Cooking with CBD
There are different types of CBD products that are better for different uses. Beverages, tinctures, vapes, and capsules are just a few of the available varieties. One exciting option for adding CBD into your daily life is incorporating it into your cooking. When it comes to cooking with CBD, there are a variety of options, but first, let’s have a little refresher about CBD.
CBD Essentials
CBD is one of the many cannabinoids in hemp and marijuana plants. You may have heard about another famous cannabinoid THC. Both are present in the cannabis plant, but one significant difference is that CBD does not produce a high. Because there are no euphoric feelings associated with ingesting CBD, it is considered non-habit-forming. CBD is also not associated with tolerance build-up so it can be taken regularly without any known significant side effects.
CBD got a significant boost in 2018 when the newly passed Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp production. Hemp-derived CBD is thus legal on a federal level and has been removed from the Schedule I Substance list by the DEA. CBD derived from the marijuana plant, while identical on the molecular level, is not considered legal in all states.
Many users credit CBD with medicinal properties and consume it orally, topically, or ingest it with food. In fact, many have begun cooking with CBD as a means to add it to their diet. Many use CBD to help with anxiety, improve sleep, reduce inflammation, and manage pain. Scientists discovered that the reason CBD may be a helpful tool in wellness support is its ability to support the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). ECS is responsible for keeping all functions in the body running smoothly. As you encounter changes from the outside world, ECS maintains homeostasis in the body.
ECS uses endocannabinoids to send messages between its many receptors in the brain. CBD is a cannabinoid similar to the body’s own endocannabinoids, so ECS can use it to supplement its function.
Cooking with CBD
There are multiple reasons why cooking with CBD may be a preferred method of adding it to your diet. Eating or drinking CBD yields a slower absorption rate, because CBD has to go through the digestive system in order to metabolize. This also means that CBD stays in the system for a more extended period. For those looking to have a consistent low dose of CBD in their system for pain or inflammation management, this may be a great option.
When cooking with CBD, you can add the desirable dose to recipes you already love. Picking a high-quality CBD oil brand like National Botanicals is essential. CBD oil is a concentrated product, and you want to make sure you are not adding pesticides or toxic elements to your food. National Botanicals uses all organic hemp for its CBD sourcing and has third-party lab testing performed on their CBD oils, so you can be sure you are using the highest quality product.
There are a few ways to incorporate CBD oil into your cooking. Each method has its own benefits, but the vital thing to remember is that CBD needs either liquids or fat to bind to in the recipe.
Combining CBD With Liquids
Infusing foods and beverages with CBD is one of the easiest and quickest ways to incorporate CBD into your cooking. Any food or drink that has liquid in it can easily be infused with CBD. When you heat CBD directly on a high heat source, it loses its potency and beneficial properties. Therefore, adding unheated CBD oil to your food and beverages can get you the best results.
You can add CBD oil to your favorite salad dressing, smoothies, lattes, and chia seed puddings. And don’t forget CBD infused cocktails! Adding CBD oil into foods with liquids is excellent for accurate dosing, as it’s easy to make sure you are evenly distributing your CBD. Combining CBD with other beneficial ingredients like turmeric or coconut oil may further boost its benefits.
Combining CBD With Fats
Another way that may boost CBD oil’s bioavailability (the rate at which the body absorbs it) is to combine it with fats. Incorporating CBD into baking recipes is very popular. This method of cooking with CBD gets the best tasting results because the other yummy flavors in desserts can easily mask CBD’s natural aroma.
Baked CBD infused goods are also easy to store and transport. So, if you are looking to make a batch of CBD treats that you can enjoy later, this is a great option.
Bon Appetit!
There are many edible CBD products out there. By incorporating CBD oil into your cooking, you can be in charge of potency and ingredients list. Additionally, cooking with CBD allows you to make CBD infused goodies that are perfect for your specific needs.
To learn more about CBD, visit our FAQ page.
