Kratom, like all alkaloid-containing materials, tastes chronically bad. It is nature's great joke that some of her most inviting plants taste just awful. Mescaline and yohimbine, magic mushroom and syrian rue and of course kratom fans will know that opening the doors of perception is often accompanied by a shocking flavour.

Chewing leaves straight from the tree is a touch bitter, but quite tolerable. Dried leaf that is substantially more concentrated can be a challenge to get past the gag reflex. The olfactory system recoils in horror at the difficult to disguise bitter strength of dried kratom leaf and even more so with concentrated resins.

The desire by humans to overcome this obstacle is a firm affirmation of the effectiveness of kratom as a stimulant and sedative, medicine and entheogen.

Kratom tolerance is a very real thing and it pays to be aware from the very beginning that overindulgence too soon can result in quick tolerance build-up, stagnate strain syndrome or desensitization leading to addiction. Kratom withdrawal side effects can be nasty. It is wise then to be very aware of the potential for overuse from the very start. Having patience while enjoying some downtime is preferable for your personal health and state of mind than upping dosages to keep the euphoria flowing.

Dosage sizes are only anecdotal, as there are many varying factors. Kratom strain and strength, body weight and metabolism, amount of sleep and use of other substances all play a role in the effectiveness of kratom. Over the months, as you juggle all the factors, you will discover a personal regimen unique to you that gives you your desired effects every time.

AS A BEVERAGE

Alkaloid fans will know that hiding that super distinctive bitter taste is difficult. Kratom is no different. Citrus juices help, Moroccan style orange squeezes with the chunks still in work well. Grapefruit juice has a bitterness all its own and masks the kratom flavor satisfactorily, but there is no escaping the viscous change in texture. Very cold drinks seem to mask the flavour and viscosity better and can be skolled faster. Eating something salty like potato crisps while drinking curbs the bitter effect as well.

Boiling the powder in water to make a tea is as simple as a pot on a gentle flame and ten minutes of stirring. Strain into a mug and sip, wince and make the bitter face. Anticipation of delight to come girds resolve, sip again, wince, etc. Before the mug is finished, you are drawn on for more as the effects start to hint at the back of your eyeballs and tickle your cerebellum.

Alkaloids are soluble in alcohol. Soaking kratom powder in your favourite spirit overnight can vivify your favourite tipple considerably. Put some groovy baby in your vodka, whiskey or rum. Your aperitifs will be delightfully turbocharged and absorbed quickly by the body.

AS A SNACK

The effects of the alkaloids are affected by heat, but you can try baking. Heavily flavoured cakes or cookies are ideal and yummy washed down with a coffee. It will take some experimenting to get the flavour combination right. If you are oven illiterate, then try mixing the powder with oatmeal, swirling in some yoghurt or chill after mixing in a tin of applesauce with a few cloves stirred in for nice spice.

Food may delay the onset of effects, as the body will need to digest all the food to get at all the alkaloids. The effect itself is not compromised though, simply on a different absorption time scale.

PRE-PREPARED AND TASTE FREE

Kratom powder in pre-measured capsules are available. You may also buy empty capsules and fill them yourself with your favourites. Usually containing half a gram of your select powder, this is dosing made super easy and taste free. If you are sensitive to strong flavours, then capsules are a good way to enjoy kratom.

Pre-measured doses makes finding what is right for you simpler than weighing and measuring. Simply keep track of how much and the combinations you use and discover what is your custom level. Wash down your capsules with grapefruit juice, which is a known potentiator of kratom.

CONCENTRATE INTENSITY

Kratom resin is available in differing strengths and is quite powerful. Boiling and reducing kratom continuously produces a very thick, very concentrated extract. The resins are graded on a number scale that indicates the grams per gram of alkaloid concentration. A rating of 8 means that eight grams of leaf have been concentrated into one gram of resin. Simply break off and ingest a small chunk.

Similarly, tinctures are extremely concentrated. A mere drop or two under the tongue is more than enough to guarantee strong effects for several hours. These strengths should surely be avoided by the novice until they have enough experience to make an informed decision.

Arming yourself with knowledge before setting off on your kratom adventures will help you enjoy and be safe and well.