When people think about cannabis snacks, their first thoughts are usually of cookies or brownies, but this expanding marketplace now offers much more. Popular CBD edibles today include gummies, peanut butter, lollies, chewing gum, and even jerky. As well as tasting delicious, these treats provide CBD enthusiasts with a variety of ways to enjoy their daily dose of phytocannabinoids.
How CBD edibles are made
CBD edibles are ordinary snacks that have been infused with CBD oil. The process involves the use of carbon dioxide to decarboxylate raw hemp, which can be a lengthy and dangerous practice if you want to ensure quality, stability, and high concentration. One of the simplest ways to make CBD edibles is to mix CBD oil into your everyday recipes, like salad dressings, bakes, and smoothies. Alternatively, you can explore some of the many CBD products available in CBD shops or online, such as Naturecan’s CBD gummies.
How CBD edibles work with the body
Hemp is a strain of cannabis that contains low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and high levels of cannabidiol (CBD). The former phytocannabinoid is the compound that makes users feel high when the strain of marijuana is inhaled or ingested. The latter is considered safe and nonintoxicating by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is legal in many states of the US and European countries.
Our bodies naturally produce cannabinoids within the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which regulates many of our biological processes, such as sleep, mood, and pain. The plant cannabinoid CBD interacts with the CB1 and CB2 receptors within the ECS to help maintain balance, providing relief, calmness, and focus.
How long CBD takes to work
How long CBD takes to work depends greatly on the individual, as our weight, metabolism, and tolerance can affect how quickly the active ingredients are absorbed into the ECS. Another factor that affects onset is the method of consumption. For example, CBD edibles like oil, lollipops, and chewing gum work within a couple of minutes as the CBD is absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth, sending them directly into the bloodstream sublingually. Others, like cookies, brownies, and gummies, take a little longer to take effect as they first travel through the digestive tract and lose some potency along the way.
However, both methods release CBD slowly, making them good if you are seeking lasting effects. CBD vapes are fast-acting as they also work sublingually through the lining of the mouth but don’t tend to last as long. CBD topicals are not absorbed through the bloodstream, so they take longer to get to work on the skin’s ECS, but they can have a lasting effect on a targeted area.
Benefits of CBD edibles
CBD edibles are considered a great way to take CBD because they are tasty and discreet. Their long-lasting effect means that your morning or afternoon snack can be used as a way to top up your cannabinoid levels. As long as you don’t exceed 70mg of CBD in a 24-hour period, as recommended by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), CBD edibles can also be combined. You could take a capsule in the morning, eat a brownie, cookie, or chocolate mid-morning, chew a gummy in the afternoon, and add some peanut butter to your post-workout smoothie in the evening.
CBD capsules
CBD capsules were developed for those who either don’t enjoy the natural taste of CBD oil or who want a more discreet way of taking their CBD. They are easy to swallow with water and ensure a measured dose every time. Not as many of the active ingredients get diluted as the capsule passes through the digestive tract, ensuring a higher dose reaches the stomach.
CBD gummies
When it comes to CBD gummies, such products are a fun way to take CBD as they come in many flavours and also deliver a measured dose each time. They can be chewed for slow onset or sucked for a quicker onset via the sublingual method of consumption.
CBD chocolates
It’s no accident that CBD and chocolate are often combined. One of the reasons that CBD struggles to remain intact during digestion is that it is not water-soluble. It has a tendency to perform better when combined with fats like oil. Chocolate contains natural oils that help to protect the CBD while it passes through the digestive tract, increasing its bioavailability.
CBD peanut butter
Peanuts are high in mono- and polyunsaturated fat, making them a great source of oil that blends well with CBD to increase bioavailability. Furthermore, peanut butter contains fibre and protein that satiates the appetite for longer, making it a popular snack among fitness fans. A single serving can provide us with 3mg of vitamin E, which has an antioxidant effect, 49mg of magnesium, which strengthens bones, and 208mg of potassium, which protects cardiovascular health. CBD peanut butter is a versatile treat as you can spread it on toast, add it to shakes, or stir it into your porridge.
The takeaway
As well as delivering long-lasting effects in a tasty format, CBD edibles are an exciting way to keep your ECS in balance. Choose from a wide variety of CBD treats in-store or online or get experimenting with a bottle of CBD oil in your kitchen. Why not concoct your own salad dressing, whip up a batch of CBD fairy cakes, or stir your daily dose into your porridge?
