Kanna is featured in new wellness products every month, with multiple brands emerging in the last year or so. These products are touted as an all-natural anxiety and depression helper. I have tried out products from four kanna brands, which all shine in their way.
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The succulent plant known as Sceletium tortuosum, Mesembryanthemum tortuosum, channa, and kouged (when fermented). South African healing practices have used the plant for centuries. Most American-sold kanna is put into ingestible products like mints, gummies, chews, and tinctures rather than traditional preparations. Though popular, the compound and products are not federally regulated. Shop smart by checking that products go through quality control and lab testing.
The supporting herbs in each of these kanna recipes make for a wonderfully guided experience–if I use them right.
Journeyers – KA!
Those seeking deep growth or a particularly mind-altering experience might opt for KA! kanna chews or tincture. The chews are filled with 30 milligrams (mg) of kanna, mouth-tingling Spilanthes acmella, and snow lotus, a Traditional Chinese herb used for increased circulation.
The chews aren’t palatable like a gummy or dissolve like a lozenge. Eating them wasn’t a culinary delight. They are a bit grassy, and I had some trouble chewing. However, the resulting effect was the most psychedelic on the list. I did not experience hallucinations but did feel aqueous as if my cells had become ethereal.
KA! hosts a journey to facilitate a 30-day community experience that helps patrons harness the intentional effects of the product. This brand of mindful intensity is why I recommend it for those on a focused wellness journey with time to dedicate to the compound.
Tired, bored, melancholy, et all – Mary + Jane
Little white Mary + Jane melts are filled with kanna and THC. This is the only product I’ve tried that combines weed and kanna, but it is not the only one on the market. Another product by 1906 combines the two, but I haven’t tried it.
Mary + Jane Sunny melts started with a microdose of 1 mg THC and 15 mg of kanna for a spot of sunshine. After customers reported enjoying two melts per dose following the first product launch, Mary + Jane introduced a double-dosed Super Sunny melt, with 2 mg THC and 30 mg kanna.
I imagine a stressed-out parent, lonely person in a new town, or anyone who needs help seeing the glimmers of the universe without wanting to feel trippy will appreciate these kanna products.
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Biohackers – Fun Guy
Fun Guy offers a few kanna formulations that also contain functional mushrooms. The tinctures, gummies, and chocolates share their purpose in all caps with titles like Flow, Chill, Perform, and Mellow. I tested out each, finding the tinctures easy to stomach and good on their promises. They carry two tinctures, one solely with functional mushrooms (Perform), and the other, with 20 mg of kanna per dose, is advertised as a naturally euphoric social lubricant.
Fruit chews come in Flow and Chill formulations. The former has 25 mg of kanna, cordyceps, guarana, and other plants for a little added effervescence. Chill still wants you to chit-chat with friends but at a smaller dose with more mellow herbs. This option contains 10 mg of kanna with reishi, l-theanine, and Chinese skullcap–each is said to relax a person. The brand sells Flow chocolates, but they are currently sold out.
Those who maximize their biology with plants, engage with trends like bulletproof coffee, or harness the Stamets stack will be interested in the Fun Guy suite.
The weed convert – Feelz
I had a more recreational experience with Feelz kanna than with other brands listed. These kanna products come in Pure Bliss, Serene Slumber, and Focused Energy. The effects I had with each were reminiscent of an edible; it didn’t feel as foreign or psychedelic as KA!.
There were some fluttery feelings as each kicked in, but eventually, things leveled out into what the desired effects marketed to me. It was not as fluttery as KA!, but more so than Mary+Jane. What I enjoyed most about Feelz and all of these kanna products is how they seem to reunite me with my heart center. Also, I sleep like a rock with the Serene Slumber gummies, a major feat.
These sweet kanna cubes are a nice entry point for a stoner interested in the plant’s power. The gummies provide a look at what kanna can do with guided effects similar to most cannabis edible brands—a familiar touchpoint.
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Curated kanna experiences
Kanna is picking up steam as more products incorporate it into intentional wellness-focused formulations. I find that kanna calls my personal power and energy back into my body, which is a gift in these trying political times. However, after sampling my way through various brands, it is clear that not all kanna products are created equal.
There are a few kanna brands that I’d recommend, and each has its ideal time and place. The psychonaut journeying crowd will appreciate KA!, while tired parents might jump for joy with Mary + Jane Sunnies. To fully engage with this up-and-coming compound, find the kanna chew, gummy, or tincture that matches your vibe.
