What does "Maeng Da" mean?

Maeng Da is translated to mean "pimp grade" and is a variant of Thai kratom. It is known as the general "go to" kratom among early kratom connoisseurs. Much like Pabst Blue Ribbon beer is known as the "garage beer" of beers- it's cheap and easy to come by just like Maeng Da kratom. It's also said to have a high alkaloid content and is therefore very effective.

Back around the 1940's workers in Thailand used to take the kratom leaves right off the tree and chew on them. They did this throughout their 18 hour long workday in the fields because it gave them a feeling of well-being and the sustained energy required to get through the day.  

Fast forward to the modern day and you see that rather than chew leaves straight from the tree, kratom farmers now pick the leaves from the trees, dry them in the sun, and mechanically grind them into a fine powder so they can be easily consumed. This is the more common form of kratom found in the United States of America and abroad.