Why Does Kratom Taste So Bad and How To Make It Taste Better
That first taste of kratom
After hearing enough people praise it, you’ve decided to give kratom a try. You ordered some kratom powder and opened the package and a nice herbal tea aroma wafts up.
You measure out a teaspoon of the green kratom powder and mix it in a cup of water until it ‘mostly’ dissolves. But when you bring it to your lips for that first sip, the taste is much stronger than the smell. It’s still earthy and herbal, but so much more bitter than you anticipated, and you’re not sure if you can really stomach drinking it all down.
Now what?

Reaction to that first taste of kratom mixed with water
It’s true, the taste of kratom isn’t exactly everybody’s cup of tea. So here are some ways to make kratom taste better.
What does kratom taste like?
Kratom’s pungent flavor is often described as bitter, earthy, grassy and resinous. It’s been compared to green teas or matcha drinks, perhaps being even stronger and more in-your-face.
Such a flavor profile is completely normal. In fact, if your kratom powder smelled or tasted like peppermint or bubblegum, you probably don’t have real pure kratom powder.
Why does it taste so bitter?
Kratom’s effects are due to their alkaloid content, mainly high levels of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These same alkaloids which interact with your brain’s receptors also contribute to kratom’s taste and smell. Alkaloids bind themselves to taste receptors which not only process their flavors, but cause the taste to linger in your mouth for some time.
This bitter flavor is not merely an insignificant characteristic of kratom. In fact, bitterness is an evolutionary strategy adopted by many plants as a defense mechanism against herbivores: animals that feast on plant matter.
What does kratom smell like?
The smell and taste of kratom are quite similar, with the main difference being that the flavor is stronger and more bitter than the aroma. The smell alone can remind someone of green tea, but the taste can sometimes make you think you are eating dirt and grass.
Tips to make Kratom taste good:
The good news is, there are many ways to improve the taste of kratom and make consuming it more enjoyable. And if altering the taste doesn’t cut it for you, then we’ll offer alternative methods to take kratom where smell and taste are not a factor.
1. Mix it with juice
Fruit juices, especially citrus fruits, are one of the top ways to mask flavor. The acidity in citrus fruits alter the chemical interactions of your taste buds and overpower most of the bitterness. Orange, lemon, apple and pineapple juices are the best bet. Just make sure to mix the powder well, especially with OJ, and break up the clumps that form on the top, otherwise it can make you cough when swallowing it.
2. Blend it in smoothies
Smoothies, protein shakes, or yogurt have thick textures, which are effective ways to dilute the intense bitterness of kratom and make consuming it much more pleasurable.
3. Brew with tea
Boiling is known to reduce bitter flavors, so when you boil beverages and then strain the brew, you lessen bitterness by extracting soluble compounds. What’s more, you can use pleasing-flavored teas to further mask the kratom taste, like mint, lemon or herbal teas. Just make sure to boil the water separately and let the water cool down before adding the powder to it. Otherwise some of the active alkaloids can deteriorate.
4. Go sweet
Following from the above point, sugar, honey, agave syrup or sweeteners are a popular go-to to make any harsh flavor more palatable, and the same thing goes for kratom. This is because sugars naturally bind to taste receptors.
5. Add chocolate
Chocolate has a strong pleasing flavor and is very good at masking other flavors due to its complex compounds. You can add kratom powder to chocolate milk or hot chocolate. hot or ice coffee can also work in this regard, but mixing caffeine with kratom isn’t for everyone. You can also combine all three to make a kratom mochaccino!
6. Stir into dessert
Any thick base with a creamy texture will soften the harshness of kratom, and when that base is also sweet, kratom’s taste is further concealed. Think about applesauce, pudding, or sweetened yogurt.
7. Carbonated drinks
A lot of soda or soft drinks are loaded with sugar which, as we’ve mentioned, is a quick way to make kratom taste less bitter. However the carbonation may not be as pleasant as juice. The fizziness may distract taste buds from picking up on too much bitterness but when mixed with kratom more foam will form and it may cause some bloating. Ginger ale is the number one soda for this purpose but soda is generally not the best to mix with.
8. Iced Tea
Kratom tea is popular, but few people consider making it into iced tea. Try brewing your favorite tea, add some sweetener and let it cool down then add the kratom and mix until it dissolves. Let it cool down even more and add plenty of ice cubes. Cold-temperatures in beverages can diminish strong flavors up to a point. This is because icy drinks slow down the release of the aromatic compounds which trigger flavor perception in your mouth.
9. Use mouthwash after
If you could handle the flavor of kratom for a bit, then follow it up right away by swishing mouthwash. Mouthwash products are great at neutralizing compounds that make tastes linger, and their minty flavors leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean.
10. Brush teeth before
This trick may seem less obvious: Who likes eating bitter food after cleaning their mouths? But brushing your teeth and cleaning your palette can temporarily numb your taste buds a little and fight against residual flavors like kratom’s bitterness. Just don’t mix the kratom with orange juice after!
11. Try using a straw
Straws are a great way to drink kratom tea without getting too much of that earthy flavor. This is because straws allow you to drink liquids without passing through all of your mouth and exposing your taste buds to kratom’s bitter compounds.
12. Pinch your nose
Our taste buds are hugely informed and influenced by what we smell. Suppressing your olfactory senses by holding your nose when drinking greatly reduces your mouth’s ability to perceive flavors. It might seem like a silly trick, but it works.
13. Toss and wash
This is when you toss pure powder in your mouth and swallow it down with water or another beverage. If you learn to toss and wash quickly, the taste won’t be as strong or lingering. But be careful when using this method, because if you breathe in while the dry powder is in your mouth it can cause you to cough. Protip: Don’t toss and wash with soda, or you may get a stomachache.
Other ways to take kratom powder to eliminate its flavor
Sometimes, the solution isn’t to mask the taste of kratom with something sweet and tasty, but to try alternatives to kratom powder that have little to no smell or taste of kratom.
- Kratom capsules
These are pre-measured doses of kratom powder in a capsule that you take with water like any pill. There is zero taste or smell.
- Kratom extracts
Concentrated forms of kratom can come as tinctures, gummies, and shots. While the extract itself is also going to be bitter, it is easier to mask the taste since much smaller quantities are needed. They are sometimes flavored and can be swallowed instantly.
Can I make kratom hit harder?
Sometimes, you want your kratom to have a stronger effect without taking more. That’s where potentiators come in.
Potentiators are ingredients that up the potency or efficacy of other substances. They do this by increasing the latter’s bioavailability, which is the rate that your body can absorb an active ingredient.
Some of the best kratom potentiators include grapefruit juice, turmeric with pepper, or apple cider vinegar.
Kratom: A matter of taste
Nobody is taking kratom because of its flavor, and that’s fine.
Kratom has so many wonderful and useful properties, who needs it to taste great? But that doesn’t mean you should suffer if you absolutely hate the flavor. We hope to have given you some actionable tips for improving the taste of your kratom.