Kava Stress Relief

Tea type
Herbal Tea
Ingredients
Cardamon Seed, Carob, Cinnamon Bark, Ginger Root, Hazelnut Natural Flavouring, Kava Kava Root, Licorice, Natural Flavours, Organic Flavours, Sarsaparilla, Stevia Leaf
Flavors
Chocolate, Cinnamon, Lavender, Licorice, Biting, Spices, Anise, Clove, Spicy, Cloves, Cocoa, Sarsaparilla, Sweet, Vanilla, Cardamom
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Tea Bag
Caffeine
Caffeine Free
Certification
Kosher
Edit tea info Last updated by derk
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 6 min, 0 sec 2 g 11 oz / 316 ml

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61 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I am updating this because I just went through my new box already! I checked and that means that my husband and I drank 16 sachets of this in less than a week! O.O Damn tea, you popular! I have to...” Read full tasting note
    100
  • “My daughter signed up for a free sample from Yogi tea and got the stress relief sample for me. This tea and Bedtime were the two included. Last night my hubby, who has had a cold for about a week...” Read full tasting note
  • “WARNING: Read the label before drinking this tea! Where to start? This is my first Yogi tea. This one in particular was recommended to me by a friend. It’s advertised to “ease tension and...” Read full tasting note
  • “idk why steepster is broken on my computer but will work on my phone. I haven’t been able to make regular posts in days. And posting from my phone is not fun and full of typos. I drank this tea as...” Read full tasting note

From Yogi Tea

WARNING: Read the label before drinking this tea!

When stress has a hold on you, take a break and brew a cup of Kava Stress Relief®. Native to Oceania and the South Pacific Islands, kava has traditionally been cultivated for its power to calm the body and mind and encourage a good night’s sleep. Kava is also recognized for its ability to promote a state of relaxed awareness without compromising mental functions. Yogi’s Kava Stress Relief tea combines this relaxing herb with cinnamon and sarsaparilla to add warmth and spice, and carob pod for rich flavor. Relax and find tranquility with a warm soothing cup of Kava Stress Relief.*

To get the most out of every cup, bring water to boiling and steep 5 to 10 minutes. For a stronger tea, use 2 tea bags. Enjoy 2 to 3 cups a day.

Ingredients: Carob Pod, Indian Sarsaparilla Root, Cinnamon Bark, Ginger Root, Kava Root, Cardamom Seed, Stevia Leaf, Natural and Organic Flavors, Essential Oils, Barley Malt, Natural Hazelnut Flavor, Natural Cinnamon Bark Oil, Natural Licorice Flavor

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

*WARNING: Ask a healthcare professional before use if you have or have had liver problems, frequently use alcoholic beverages, or are taking any medication. Stop use and see a doctor if you develop symptoms that may signal liver problems (e.g., unexplained fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, dark urine, pale stools, yellow eyes or skin). Not for use by persons under 18 years of age or by pregnant or breastfeeding women. Not for use with alcoholic beverages. Excessive use or use with products that cause drowsiness may impair your ability to operate a vehicle or heavy equipment.

About Yogi Tea View company

Company description not available.

61 Tasting Notes

100
541 tasting notes

I am updating this because I just went through my new box already! I checked and that means that my husband and I drank 16 sachets of this in less than a week! O.O Damn tea, you popular! I have to change my steep time because although the bag says that 10min is their suggested steep time, I go for ~13. The longer steep time brings out some of the flavors that using 2x bags usually does. This way I use less bags and still get an amazing cup of tea.

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more
TeaBrat

I bought some of this the other day but haven’t had the chance to try it yet!

Tamm

I hope you like it! I think I’m one of the only people who enjoyed it. I know lots of people were mad about the not mixing things with kava stuff.

gmathis

Love the effect of kava, but I usually steer clear of Yogi because of all the licorice they put in their blends. Not seeng it here, though. May be worth a try.

TeaBrat

It sounds like you should not use it with alcohol…

Tamm

lolol I think the alcohol thing might be trouble for some; but I don’t really drink. I didn’t get any licorice notes in this. I have noticed it in some of their other teas and sometimes it’s good and sometimes it just feels like the red-headed step brother.

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3224 tasting notes

My daughter signed up for a free sample from Yogi tea and got the stress relief sample for me. This tea and Bedtime were the two included.

Last night my hubby, who has had a cold for about a week and hasn’t slept well, said he couldn’t sleep even though his cold was better. He said his mind would not stop spinning as he mulled lots of work related issues, most of them positive but still keeping his mind busy.

I suggested he try this. To quote Missy’s daughter, it smelled like butt. So much so, in fact, that I took a sip just to make sure this tea was not going to traumatize him like Evening in Missoula did. It didn’t taste too bad. There was a bit of cinnamon taste and licorice root, of course.

Did it work? He says he went to sleep pretty quickly and wants more tonight. Since I am out of this one, I will give him Bedtime tonight, and I will stock up on whichever one works best for him.

Missy

LOL it may be the kava that smells yucky. I know valerian root smells really bad as well but it works so awesomely as a sleep aid. I use sleepy time extra. The mints in it really seem to cover up the valerian root well. Bonus, is it’s a cheaper tea I can get in bag form. If you like I can send a couple of bags for your hubby to try out. :D

Scatterbrain

Trust me, the kava is the reason for its foul smell. I sometimes buy pure kava powder and make kava beverages the traditional way of Fijian islanders, and it is the absolute most horrible tasting thing I’ve ever experienced. You sort of acquire a taste for it though, and it provides potent relaxing effects (when you buy the high quality stuff and make it the traditional way.

(Sorry for the novel, I’m a bit of a nerd.)

Scatterbrain

As for Yogi’s stress relief tea actually working, I’m cynical because the active ingredients in kava kava root actually aren’t water soluble, pacific islanders brew it in water mixed with some kind of fatty substance because kava is fat soluble rather than water soluble. So in other words, this Yogi stuff is probably just a waste of money. ;)

TeaBrat

Both kava and valerian smell bad but are much safer than sleeping pills! I also like chamomile which a lot of people seem to hate. ;-)

Bonnie

Melatonin?

gmathis

I’ve tried melatonin at dr.’s recommendation, but it keeps me just barely under the wake/sleep line, instead of good deep REM snoozing.

Daisy Chubb

I remember drinking kava bevvies when I was in Tonga! Looove Tonga & the Fiji Islands – one day I will go back ; 3;

ashmanra

Fortunately, he felt that the Bedtime Tea did as much good, and it is not nearly as nasty! I want to try that one from Mountain Rose Herbs. I am so sure there were others I saw reviewed that I have wanted…I will have to check it out!

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639 tasting notes

WARNING: Read the label before drinking this tea!

Where to start? This is my first Yogi tea. This one in particular was recommended to me by a friend. It’s advertised to “ease tension and promote relaxation.*” The asterisk elaborates that “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” Fairly standard language. I actually work for the FDA, so I’m used to seeing this kind of disclaimer on products. What I wasn’t prepared for were the major warnings listed on the tea packet:

“Ask a health care professional before use if you have or have had liver problems, frequently use alcoholic beverages or are taking any medication. Stop use and see a doctor if you develop symptoms that may signal liver problems (e.g., unexplained fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, dark urine, pale stools, yellow eyes or skin). Not for use by persons under 18 years of age or by pregnant or breastfeeding women. Not for use with alcoholic beverages. Excessive use or use with products that cause drowsiness may impair your ability to operate a vehicle or heavy equipment.”

JEEZ!!!!! And these warnings are contradicted by the advertisements on the box:

“We think before we blend. How will our recipes work with body and mind?” And “Health is found in nature. We work with what nature already offers rather than trying to concoct it. We don’t have laboratories. We have kitchens.” And “For a stronger effect, use 2 tea bags. On especially challenging days, drink 3 to 4 cups.”

So, first you warn me not to drink it excessively. Then you tell me to use 2 tea bags and drink 3-4 cups a day. Isn’t that somewhat excessive?

Additionally, you tell me not to drink it if I’m taking ANY medications at all. How can you expect the average consumer not to be taking any medications at all? What specifically are you trying to warn me against combining? Should I not drink this if I take an Advil? Should I not drink this if I’m on birth control? Should I not drink this if I’m on cholesterol or blood pressure medication? Does this tea really interfere with ANY medication that I take? Giving a warning that vaguely lumps all medications together seems fishy.

This is scary! My first impression was that the tea smelled weird. There’s something a little off about it. But I generally get that impression with herbal teas, so I didn’t dwell on it. I took a sip and found that even though it smelled funky, I could only taste hot cinnamon water. I’m really not getting any other flavors at all. Just cinnamon.

But after reading the box, I’m afraid to drink any more of it! Especially because I can’t taste that funky thing I’m smelling. I’m afraid of what this “tea” will do to my body. I don’t drink alcohol very often, but just the possibility that drinking this tea will hurt my liver is a huge concern!

I thought tea was supposed to be healthy. I thought tea was supposed to be good for you. All I’ve ever heard are the positive impacts of drinking tea (with the exception that it inhibits the body’s ability to absorb iron).

What the heck is this in my cup?? I personally have not had any ill effects from the two tiny sips I’ve consumed today. But I warn everyone out there, beware of Yogi teas!

A tea that requires this much warning before consumption isn’t normal. I’m tempted to alert my FDA colleagues to this tea just because a warning label might not be sufficient for keeping an unsafe product on the market.
Consumer beware!

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more
Uniquity

Did they include an ingredients list amongst all other claims, precautions and warning labels?

CHAroma

INGREDIENTS: Carob Pod, Indian Sarsaparilla Root, Organic Cinnamon Bark, Organic Ginger Root, Organic Barley Malt, Kava Root Extract (Kavalactones 30%), Organic Cardamom Seed, Natural Hazelnut Flavor, Stevia Leaf, Natural Licorice Flavor, Natural Cinnamon Oil.

Brittany

The only other problem I can see from Yogi Teas (and it’s not just them, but a lot of herbal blends) is that oftentimes they use licorice root to sweeten and balance out flavors that many people would find too bitter. Licorice root can destroy potassium levels easily, so it’s not the best thing to use so loosely.

Brittany

The warning comes from the Kava Kava root. Personally, I think it’s a bit exaggerated, especially in the amount they’re probably using. Kava Kava root isn’t really extracted well in water anyway (the native people chew the root and their saliva breaks down the kavalactones). There’s no need to make this tea a daily tea- they really should be more specific- but there’s no reason to be alarmed in consuming every now and then.

CHAroma

Kava is ranked among the top 10 herbs sold in the United States and Europe. In a double-blind clinical study testing Kava’s reputed stress relieving properties, Kava was proven not to relieve anxiety more than the placebo (study conducted in 2005 by the University of California: San Francisco). Conclusion: There’s no reason to risk your liver in the hope that you’ll be less stressed out. Drink a different tea!

CHAroma

Kava came under the FDA’s scrutiny after a number of European reports that it might cause damage to the liver – including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. German & Swiss health authorities have identified approximately 30 such cases, including four cases requiring transplantation, and one death. As a result, regulatory agencies in Germany, Switzerland, France, Canada, & the U.K., have taken actions ranging from warning consumers about the potential risks of kava use, to removing kava-containing products from the marketplace. In the U.S., FDA has received several reports of kava-related liver damage, including a report of a previously healthy young woman who required a liver transplant. Although the incidence appears to be rare, FDA believes consumers should be informed of potential risks.

Charles Thomas Draper

Ok, I don’t drink the tea but I have been taking Kava from Kona Kava for years now. I enjoy this at the end of a long time as some people enjoy alcohol. Like anything else, listen to your body….

Jeanette Lowe Hafke

I started drinking this (my Mom bought it for me) when i thought I was having stress and “stomach” issues. I had several incidents I had supposed were ulcer attacks. These attacks consisted of a cannonball like pain in my stomach, with nausea, vomiting (1x per “attack”) As time went on these “attacks” became more frequent, more painful, longer in duration and shorter span between these attacks. I became more and more fatigued. I was STILL sure it was an ulcer due to current major life stressors.

I JUST spent 95% of my vacation in the hospita, out of state (Sunday —> Tuesday) . This final attack that sent me running to the ER? ALSO had orange urine, started going jaundice, fever, in addition to cannonball like pain in my stomach, nausea, vomiting (5x this “attack”), and horrific pain throughout my back.

Liver levels? 30x normal. Should have been 30, they were 900. I have had tests up the wazoo (MRI, Sono, Vascular Sono, CT scans, Endsoscope)

Note: I had been drinking several Teavana teas prior and while using this tea. Did some Teavana tea actually start an issue it and this made it way worse? Or was it just Teavana all along? I don’t know for sure… I have had more blood and tests than I care to say in the last 5 days. I had to get back home to my doc to follow up. I now have to see a GI to follow up as well. I’m MUCH better, but still very far from alright and still in some level of pain and discomfort.

Be very careful with ANY herbals, even as innocent as they may seem … I didn’t read the label as I didn’t buy this, but boy I wish I had …

CHAroma

Wow, Jeanette. I am so sorry to hear about your experience, and I hope you start feeling better soon. If you think this was in any way related to the tea that you’ve been drinking, please take a moment to report it to the FDA. Information on who to contact is contained at this link: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/default.htm

Please keep us updated here too. The Steepster community is always here for you, and if there’s anything we can do, just let us know. I’ll pray for your recovery.

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812 tasting notes

idk why steepster is broken on my computer but will work on my phone. I haven’t been able to make regular posts in days. And posting from my phone is not fun and full of typos.

I drank this tea as still another agenda of drinking even the dreg teas of the house. At least once.
I do not like the flavor. And it surely didn’t relax me. Hah

moraiwe

I feel you on drinking the dregs. I’m coming up with craft projects for the paper wrappers around the tea bags to get myself to drink them. And even then it’s only kind of working.

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71
58 tasting notes

Licorice, Cinnamon, and Carob is an odd combination. Not necessarily bad, just different and takes some getting used to. It is certainly a strong tea (as one would undoubtedly gather just by reading the ingredient list!). Are the flavors fighting each other? A bit, but its kind of an enjoyable fight. Think of a black licorice whip wrapped around a cinnamon stick with a carob pod shoved in there. Do I feel any different after drinking it? Yes, I think I do feel calmer and less “bitchy”. I think I like the taste, its growing on me.

Jaime

I need to invest in some of this before next week…I’ll need all the help being “less bitchy” that I can get!

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85
902 tasting notes

If ever there was a day that I needed stress relief, it is today. I am now safely at home and, unless the zombie apocalypse comes, I plan on ignoring the vast majority of humanity.

After one (rather large) glass of wine, I’ve decided to brew up the sample of this that amandajo sent to me. Scent of the brewed “tea” is rather different…I can’t quite put my finger (nose) on it. It’s sweet-smelling, and slightly herbal, but then it’s not…

Oh, I can taste the carob. And the cinnamon. And there’s ginger, too. The spices are slightly chai-like, and I find that very lovely. It’s got a rather chocolatey taste to it.

Not sure if it’s the wine that’s mellowed me out, or if this stuff really works that fast. One thing’s for sure, I’ll be picking up a box of this the next time I see it. And will be putting bags in my purse and at my desk at work.

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more

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79
13 tasting notes

While it has been a while since I’ve had this tea, I remember it well. I get anxiety and am basically wound up all the time, mentally and physically. I have learned to deal with it without medication. Kava is one of the only things that helped me other than passionflower extract or a prescription benzo like Xanax or Valium. I must say that I would brew with 3-4 bags for like 7-8 mins and would not take them out of the cup. As for the taste…cinnamony :) one thing that you can do to tell that kava is indeed in this tea is to hold a couple sips in your mouth for like 10-20 seconds. Do this enough an you will get a bit of numbness in your mouth. I can not attest to any problems with the tea as it was never strong enough for me. I’ve taken kava in extract form and it can definitely “slow you down.” Theres a reason it is called Grog, and in some cultures it’s used basically like alcohol. I’ve found all this out online in a short amount of time, so the hysterical reactions of some just make me laugh… If you see a warning, get some information before you drink.

Daisy Chubb

Ah I’m a passionflower extract girl myself. Which reminds me, I need to get more! I’ll have to try this tea sometime too though, thanks for the review!

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92
13 tasting notes

My roommate is awful… just awful. And she doesn’t even know I think this about her. Why? Because of Kava Stress Relief. A nice welcoming blend of herbs and spices that I drink on frequent occasion. Now in an argument between bagged tea and loose leaf, loose leaf wins from a culinary perspective. But bagged teas are homey, and easy. They don’t often require special temperatures, and the best ones (in my opinion) don’t even require specific steep times. You just pull the bag out when you feel good and ready! Now I could wax poetic about the “levels of intriguing flavor” and the “timeline of flavor that is first bold, and then shy”. But really what it comes down to is that Kava Stress Relief is a great drink, and has a place in my tea cupboard next to any Pu-Erh that I can afford.

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more
teaplz

Love this one! It has such a delicious flavor. I could almost taste an undercurrent of chocolate in the drink. It has one of the more delicious tastes and smells of the bagged teas I’ve tried.

gmathis

May have to try this…I’ve popped medicinal kava in capsule form and it is effective.

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64
433 tasting notes

My sister sent this to me (because wow, do I need some stress relief right now), and I wasn’t sure what to expect. When I read the ingredients I was pretty leery, because I really don’t like licorice or ginger, but the carob pod saved it for me. I was pleasantly surprised that it was tolerable, and maybe even okay. I sure wouldn’t drink this for the taste, and I didn’t notice any particular effect that it had on my mood/stomach ache, but I’ll try it again for sure.

Preparation
5 min, 15 sec

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68
122 tasting notes

Insomnia… leading to lots of Steepster! This tea tastes just okay (kava is a bitter, gross thing) but it packs a PUNCH! Like, drink this in bed.

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