Ask anyone who enjoys kratom and you’ll get a pretty polarized answer about Maeng Da Kratom. While some say that it embodies everything that makes kratom so great, others shy away from it saying that it is too ‘potent’ or overwhelming to enjoy properly.
No matter which side of the fence you land on, Maeng Da Kratom is well worth exploring. From it’s storied past to it’s rise in popularity among modern kratom connoisseurs, this strain has a lot to offer. You might want to also take a look at our capsules online to learn more.
To explore the origins of the infamous Maeng Da strain, we need to take you deep into the tropical and exotic jungles of Thailand. Known for its thick humid air, rich acidic soil, and sweltering heat, this habitat is the perfect place for the Mitragyna Speciosa tree (from which kratom is made) to thrive.
Widely known among non-scientists as simply the ‘Kratom plant’, the Mitragyna Speciosa is an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, and a relative of the coffee plant. That’s right, the tree your delectable and invigorating Maeng Da comes from is a distant cousin of the tree that brings you your morning ‘cup of joe’.
For centuries, this mystic Southeast evergreen has been touted by those native to the area for it’s purported medicinal and healing properties.
It is from this Thai born tree that the original Maeng Da Kratom powder is made. Although popular among East Asian holistic healers and consumers alike, it’s foray into Western culture was initially for research purposes. Western medicine and science have long been interested in the potential therapeutic properties of eastern medicine, folk remedies and holistic healing. Kratom was no exception to this intrigue.
Today, Kratom is enjoyed by more than 14.5 million Americans alone (according to some research), with Maeng Da ranking among the most potent strains. As consumers and researchers continually seek new ways to utilize kratom and for increasingly powerful effects, Maeng Da has risen in popularity within some circles.
Translated loosely as “Pimp Strength” in English , this strain truly lives up to it’s name and perception of strength and potency. When properly cultivated, cared for, harvested and processed, this strain is incredibly consistent and reliable, providing the user with high levels of Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (the physiological/biologically active compounds in the plant).
What once was a local holistic medicinal plant, has now risen to become a major ‘cash crop’ for farmers indigenous to the area.
Ecofriendly Cultivation
What makes kratom so special is that it is grown, cultivated within the biodiverse ecosystem of local rainforests or ‘village gardens’, making it a sustainable, pure and environmentally friendly crop that is cared for with passion and harvested by families who have grown the tree for generations.
Harvesting of the Leaves
When ripe, the leaves are meticulously inspected and gently hand-picked, causing little stress on the rest of the tree. What makes each leaf distinctive is its size, age of maturation, ripeness, and most important of all, the color of the veins.
Vein color is indicative of the concentration and type of alkaloids present in the leaf. Most commonly, Maeng Da Kratom is made from red-veined kratom leaves. However, you may also be able to find varieties that utilize both white and green-veined leaves.
Processing the Leaves
When ripe, the leaves are harvested, dried naturally under controlled conditions for humidity, UV light, and more. Once dry, the veins are carefully removed and the remainder of the plant material ground into a fine powder.
A Longer Process Equates to a More Potent Result
In addition to the type and maturity of the leaf, as well as it’s vein color, Maeng Da gets its potency from the long preparation process, allowing the leaves to dry for a greater duration of time. This stage is carefully monitored so that the leaves are ground at the precise time at which they have attained maximum potency.
Storage
Once the powder is readied, it is sealed in airlocked containers or other vacuum sealed packaging away from oxygen, moisture and sunlight, all of which can cause the powder to oxidize or degrade. This step also ensures no other contaminates get in (such as bacteria or mold spores) and that the aroma and consistency (fluffy powder) remains intact.
Maeng Da Kratom powder can be made from several strains of leaves. Each of which has it’s own unique alkaloid profile, concentration, potency and effects. Although they will share some similarities.
Red Maeng Da Kratom Powder
The most common of types, red-veined kratom is a potent strain with generally higher concentrations of 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Green Maeng Da Kratom Powder
Green-veined kratom powder is made from leaves located among the middle branches of the tree, and typically have a well-balanced ratio of both 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine.
White Maeng Da Kratom Powder
Heralded for it’s higher concentration of mitragynine alkaloids, although less common, this vein of kratom offers a unique take on the Maeng Da.
The quality of Kratom can make a big difference in how it is experienced. At The Kratom Connection, we work directly with sustainable farmers in Southeast Asia to bring pure, potent kratom products to market. From Maeng Da Kratom powders to Maeng Da Kratom Capsules, we carry a wide selection suitable for all of your needs.