In recent news, the Hawaii Department of Health announced that kava prepared the traditional way, with water and coconut water, is considered Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). This is a significant kava drink safety determination because it recognizes kava’s long and rich history of helping to ease anxiety, lift moods, soothe feelings of depression, and promote a good night’s sleep. Read on as we delve into the Hawaii Department of Health’s GRAS determination of kava and explain how kava has been safely consumed for centuries.
Kava Drink Safety: GRAS vs. Non-GRAS
Generally Recognized as Safe, also known as GRAS, is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation that means any substance added to food is recognized by experts as safe for the conditions of its intended use. A non-GRAS designation is when a food additive can be added to food, but it is still subject to approval by the FDA.
In the U.S., the FDA designates kava as non-GRAS, because they have labeled it as a “supplement” and, therefore, it cannot be used in foods or beverages as an ingredient. At Kalm with Kava, we feel this is a misunderstanding and misclassification of kava because the historical and cultural use of drinking kava has shown how kava can be a reliable beverage to help relax your mind and calm your body and has been an important tradition of most South Pacific island nations for hundreds of years.
The History of Kava Drinking
Looking back to its origins, kava has been consumed safely for centuries. While the Western world first mentions kava in 1616, natives of the South Pacific have consumed kava for far longer. It is also an important tradition of most Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and South Pacific island cultures and is ingrained in everyday life and ceremonies that carry on to this day. For instance, kava drinking has been a part of reverent ceremonies since ancient times, and in addition to ceremonial purposes, it is also used for births, weddings, and anniversary celebrations. Plus, it is used for medicinal purposes as well. It is because of this “overwhelming historical precedent for kava as a traditional beverage” that Hawaii’s Department of Health classified kava as a GRAS food product “due to its long-term use prior to 1958.”
Hawaii Department of Health Designates Kava as GRAS
Concerning kava safety, Hawaii’s Department of Health recognized that kava has been safely consumed in the South Pacific community “for more than 2,000 years and more recently in other nearby communities.” They determined that during kava’s long history of usage, there has been “little documented evidence of adverse health effects associated with moderate kava consumption.”
The Hawaii Department of Health went on to further cite the World Health Organization’s study, which debunks that kava causes liver damage. That study reported that the consumption of traditional kava root beverages, prepared with water or coconut water, had minimal health risks and was shown not to cause liver damage.
In their concluding determination regarding kava drink safety, the Hawaii Department of Health stated, “that the use of the noble variety of ‘awa root, mixed with water or coconut water to make a beverage through aqueous extraction, as comporting with the substance and intent of the exception detailed in 21 CFR §170.30(c)(1) determines ‘awa to be GRAS.” This means that when mixed with water or coconut water, kava is Generally Recognized as Safe for consumption.
This designation is a significant win for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have drunk kava as an integral part of their culture for centuries and for everyone who enjoys the calming effects kava provides.
Hawaii’s Not the Only State to Label Kava GRAS
The Hawaii Department of Health is not the only state agency to take a closer look at the GRAS designation of kava. Michigan, too, has determined that the noble variety of kava root, when mixed with water to make a tea, is considered Generally Recognized as Safe for consumption.
Michigan came to this conclusion based on the findings of the World Health Organization’s report that kava does not cause liver damage. It is significant that Michigan has designated kava as GRAS because it makes kava more accessible to everyone who enjoys kava benefits such as helping soothe anxiety and lift moods.
Questions about Kava Drink Safety?
Over the last decade, the popularity of kava has spread worldwide as more and more people discover its helpful relaxation effects. GRAS determinations by Hawaii and Michigan and reports about kava’s safety by the World Health Organization help demystify kava and make it more accessible for those wanting to experience kava’s soothing calm. To learn more about kava drink safety, check out our kava safety guide. Discover our Kava 101 hub, where we share helpful kava information about its history, kava culture, kava effects, and trying kava for the first time.
If you are seeking ways to help ease your anxiety or lift your mood, our high-quality kava is sourced directly from small Pacific Island farmers for freshness and strong relaxation effects. From Medium Grind Pouni Ono, which helps you feel relaxed, happy, and alert to our Borongoru Vanuatu kava which helps aid in a good night’s sleep, shop our seven varieties of kava root and more to find the right kava variety for you.
