Is Kratom Tea Stronger Than Powder? Find Out

Kratom tea is not stronger than powder. When powder is used in its raw form via the toss and wash, one hundred percent of the alkaloids are consumed and absorbed into the bloodstream. On the contrary, when kratom tea is prepared, some of the alkaloids are lost during the extraction process, as they stay behind on the plant material. Thus, kratom tea requires a larger quantity of powder to produce equally potent results as powder taken via the toss and wash.

However, did you know you can potentiate kratom tea to provide a stronger experience? I’ll be happy to share these tips with you here in this post. 

For the sake of clarity, kratom tea is also made with kratom powder. However, when people ask me this question, what they’re really asking is, “is kratom tea stronger than taking powder via the toss and wash.”

The toss and wash is a method of consumption that involves taking a spoonful of raw powder, swirling it around your mouth with water, and gulping it down. It’s highly unpleasant, but it gets the job done.

So, is kratom tea stronger than the toss and wash? The answer is no! Kratom tea is NOT stronger than using powder via the toss and wash.

The truth is kratom powder produces much stronger results, and they last longer as well. 

Kratom leaves contain many alkaloids which are responsible for its many amazing benefits. However, two in particular, Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine, bear the majority of the responsibility, with the former more so than the latter.

A higher concentration of alkaloids per leaf translates to a more potent strain. When the leaves are harvested, they are dried in a process called curing, sometimes fermented (depending on the strain), and grounded into a fine powder that we use to prepare teas, make capsules, or taken as is.

When you take powder via the toss and wash, you’re consuming one hundred percent of the plant material, which means none of the alkaloids go to waste.

On the contrary, kratom tea is a type of extraction, which means the alkaloids are extracted out of the powder using heat and a solvent (water). Unfortunately, during this process some of the alkaloids are lost or stay behind in the powder. Thus, less alkaloids are absorbed into your bloodstream.

Therefore, kratom tea will require a larger amount of powder to produce the same results as the toss and wash (double in my opinion) but I digress. If you want to learn how to make kratom tea, check out this post I wrote called, “How To Make Kratom Tea: My 3 Favorite Recipes.”

Additionally, some of the alkaloids may be destroyed when exposed to the boiling water, which is why you’re never supposed to boil kratom. Instead, you steep it in boiling water. However, the initial exposure to the boiling water can have damaging effects on the alkaloids. 

Pros:

• Kicks in the fastest 3-5 minutes (faster than toss and wash)
• Potent results

Cons:

• Experience doesn’t last as long toss and wash
• Inconvenient (takes a while to prepare)
• Unpleasant taste
• Less cost effective

As I’ve previously mentioned, kratom tea is made using the same powder that’s taken via the toss and wash. However, it needs to be prepared as a tea.

Assuming you’re making the tea via a hot infusion (boiling water and steeping kratom), you’re looking at roughly 30 minutes preparation time. Not very ideal for someone with a busy schedule.

Additionally, since kratom tea is a liquid, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, which is why the results don’t last as long either.

Let me put things into perspective regarding taste. I can easily tolerate the toss and wash, but for some reason I can’t say the same for kratom tea. Both are bitter, but kratom tea has a different type of bitterness that I really don’t like. Even after I mask it with sweeteners, it’s still not the same.

You’ll simply have to find out for yourself whether you enjoy the taste of kratom tea. 

Pros:

• Kicks in fast 5-10 minutes
• Most cost effective
• Most potent results
• Results last longer than tea
• Super convenient (only a spoon and water is needed)

Cons:

• Unpleasant taste

The toss and wash is how I use kratom 99.99% of the time. However, it may not be suitable for everyone.

Many of my friends and family have not been able to handle the taste and texture of raw kratom powder, and understandably so. Unlike crystallized powder like salt or sugar, kratom powder is very fine and soft. However, when you mix it with water it turns into gunk, and feels like you’re swallowing mud and dirt.

On the brightside, if you can tolerate the taste and texture, expect very potent results very quickly without the need for preparation. This makes the toss and wash very ideal for people with busy schedules.

Additionally, since all you need is kratom powder, using the toss and wash method is the most cost effective way to use kratom.

Now that you know the difference between the two, you might be wondering whether there is a third option, and the answer is yes. Enter kratom pills / capsules.

Kratom capsules have their own distinct pros and cons, which you can read about in this post I wrote titled, “Kratom Tea vs Pills: The Final Verdict.” 

Yes, you can make kratom tea and powder stronger without increasing the quantity of kratom. It’s not a huge difference, but it’s definitely noticeable.

To make your kratom tea stronger or powder, you must infuse it with one or more kratom potentiators, all of which are natural substances just like kratom.

Some potentiators, like magnesium, help reduce your tolerance to kratom, others increase the absorption rate, and some like caffeine simply amplify the potency of the results.

These potentiators include:

• Magnesium
• Cayenne Pepper
• Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
• Caffeine
• Grapefruit

Should you decide to use magnesium to potentiate kratom, make sure to use it daily. Using it for the first time will not make even the slightest difference. The time of day which you decide to take it is not important.

When using cayenne pepper and ACV, I like to add them to my kratom tea during the steeping process. I don’t recommend using cayenne pepper or ACV with the toss and wash, as that may result in a very bad experience.

When I use caffeine with kratom tea, I usually sip on both beverages at the same time. The type of caffeine doesn’t matter. I’ve used coffee and energy drinks, and both work well.

Last but not least, I like to add grapefruit to my tea during the steeping process, just like I would with cayenne pepper and ACV. However, if I’m using it via the toss and wash, I’ll use grapefruit juice instead of water to gulp down the spoonful of powder.

Let’s say you made a not-so delicious kratom tea, but want to save the rest for later. Don’t make the mistake of drinking expired tea! Play it safe, and check out this post I wrote called, “How Long Does Kratom Tea Last In The Fridge: Safety First.”