Kikoko Teas
Sympa-Tea and Tranquili-Tea by Kikoko. Photo: Marcia Gagliardi. © mymilligram. Styling: Christian Jusinski/Surfacehaus.
You want some instant aromatherapy? Open a tin of Kikoko Tranquili-Tea, take a deep inhalation, and your shoulders are going to drop in about 10 seconds. Ditto your blood pressure. Ahhhhhh. And you haven’t even brewed a sachet yet.
Kikoko’s line of four cannabis-infused teas is popular for many reasons, starting with the foundational attribute of how well-thought-out and detailed it is. Leave it to two powerhouse women to think of everything. Founders Amanda Jones and Jennifer Chapin have created a quality product that not only honors nature (their whole-leaf teas are organic and fair-trade, while their sun-grown and whole-plant cannabis is sourced from the Emerald Triangle), but also science: instead of using a fat, they had scientists figure out how process the cannabis into KikoGold, their proprietary, water-soluble formula—it dissolves without leaving a residue, and there isn’t a weedy taste either.
The Kikoko ladies are committed to superior ingredients and health-focused practices across the board: all the herbs are organic, and sourced domestically when possible, and they even tracked down a nontoxic tea bag in Japan made from plant starches (if you’re a regular tea drinker, you’ll want to read the “No Toxins, Anywhere” section on this page).
These teas are ideal for beginners, microdosers, and people sensitive to THC: they’re precisely dosed, and none of the teas have more than 10mg of THC. Each tea has a specific formulation for a desired effect: there’s Sympa-Tea for pain and relaxation (20mg of CBD and 3mg of THC), Tranquili-Tea for sleep (3mg THC and 5mg of CBN), Positivi-Tea for an uplift in mood (10mg THC and 5mg CBD, plus caffeine), and Sensuali-Tea to “fire the desire” (rawr) (7mg THC). Since mymilligram is all about low-dose cannabis consumption, I’m going to focus on the first two (Sympa-Tea and Tranquili-Tea), but will offer some guidance on how to consume the other two in a low-and-slow manner.
The first thing to know is no matter how much water you use to steep your tea, it has no effect on the potency of the cannabis—each sachet is what it is (which, in the case of the Sympa-Tea and Tranquili-Tea, is 3mg of THC each). The only thing that will increase is the potency of the herbal flavors, which mask any cannabis notes. The Sympa-Tea is a fruity and spicy blend of ginger, turmeric, orange peel, black pepper, star anise, cinnamon, and licorice root, while the Tranquili-Tea features sedative herbs like chamomile and valerian root, plus peppermint, lemon myrtle, licorice root, rosemary, lemongrass, lavender, and cornflower petals. As soon as you open a tin (which contains 10 sachets) or a single-serve sachet pack, you can’t help but take a deep inhalation—they smell like peace.
The Sympa-Tea is an ideal place to start if you’re curious about trying cannabis for the first time, and it’s also a product I recommend if you have a parent or elder who’s intrigued about where to begin with cannabis. Tea is safe, familiar, and approachable.
The 3mg of THC in the Sympa-Tea are balanced with 20mg of CBD (from whole-plant extract, not from hemp), which mitigate the psychoactive effects of THC (it’s already minimal at this 3mg level—psychoactive effects are typically felt around 2mg–2.5mg). The CBD in this tea may help with aches, muscle pain, arthritis, nausea, and menstruation cramps, and can also be your friend if you’re sore after a workout or from helping a friend move (you angel). Remember, CBD is not an immediate fix—it can take some time to reduce inflammation in your body, and may require repeat and consistent use to start feeling the benefits. Some folks may note the soothing effects sooner. The herbal mix in this tea also contains anti-inflammatory ingredients for a synergistic effect, with no caffeine. Do your thang, turmeric.
The CBD (and the low dose of THC) can also help with anxiety and take the edge off, whether you’ve had a crap day at work, or you deal with anxiety daily. Let’s dial it all down with some Sympa-Tea. I have a friend who brings it to work to cope with stress and a nightmare boss (she sips a brew throughout the day). Another travels with Sympa-Tea since air travel makes her anxious. (I’m not recommending you do something illegal and leave California with it, but that’s how she rolls.)
Do you find it challenging to get to sleep, or are you waking up at 3am? Do you suffer from insomnia? I’m sorry. So many people do. Let’s get you catching some Zs. You can try Tranquili-Tea as a way to wind down a racing brain and shift into sleepy-time mode. Like the Sympa-Tea, Tranquili-Tea only contains 3mg of THC, and no caffeine (duh, we want you to sleep), and the magic factor in this tea is CBN, a cannabinoid known as Cannabinol. This cannabinoid is a bit rare and not found in many products, but is known as an effective sedative (its relaxing effects have been compared to 5mg–10mg of diazepam), even at small doses. You can read more on CBN here and here.
With the addition of THC in Sympa-Tea, these two compounds will be working together to give you some shut-eye without making you feel groggy in the morning or drugged. If you want to try something different (and natural) instead of a sleep medication you may be taking, or that cannabis edible you’re using to get to sleep is too strong and making you feel dopey in the morning, give Tranquili-Tea a shot.
Pour yourself some peace. Photo: Marcia Gagliardi. © mymilligram. Styling: Christian Jusinski/Surfacehaus.
How I like to use Kikoko’s Sympa-Tea and Tranquili-Tea
First, let’s talk about brewing. You’ll want to add 6 oz. to 8 oz. of boiling water to a mug with the sachet inside, and let it steep for at least two minutes, but I tend to go for four since I like a stronger flavor from all the beautiful herbs. (Remember, you won’t increase the potency of the cannabis if you steep it for longer.) I also go just below boiling so I don’t scorch the herbs, and I just don’t like to drink things that are super-hot. You can also use some milk if you find that soothing—I think it’s lovely with the Sympa-Tea, the spices remind me of chai.
If you reuse the sachet a second time, there won’t be residual cannabis in your second brew, just the other herbs. Bonus: you can compost the sachet when you’re done. (I have also kept a couple used sachets of the Tranquili-Tea in the fridge to soothe puffy eyes the morning after a late night—love that peppermint and chamomile.) If you’re using the Tranquili-Tea and worried about drinking too much fluid before bed, you can totally brew with a smaller amount of water or milk—it has no effect on how much CBN or THC you’ll consume, but be sure to steep for at least two minutes.
I like to brew either tea about 45 minutes before I’d like to fall asleep. You may start to feel effects in as soon as 30 minutes, but it could even take 90 or more. (If you have an empty stomach, you may feel some effects sooner.) You may feel some chillaxed feelings, or not much at all—everyone is different. If you happen to be drinking some wine at dinner, you’ll possibly amplify the effects of the THC. Let some time pass before you switch from alcohol to consuming THC, especially if you’re new to cannabis.
The Sympa-Tea has a subtle effect for me: I feel a little floaty and like my body is smoothing out. Ditto my brain. I tend to find myself doing some gentle twists, bends, wrist and foot rolls, and soft stretches after drinking it. I have also brewed and then refrigerated it, and enjoyed it later over ice (you can even add a fresh orange wedge and a tiny bit of bubbly water)—it was perfect for a Saturday afternoon and it didn’t make me sleepy, just chill. (Suffering from a hangover or upset tummy? Give Sympa-Tea a whirl.) My friend’s dad brews the tea and splits it over two evenings—it helps him sleep better and feel less achy.
Tranquili-Tea has a more noticeable presence—after 45 minutes or so, I feel my eyes get heavy, my brain downshifting, and my body dropping into a heavier feeling. What’s nice is it isn’t a dopey or groggy feeling—it’s more like being supremely relaxed and sleepy, like nodding off at the movies. The effects should help keep you asleep for at least five to six hours. I know some people wake up after their first sleep cycle and need something to keep them under and into the next cycle—this may help. Let the THC and CBN get to work on your endocannabinoid system.
After trying one or both of these teas, or if you’re an experienced cannabis user with a higher tolerance, you’ll want to check out the other two Kikoko teas: Postivi-Tea (10mg THC and 5mg CBD, plus caffeine from green tea) for a daytime, uplifted feeling and to combat anxiety—it’s a good one to split up and enjoy throughout the day (cruising altitude). And when it’s sexytime, there’s Sensuali-Tea (7mg THC), which will get you into your body and noticing how good things are feeling, and is also fun for going out and dancing since it’s a bit euphoric.
Both of these teas have a higher THC dose, so you could always split the brewed tea and just enjoy half of it: share it, or save the other half in the fridge for later (if you put it in an airtight container, it can hang out for up to a week). Just be sure to wait at least 90 minutes (ideally two hours) before you start in on the other half.
You can look at this handy dosing guide from Kikoko for more on all of their teas. Their insert in the tea canisters is packed with info (and sassy writing, love it), as well as their website. I appreciate how dedicated Kikoko is to careful consumption and making sure their customers are well-informed as they explore feeling better through using these teas. Pinkies up, and thumbs up too.
Visit kikoko.com for more info and the mymilligram page on getsava.com to buy them! You can test drive all four of the teas with the single sachets, or save a little money when you commit to the 10-piece tin.
Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product.