Ingredients and terms

Definitions only. Nothing here says what a product does.

Kratom Also called Mitragyna speciosa

A tree in the coffee family that grows across Southeast Asia. Its leaf is dried and ground, and that powder, or an extract of it, is what goes into a kratom product. On our labels: Kratom Addicts

Leaf powder

Dried kratom leaf, milled. Whole leaf rather than a concentrate, so it carries whatever alkaloid content the leaf itself had.

Extract

Material concentrated from the leaf, so the same weight carries more alkaloids than plain leaf powder. Weight for weight the two are not interchangeable.

Alkaloid

A naturally occurring nitrogen compound found in many plants. Caffeine is one. In kratom, the alkaloids are what a laboratory measures.

Mitragynine Also called MIT

The alkaloid present in the largest amount in kratom leaf. A lab report gives the measured amount, as a percentage of the material or in milligrams per piece. On our labels: MIT in a product name

Amount per piece

How much of the named ingredient sits in one tablet, gummy or capsule. This is the figure to compare across products, since pack sizes differ.

Serving size

How many pieces the label counts as one serving. A serving is not always one piece, so check before you compare two products.

Functional mushroom

A culinary or supplement mushroom such as lion’s mane, reishi or cordyceps, used here as a food ingredient. On our labels: Shruums Addicts

Fruiting body

The part of a mushroom you would recognize as a mushroom, above ground. A label that names it is telling you which part went in.

Mycelium

The root-like network a mushroom grows from, often cultivated on grain. It is different material from a fruiting body.

Mushroom blend

More than one mushroom in one product. The label lists which ones and how much of each. On our labels: Mushroom Blend

Chewable tablet

A pressed tablet meant to be chewed rather than swallowed whole. It carries binders and a sweetener alongside the active ingredient. On our labels: Chewable Tablets

Gummy

A soft chew set with either pectin or gelatin. Pectin suits vegans, gelatin does not. On our labels: Gummies

Pectin

A setting agent made from fruit, used in place of gelatin, which comes from animals.

Vegan

Made without animal-derived ingredients. On a gummy that means pectin in place of gelatin. On our labels: Vegan

Non-GMO

Made without ingredients from genetically modified organisms. A claim about how the ingredients were grown, and nothing about strength. On our labels: Non GMO

Lot number Also called Batch number

The code printed on the pack that identifies its production run. Use it to find the lab report for what you actually bought.

Certificate of analysis Also called COA

The lab document for a lot. It lists what was tested, the method used and the result for each item.

Heavy metals

Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. Plants take them up from soil, so a laboratory measures them against a limit.

Microbial testing

Bacteria, yeast and mold counts, plus named organisms such as salmonella and E. coli.

Best before

The date up to which the maker expects the product to hold its stated quality. It speaks to quality rather than safety.

Subscription

Buying on a repeating schedule instead of once. You set the delivery frequency when you order and can change it later.

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A word on a pack that is not explained here? Ask us and we add it