Botanical drinks guide: how to choose and what to expect
This is our ready-to-drink shelf, 80 listings of seltzers, sodas, tonics, shots and melts built on kanna, kava, mushrooms and adaptogens, some made by Healing Herbals and many by partner brewers we stock because they use real botanical extracts. Our own kanna drinks use the same small-batch, lab-tested Sceletium tortuosum extracts sold across the store, sourced through South African San Council benefit-sharing partnerships, and the kava drinks are built on noble root. Nothing here contains alcohol, and everything is meant to be chilled and opened rather than measured. For a chewable alternative that needs no fridge, see our vegan gummies.
At a glance
- Ready-to-drink seltzers, sodas, tonics, shots and melts
- 80 listings
- Built on kanna, kava, mushrooms and adaptogens
- Some made by Healing Herbals, many by partner brewers using real botanical extracts
- Our kanna drinks use small-batch, lab-tested Sceletium tortuosum extracts, sourced through South African San Council benefit-sharing partnerships
- Nothing contains alcohol; meant to be chilled and opened rather than measured
The plants. A drink carries its plant at a chilled, ready serving:
- Kanna, Sceletium tortuosum, dissolves well into a carbonated base and brings mesembrine and mesembrenone at drink-friendly amounts
- Kava, Piper methysticum, the Pacific root with six kavalactones, has been a social drink for three thousand years, so a kava soda is the modern cousin of a shell of grog
- Lion's mane, Hericium erinaceus, and other functional mushrooms show up in shots and hot chocolate, and adaptogen roots such as ashwagandha round out the seltzers
A drink is a fixed, labeled serving, which makes this the most predictable format in the store.
How to choose. Pick a can, bottle or shot:
- For kanna in a can, start with Bhodi Bubbles Kanna Infused Drink, the Bodhi Bubbles Adaptogen Seltzer or the Botanical Brewing Kanna Pomegranate Fusion, 355ml
- Kava drinkers choose the Rooted Dragon Kava Soda, Blackberry Lemonade, the Leilo Tonic Kava Drink or the Kavaly Bula Blueberry Lemon with 500mg kava extract
- For a shot, the Myco Bliss kanna, kava and mushroom shot and the Jubi Lion's Mane shots are the two staples
- The Simple Sunny Kanna Melts dissolve on the tongue with no can at all
Dosing overview. One can, bottle or shot is one serving, and the label states the extract amount, for example 500mg of kava extract in the Kavaly bottle. Drink it chilled, sip rather than chug, and wait an hour before opening a second, since drinks are digested and arrive gradually. Kava drinks are best away from meals like any kava, and shots are more concentrated than seltzers, so treat one shot as a full serving.
What to expect. Users describe kanna seltzers as a light, social lift over an afternoon, kava sodas and tonics as an easygoing, relaxed evening with a faint tingle on the tongue, and mushroom shots as a clean, focused start to the day. Drinks are gentler than powders or sprays by design, which makes them the format people bring to a gathering as an alternative to a cocktail.
Side effects and cautions. A second can too soon is the common mistake; mild nausea, headache or drowsiness mean stop.
- Kanna drinks must not be combined with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, triptans, tramadol or St. John's Wort
- Kava drinks should not be combined with alcohol or sedative medications and need professional advice with any liver condition; do not drive until you know your response
- Some shots contain caffeine, so read the label
- Not for use if pregnant or nursing, and adults 21 and over
Common questions
- Do botanical infusion drinks contain alcohol? No, every drink in this collection is alcohol free, which is exactly why people reach for them at social events.
- How much kava is in a kava soda or tonic? Each brand lists its own extract amount on the label, for example 500mg of kava extract in the Kavaly bottle.
- Should kanna and kava drinks be refrigerated? Chill them before opening for taste, and store unopened cans in a cool cupboard away from sunlight.
Disclaimer. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These are traditional botanicals, and traditional use does not establish that they will produce any particular result. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you take any medication or have a medical condition. Use at your own risk and keep out of reach of children. Formulated by Healing Herbals, run by a practicing herbalist of 13+ years.