you a similar (if not better) effect to coffee are:
Alternat to avoid building a tolerance
These strains are good for alternating with coffee:
Blending
Some complementary strains that will blend well with your coffee are Green Vein Kratom, White Vein Kratom and Yellow/Gold Kratom, which can all be moderately and adequately stimulating.
Some options are:
How to blend Kratom and coffee
You can either blend Kratom powder with already-brewed coffee, blend Kratom tea with already-brewed coffee, or mix your Kratom powder with your coffee powder before you brew it. Kingdom Kratom will debut a coffee-flavored coffee extra shot within the next few weeks — stay tuned!
One thing to note is that the water should stay between 195-205°F so that the coffee is not burned and the alkaloids in both don’t get destroyed.
Dosage
The optimal dosage depends on your sensitivity to stimulants. You would usually take 1-3 grams of Kratom to get a stimulating effect. If you mix Kratom with coffee, we recommend taking less Kratom. If you feel anxious or jittery, reduce the Kratom dosage further.
Takeaway
Kratom and coffee are cousins and have similar stimulating effects. You can replace, alternate, or combine coffee with Kratom. If you would like to discuss which strain and dosage are right for your morning energy boost, our team of passionate experts here at Kingdom Kratom is available to answer your questions. We also offer Kratom sample packs so you can determine which strain or form is the best fit for you.
I absolutely really enjoyed White Samarinda. It put me in a pleasant mood didn’t give me super woman powers like the White Maeng Da but it did wake me up. I haven’t tried Kingdoms white Maeng Da yet but I just ordered it. So I’ll see.. So far I’ve enjoyed Kingdom Kratom more than other Kratom vendors. Thanks Kingdom Kratom