Cut the Bitterness of Kratom: Flavor Pairings That Work Together

A generous spoonful of honey can leave you with a kratom drink that tastes sweet at first, then bitter as soon as you swallow. Add more honey, and that does little except make it more syrupy and cloying. Before reaching for another ingredient, it helps to work out what’s bothering you about the drink.

The most useful kratom flavor pairings address that particular problem. If you find the  earthy aftertaste off-putting, the warm and pungent ginger flavor might cut through. If powder suspended in a watery juice drink makes every sip unpleasant, a banana smoothie provides a thicker base. 

The trick is to find the options that suit your palate, which is where surprising combinations with familiar flavors can help.

Why does kratom taste so bitter?

The bitter taste comes from the natural chemicals known as alkaloids and other botanical compounds that every kratom leaf contains, to act as a defense against damage from insect attacks and deter grazing animals.

Humans have bitter-taste receptors that detect many of these substances, although not everyone experiences the taste of kratom in the same way. It is also described as:

• earthy
• grassy
• burnt
• acidic
• astringent

or even a combination of these, although none are typically thought of as pleasant. 

It’s a mistake to assume that the bitterness is caused primarily by the alkaloids in the kratom leaf, and that somehow, the more bitter your kratom is, the more potent it will be.  Other compounds in the plant, such as flavonoids and tannins, also contribute to the bitterness. It’s the overall balance between them that gives kratom its characteristic taste. 

5 ways to reduce the bitterness of kratom

Kratom's bitter taste can make it difficult to take, but it's possible to change the way it is perceived by the body's taste receptors. Food scientists and chefs have spent decades studying how the taste of one ingredient changes when it is combined with another. 

The five combinations below draw on well-established culinary principles. 

1: Use salt to suppress bitterness

Even a small amount of salt can change the balance of a drink and reduce the intensity of some bitter compounds.  For example, if you add a tiny pinch of table salt into a glass (200ml) of chilled apple juice with kratom powder, and stir thoroughly, you may find that you no longer perceive it to be so bitter. If needed, more salt should be added cautiously:  the apple juice provides the flavor base, and the salt is only there to mask the bitterness. 

2: Use fat to change how bitter compounds reach your taste receptors

Some bitter compounds dissolve in fat, which gives a range of possibilities. As well as creamy ingredients such as full-fat milk and Greek yogurt, savory options include avocado salsas and nut butters. While they won’t eliminate the bitterness totally, they make it less likely to dominate the entire experience. 

3: Cold dulls bitter taste

Low temperatures can also diminish the intensity of some bitter compounds on your taste receptors, and well-chilled drinks may taste less bitter than the same mixture at room temperature.

Perhaps the easiest way to test this is with an iced tea. Your favorite tea blend with a measured serving of kratom, dissolved in a little warm water, then topped up and chilled in the glass for 15-20 minutes before ice is added.   You could also try mixing kratom into home-made fruit popsicles to get a chilled kratom treat. 

4: Use sweetness to mask bitterness

Sweet and bitter receptors interact, and sweetness suppresses bitter perception in the brain. 

There’s no need to fall back on white sugar. Easy-to-add syrups add character as well as sweetness: 

• dark honey
• maple syrup
• crushed dates
• molasses

can all add caramel and toffee notes that sit well alongside earthy, bitter flavors.

Sweet spices such as cinnamon or vanilla beans trick the brain into perceiving additional sweetness if you add just a little to sugar.  Crushed liquor ice root can add lingering sweetness to kratom tea. 

Raw cocoa and dark chocolate are popular bittersweet pairings that many people already enjoy. 

Although kratom should never be combined with alcohol, it goes well with tonic water and some other mixer drinks. The carbonation, in addition to the sweetness, helps to camouflage the bitterness. Ginger ale and root beer work particularly well. 

Flavored electrolyte powders are a convenient mixer when you’re away from home.  Convenient and portable, they combine to deliver acidity and sweetness in one step.

The natural sugars in virtually any fruit can be given a kratom twist:  ripe bananas and mango deliver sweetness, and their thick texture coats the mouth to block the taste receptors.

5: Aroma can Influence the Flavor

Think about the last time you had a heavy cold and a blocked nose. You may remember how even your favorite foods seemed tasteless. 

Smell plays an important role in flavor perception. This can be harnessed to mask the taste of kratom. Strong, familiar aromas can change how the brain interprets a bitter taste. Consider combining it with:

• dark-roast coffee
• warming spices
• citrus peels
• vanilla seeds or extract 
• crushed cardamom pods

Why lemon and grapefruit juices may not reduce kratom bitterness

You may be surprised that acidic foods were not included in the list of 5 principles. Acidity creates sourness, but does not always suppress bitterness.

While the aroma of lemons may improve the flavor, grapefruit juice rarely works so well.  Its own bitter compounds, combined with the acidity, can give the drink an even harsher taste that no amount of sweetener can mask.

Pair Kratom With Naturally Bitter Foods

So far in this article, we’ve been talking about bitterness as something that kratom users want to mask or get rid of. Positive associations with particular foods can influence how people experience bitterness.

Many people enjoy bitter foods as part of their everyday life, so instead of chasing sweetness, why not consider combining the bitterness of kratom with foods you already enjoy?

Vegetables and greens

• Radicchio
• Endive
• Dandelion greens
• Arugula
• Raw Kale
• Collard and mustard greens
• Bitter melon
• Eggplant skins

Other plant foods

• Unsweetened baking chocolate
• Very dark chocolate (85%+)
• Raw cacao nibs
• Fenugreek and mustard seeds
• Turmeric
• Horseradish and wasabi
• Black olives (bitter and salty)

Other possible pairings

• Tahini that’s gone slightly past peak freshness
• Burnt toast
• Charred food
• Black or overcooked garlic
• Liver, which some people describe as bitter and metallic

The enjoyment of bitter flavor notes isn’t confined to foods. Beverages from dark-roasted espresso to tonic water, which rarely please the first time they’re tried, can become an acquired taste that is more pleasing than overly sweet foods or drinks.

How to Combine the Five Principles in One Kratom Drink

Working with the five principles above, it’s possible to create many flavor and texture combinations to cut the bitterness of kratom powder. But there are other ways to vary the end results.

For example, temperature also changes the experience. An ice-packed smoothie in a chilled glass will be more appealing than the same cocktail served at room temperature, particularly if the drink has a thick yogurt or coconut milk base.

Naturally, proportions make a considerable difference to the finished drink, and you may have to experiment to get them just to your liking. A little cardamom will add fragrance, but too much can overwhelm the fruits you’ve chosen, and too much salt can make a fruit-based mixture taste weird. The amount of kratom also affects how much flavoring is needed, so adjust to find a balance that suits your palate.

Good old toss and wash

But let’s say you don’t have the time or the inclination to play around with various ingredients just to take a dose of kratom powder. The simplest method of all is to Toss and Wash. Place the measured serving of kratom onto your tongue, then wash it down with a glass of water. 

And to remove any bitterness that lingers, perhaps chase it with something very sweet or salty. 

Not for the faint-hearted, maybe, but when you’re short on time, it gets the job done.

Is powder the only option?

If you love the kratom experience, but no matter what you try, you just can’t get past the taste of the powder, there is no shame in giving up and trying something different.

Many vendors sell their product in capsule form, and this is the easiest way to bypass your taste receptors and still ingest measured doses of kratom. Capsules are convenient when you don’t have time to measure out powder or prepare drinks. They tend to work out a little more expensive than raw powder, but that can be a worthwhile investment if they offer a painless way to enjoy your kratom. Because of the gelatin or vegetable shell, they can take longer to work, so do not be tempted to take more if nothing seems to be happening.

A new and increasingly popular option is to chew on flavored gummies. If you love candies, the fruit flavors will make taking your kratom a treat. As they contain less fiber than raw powder, they are easier to digest. Each gummy contains a measured dose of kratom, so you may need to cut them into two or more pieces to get the experience you want. They are so enjoyable that, if you are the kind of person who has to finish the opened pack of cookies or chocolate bar, you do need to take care not to exceed the dose that is best for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does kratom taste different depending on the strain or vein color?

It can. Most strains share the same grassy bitterness. Some users describe red vein as a bit mellower and white vein as sharper, but those differences are subjective.

Can kratom go stale or taste off, and how can I tell if a batch has gone bad?

Most kratom has a shelf life of 12-24 months, provided it is stored correctly. If your kratom starts to smell musty, or the powder looks damp or clumpy, it is best to discard it, as it may contain molds which are not easily visible.

Does the grind or fineness of the powder change how bitter it tastes?

Yes, it can change how the bitterness is experienced. Finer powder disperses quickly in the mouth and hits the palate all at once. Coarse grinds sometimes feel gritty, but they release their flavor more gradually. To ensure clumps of fine powder do not form in liquid and create pockets of concentrated bitterness, it's important to dissolve the powder completely. 

Is it normal to get used to the taste over time?

For some people, yes. Familiarity can make bitter flavors less off-putting. Some long-term users say the taste fades after a while, but others never warm up to it.

Does water temperature matter when preparing tea?

Yes, it can affect the flavor. Very hot water pulls out more bitter, tannic compounds, much like over-steeped tea. A gentle simmer or short brew tends to taste better than a hard boil.

Why does the same strain taste different from one vendor to another?

Kratom is a natural product, and many factors, from growing to processing methods, vary between suppliers. The age of the powder and how it is stored also affect the flavor. A strain name is marketing shorthand and not a guarantee of the composition of the product.

Find Fresh, Lab-Tested Kratom

The bottom line: kratom tastes bitter. But that doesn’t have to ruin the experience.

Use the five principles in this article as a starting point for your experiments, and you’ll soon find a way to take the edge off that suits you: just change one thing at a time so you can tell what actually works for your palate.

Whatever approach you settle on, the freshness of your kratom is important. When you’re ready for a new batch, head to Jack Botanicals and check out their range of fresh kratom that has been rigorously tested for purity. If you’re ready to unleash your creativity, get ready to experiment and find new ways to enjoy your kratom.