Red vs White Kratom: Choose Wisely

Allow me to provide a little background context to better explain kratom colors. Kratom, also known as Mitragyna Speciosa, is an 80ft tree originating from the tropical regions of Southeast Asia.

Kratom is offered in four different colors, including:

• Red
• White
• Green
• Yellow

Each color generally offers the same combination of effects, with the exception of a few outliers. However, they differ with regard to potency.

For example, Red Bali and Red Borneo offer the same effects, but Red Bali is more potent.

Red strains are generally a dark shade of red which almost look brown. However, we’ve had people call in complaining about their red strains looking more like green strains than red. This is absolutely normal.

If a red strain is harvested a bit earlier in its maturity, it may end up looking more green than red.

White strains are not actually white. They are more like a very light shade of green.

With regard to taste, all kratom colors are bitter. However, red strains tend to be less bitter than white strains. Red powder is also a bit tougher to filter when making tea, as the consistency of the powder is different than whites.

The color of the strain is dependent on a few factors, including:

• Maturity stage (when leaves are harvested)
• Drying process AKA Curing
• Fermentation 

In order to produce a red strain, kratom leaves must be harvested later in their maturity stage. Additionally, the leaves are dried using a lot of sunlight and/or artificial UV light.

In certain cases, the leaves undergo a certain fermentation process, such as the one used to produce the Bentuangie strain. Some kratom enthusiasts believe fermentation is the process used to create yellow and gold strains, but I digress. 

White strain leaves are harvested early in the trees’ maturity, hence the lighter color. They’re also dried without any exposure to sunlight and indoors. 

If you’ve never used kratom, take a look at the table below for the suggested starting doses. Just make sure not to take kratom twice on the same day if it’s your first few times, as doing so significantly increases your chances of experiencing side effects. 

Both red and white strains are capable of producing unwanted side effects. The most common reasons for these side effects are not drinking enough water and/or taking more kratom than your body can handle.

If you don’t drink enough water, you may experience:

1. Constipation
2. Dry Mouth

If you take too much kratom, the consequences are a bit more unpleasant. You may experience:

1. Nausea
2. Vomit

I have experienced all of the side effects with the exception of vomiting on more than one occasion. Fortunately, none are lethal and will go away on their own within a couple of hours.