How to Preserve Kratom to Maintain Its Freshness
Kratom is becoming an increasingly popular natural remedy that could help relieve pain, alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, and even fight withdrawal symptoms. It’s often used for its potent sedating and stimulating effects, acting as strong opium at higher doses and giving you an energy boost at lower doses.
But if you want to experience all its benefits, you first need to learn more about kratom. And perhaps more importantly, you need to learn more about how to store it.
Proper kratom storage is critical, whether you’re using this natural remedy daily or only on occasion. So, let’s look at the importance of proper kratom storage and see the main dos and don’ts.
Importance of Proper Kratom Storage
Like any organic compound, kratom is quite sensitive to the outside elements. Whether you’re keeping fresh or dried leaves or even kratom powder, heat, light, and moisture will slowly start changing their structure.
The main active ingredient found in kratom is mitragynine, a major alkaloid responsible for the leaf’s potency and effectiveness. Over time and with exposure to the elements, mitragynine transforms into mitragynine pseudoindoxyl – an alkaloid similar to mitragynine, but that doesn’t deliver the same effects.
If you don’t store your kratom properly, this transformation from mitragynine to mitragynine pseudoindoxyl will occur much faster. While the kratom won’t immediately become toxic or indigestible, it will lose its potency and quality, rendering it almost useless.
So, if you want to enjoy its therapeutic potential, you need to keep your kratom safe from the elements and ensure it’s properly stored.
Keep Your Dry Leaves in a Dark Place
As critical as the sun is for the growth and development of Mitragyna Speciosa, aka kratom tree, its UV rays are exceptionally harmful to the harvested leaves. Sunlight breaks the bonds between alkaloids in the leaves and jump-starts the process of decomposition.
If you leave your kratom leaves in direct sunlight, they will gradually lose their effectiveness. The longer the kratom stays exposed to UV rays, the faster it loses its quality.
It’s in your best interest to keep kratom in a cold, dark place to preserve its freshness. A tinted glass jar or opaque box works best for kratom storage.
Avoid Temperature Changes
Ideally, you should store kratom in a cold place – a fridge, cellar, or a dark pantry should all be more than adequate. The cooler it is, the longer your kratom will last.
However, if you don’t have a cool place in your home, you should try and avoid exposing kratom to frequent temperature fluctuations. Even a constant high temperature is better for your kratom’s longevity than constant changes from hot to cold. So, if all else fails, find a drawer that’s away from direct sunlight.
Avoid Exposing Kratom to Moisture
Exposing kratom to excessive moisture is the fastest way to kill it. Not only will moisture expedite the loss of potency, but it will also lead to the development of mold and rot on leaves, powder, and capsules alike. Avoid moisture at all costs!
If your fridge or cellar has high humidity levels, wrap the kratom in paper towels so that they can absorb the moisture, or pack it with a slice of bread in the container.
Air-Tight Containers Are the Way to Go
Another kratom killer is oxygen. Oxidation degrades all types of food and medicine, organic matter, even metals. So, it’s not surprising that it affects kratom as well.
Oxidized kratom will be rendered almost entirely ineffective. However, the bigger problem is that oxidized kratom will be unpredictable – it can have delayed onset, making you increase the dosage more than you should and leading to unwelcome side-effects.
Always keep your kratom in air-tight containers and avoid opening them more often than necessary.
Preserving Kratom for Daily Use
If you’re a daily kratom user, you should know that dry leaves and powder typically have a shelf-life of about three months. Check with your supplier about when the kratom was harvested and how it’s been stored while in the shop.
Keep your leaves, powder, or capsules in an air-tight (ideally vacuum-sealed) bag, away from direct sunlight, temperature changes, and moisture.
If you prefer to drink kratom tea, you can make a larger batch and keep the tea in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze the tea to prolong its shelf-life for up to three months – just don’t thaw and refreeze it frequently!
Long-Term Storage Solutions for Kratom
For long-term storage solutions, you should divide your kratom into smaller bags or jars. Either divide it by individual or daily dose. This way, you’ll ensure that the majority of your kratom is safely stored away from sun, heat, oxygen, and moisture and that you still have convenient access to your required doses.
Check on your kratom on occasion and look for signs of discoloration. If it’s much darker or lighter than the original, it’s best to discard it and get yourself a fresh new batch.
The Bottom Line
Storing your kratom will prolong its shelf-life and allow you to enjoy it much longer. Whether you’re a daily kratom user or take your dose only on occasion, the better care you take of your kratom, the better care it will take of you.