Phyto

Georgia State Senate Unanimously Approves Kratom Bill

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Another legislatively victory for the kratom community! The Georgia State Senate has unanimously passed the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, following its approval in the Georgia House by an overwhelming 164-1 vote. The bill now goes to the Governor’s office, to be signed into law.

The Kratom Consumer Protection Act will keep consumers safe from adulterated or mislabeled kratom products. It will also ensure the future of kratom by demanding that responsible, compliant vendors step up to lead the industry. We applaud the work of the American Kratom Association, organizing and educating in Georgia. Of course, this progress would not be possible without the political will and engagement of kratom consumers like you.

Phytoextractum is a proud supporter of the American Kratom Association, and we hope our customers will be too! Their important work is funded by donations and volunteer work from vendors and consumers. Please support the AKA however you are able!

Georgia Update from the AKA:

Georgia State Senate Unanimously Approves Kratom Bill

Utah Passes Kratom Consumer Protection Act

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We’ve just learned from the American Kratom Association that the Kratom Consumer Protection Act has been passed and signed into law in Utah! This important legislation will protect kratom consumers from adulterated, contaminated, and mislabeled products and will encourage a responsible and compliant kratom industry.

We are grateful to the AKA for their leadership on this issue and their diligence in educating Utah’s lawmakers about kratom, to the legislators who championed our cause, and to all the vendors and consumers who supported this effort on the ground in various ways.

Because of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, consumers are safer – and so is kratom. Phytoextractum is proud to support the AKA’s important work and to be an AKA GMP Qualified Kratom Vendor. We encourage all kratom consumers to learn more about the AKA’s efforts and to support them however you can!

From the American Kratom Association:

Phytoextractum is an AKA GMP Qualified Kratom Vendor

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Phytoextractum is proud to be an American Kratom Association Good Manufacturing Practices Qualified Kratom Vendor. This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to compliance, cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices), and our customers. Here are a just a few of the recent improvements we’ve implemented:

• Environmental controls to test for pathogens in the facility
• Revamped sanitation controls policies and procedures
• More rigorous screening process for suppliers and products
• Milling and blending process to allow for more accurate testing
• More comprehensive testing protocols
• The use of two or more labs in testing our product

We have always employed extremely stringent receiving, testing, and quarantine procedures to ensure the safety and purity of our products. Within the last few months, we’ve enhanced these processes so we can be sure that we identify any potential contamination or adulteration. We’ve moved our testing to new labs (with a secondary lab acting as a failsafe), and we’re sharing our educational resources with suppliers as well as other vendors. Our company is taking all measures necessary not only to guarantee the safety of our customers, but also to protect our industry as a whole.  

Phytoextractum only offers Kratom Tea products for sale that are tested for identification, heavy metals content ([AOAC 2013.06] Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury) and for microbial safety (Aerobic Plate Count [AOAC 990.12], Yeast and Mold [AOAC 997.02], Coliforms and E Coli [AOAC 991.4], and Salmonella [AOAC-RI 050701]), and only products which pass these tests will be available to order.

We hope all kratom companies will take seriously their responsibility to prevent unsafe products from entering the market, and we urge consumers to conduct due diligence when choosing a kratom vendor. Don’t be afraid to ask important questions about their manufacturing practices and testing, or to request Certificates of Analysis from accredited laboratories. Reputable vendors will have no problem answering these queries and should be able to provide you with information about their products and processes.

American Kratom Association Phytoextractum

The health and safety of kratom consumers is important to us. It’s why we aim to be compliant with Good Manufacturing Practices and why we’ve recently undergone a third party audit of our facility and processes. The Phytoextractum team is steadfast in our commitment to providing safe and effective products for our customers and we appreciate the opportunity to serve you!

Potential Scheduling & Kratom Ban in Indonesia

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The American Kratom Association recently learned that the Indonesian government, through the Minister of Health, has made a proposal that would categorize kratom as a Schedule I drug. If enacted, this policy would ban kratom exports to the United States, essentially cutting off an important supply chain for American kratom companies and consumers.

The AKA, along with the Botanical Education Alliance and support from vendors like us, has assembled a delegation of lawmakers, policy experts, and scientists to go to Indonesia and meet with high-ranking government officials there. They will make the case, from a policy, science, and economic perspective, that Indonesia should not embark upon this course of action.

Members of the delegation include former Congressman Matt Salmon (a key supporter in 2016 with extensive foreign relations experience in Southeast Asia), Utah State Senator Bramble (sponsor of Utah’s Kratom Consumer Protection Act and chair of the National Conference of State Legislators Foundation International Committee), and kratom researcher Dr. Jack Henningfield. They will be meeting with Indonesia’s Ministry of Health and the Indonesian equivalent of the DEA, as well as with Indonesian kratom growers.

This is a critical moment for the US kratom industry and for kratom consumers everywhere. Please consider a donation to the American Kratom Association to support their delegation’s trip to Indonesia. Your donations are greatly appreciated!

Donate to the AKA today!

How to Prepare Kava Tea: 5 Methods To Try At Home

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Kava is one of those fascinating substances that has been around for a very long time. Once used medicinally and for ceremonies in Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian countries, kava has grown in popularity as a type of supplement in recent years.

With a 3,00 year long history, there are sure to be a lot of different ways that this substance can be prepared! The tradition methods can still be used, but there are also more efficient and effective ways to prep kava as technology has improved.

Today, we’ll introduce the various ways of making kava tea and help you understand how to prepare the tea properly.

Method #1: Traditional Kava Tea Preparation

The first way that you should learn how to prepare kava tea is via the traditional method. This is how the tea was brewed in many areas for hundreds of years. While it may be a less practical brewing method in today’s world, the rich history of this brewing method makes it a great choice.

This method might sound a bit wild at first, but this is really how the tea was prepared!

Kava root would be gathered. Then, female virgins were to chew this root into a pulp. Because the root is so tough to chew, it would be very difficult to do this, and it caused a lot of damage to the teeth.

Once the root was broken into a pulp, this was spit into a leaf. Water would be strained through the pulp in order to brew the tea.

As you can imagine, many young women did not want to have to keep doing this. Once they got married, they were no longer required to do this duty as it was something that only unmarried women were meant to do.

Method #2: Brewing Modern Kava Tea in Traditional Areas

If you visit areas where kava tea is still very popular due to its history in the area, you are not likely to see a team of virgin women chewing up the root. In addition to this not being very practical, it would be nearly impossible to make enough kava pulp for bars and visitors.

Today, fresh kava root is ground up using a manual grinder. Once the pulp is made, it is mixed with water and then strained through a fine, mesh strainer. This method, which is much more sanitary than the previous method, is much more manageable on a large scale.

Method #3: Kava Tea At Home with Strainer Bags

This is what you’ve been waiting for, right? How to make your own kava tea at home; coming right up!

Here’s what you should do:

  1. Put one part kava into a strainer bag.
  2. Put three parts warm water (not hot!) into a large bowl, and then put the strainer bag into the water.
  3. Reach your hands into the bowl and begin to knead and squeeze the strainer bag for at least 10 minutes. Be sure to use a lot of pressure.
  4. After the time is up, squeeze the bag as dry as possible.
  5. Consume it as quickly as possible!

As you can see, this method of brewing at home can be a bit labor intensive. Still, kneading the dry root with warm water in this way helps to break it down and release the beneficial antioxidants of kava more effectively than a short soaking.

Method #4: No-Kneading At Home Method

If you want to make kava tea at home but aren’t keen on the idea of kneading a strainer bag for 10 minutes, this is the method for you.

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Get a fine mesh strainer for dry pressed root or a muslin tea bag for powdered kava.
  2. Add this strainer to your beverage of choice which should be cold or room temperature. Brewing in a hot liquid will ruin the beneficial properties of kava!
  3. Let it brew for at least 10 minutes; the longer, the better.
  4. Once brewing is complete, squeeze any remaining liquid out of the kava grounds before discarding them.
  5. Enjoy your drink!

If this still sounds like too much work for you, you may want to invest in instant kava. Instant kava mixes are made from pre-extracted kava. You can simply mix these into a beverage and be on your way to feeling better!

Method #5: Bulk Brewing Kava Tea

When you make kava in this way, you can make it in nearly any drink that you would like. While many people just use water, adding some type of fat can improve the extraction process. Try using all milk or mixing in one part milk to two parts water before brewing. You can even brew in a juice like a pineapple or a papaya juice!

Some companies that brew kava tea to sell it in bulk use a different method. In this method, the root is never ground up. Instead, the dry root is put into huge strainer bags with a lot of water. After it soaks for a designated about of time, big press machines press the liquid out of the bag to complete the delicious and efficient tea brewing.

This, of course, isn’t a method that you’ll be able to do at home. You can replicate something similar with a french press at home. Add kava and water to the press and let it soak for up to 10 hours. Press the kava tea, strain it, and then restrain the kava until it is not gritty. That’s it!

Explore Kava Tea Preparations!

Most kava tea preparations will have similar results as long as you do not accidentally deactivate the kava by using water that is too hot. Keep the water cold and explore different brewing methods until you find the one that is the easiest for you to do at home.

Remember, no matter how you brew it, kava tea doesn’t have the best taste on its own! Most people follow the tea with a chaser of fruit juice or another acidic and potent flavor that can cut away the earthy flavor of kava tea. Enjoy!

Meet The Amazing Mushrooms at Phytoextractum

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Here at Phytoextractum, we’re excited to be able to offer a wide variety of products in many categories that may be able to help you have a better life. One of our products that are growing in popularity is our mushroom products.

In all, we have 12 different mushroom products. Each of these amazing mushrooms has its own benefits and characteristics. Today, you’ll get to learn all about the mushroom that we have to offer!

Whole Mushrooms & Powders

The first categories of mushroom products that we have are whole mushrooms and mushroom powders. As powders are largely more popular, we have a larger variety of them available at this time. We also stock plenty of encapsulated mushroom powders, both individual mushroom varieties and blends.

With the exception of the Inonotus obliquus Chaga Mushroom products, all of our products are what is known as pure mycelium mushroom powder. Mycelium is extracted from the mushrooms through a liquid extraction process and has benefits very similar to whole mushrooms. Mycelium can be purified and is often used in wellness products.

Let’s get to know these mushroom products.

Antrodia Powder

Antrodia is traditionally grown on the bark of a cinnamon tree known as Cinnamomum kanehirai. This tree is native to the high altitude mountainous regions of Taiwan, but the trees have become protected due to over-harvesting. Antrodia is now harvested more sustainably.

Cordyceps militaris – Cordyceps Powder

Next up is Cordyceps militaris, a mushroom powder that originates at high altitudes in China and around the world where it grows on a caterpillar. In traditional Tibetan medicine, this mushroom was used to restore general wellness.

Ganoderma lucidum – Reishi Powder

Ganoderma lucidum is a Reishi mushroom powder that grows on many different hardwoods around the world; in fact, this is one of the easiest mushrooms to grow due to its hardiness.

Reishi Powder

Grifola frondosa – Maitake Powder

Grifola frondosa is also known as the maitake mushroom. Traditionally, maitake mushrooms have been known to help regulate various systems of the body.

Hericium erinaceus – Lion’s Mane Powder

Next up is Hericium erinaceus, also known as Lion’s Mane mushroom powder. In Chinese medicine, these varieties of mushrooms have been used for thousands of years.

Inonotus obliquus – Chaga Mushroom Powder & Whole Mushroom

The Inonotus obliquus is available as both a mushroom powder and a whole mushroom product. Chaga mushrooms like Inonotus obliquus have roots in Russian medicine.

Lentinula edodes – Shiitake Powder

Lentinula edodes is the overarching species of shiitake mushrooms. These mushrooms have been a popular food for many years, and their benefits are more than just caloric! This is a very adaptable mushroom that can grow around the world, but it was originally found in China and Japan.

Pleurotus eryngii – King Oyster Powder

The King Oyster mushroom is found around the world but originally was cultivated in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and northern African regions. Like other oyster mushrooms, they have a thick, meaty body.

Trametes versicolor – Turkey Tail Powder

Trametes versicolor, also known as Turkey Tail, was historically used in Chinese medicine traditions. Scientists have found that it has high antioxidant properties.

Chaga Extract

Extracts

In addition to powders, we are proud to offer two different mushroom extracts which have their own unique serving recommendations and properties.

Chaga Mushroom Extract Liquid

Our Chaga mushroom products are also available as a mushroom extract liquid. Like the powder and whole pieces, this liquid is extracted from Chaga mushrooms which usually grow on birch trees.

Reishi Mushroom Liquid Extract

Our final product to introduce is our Reishi mushroom extract; this extract is made from the Reishi mushroom which has been used for thousands of years in traditional societies.

Add Mushrooms To Your Life

While science has quickly been showing that all of these mushroom varieties can have huge benefits for your body, not all of these mushrooms can be eaten or easily digested. That is why we are excited to offer powders and extracts that harness the benefits of these mushrooms in a digestible form. Which mushrooms will you add to your life?