The CBD industry has grown substantially over the years, and with the increasing awareness about the health advantages of cannabis, including cannabidiol and CBD edibles, the second most prevalent of its active ingredients, that growth is expected to continue across the globe.
Edibles are basically food or drink products that can include anything from gummy bears to butter, coffee, and cookies, infused with cannabis extracts containing THC, CBD, or both. These days you’ll find plenty of CBD edibles for purchase both online and in stores, but if you want to make your own, the process can seem a bit intimidating at first. By taking into consideration these do’s and don’ts, you’ll increase the odds of producing some high-quality edibles that are not only effective but taste great.
Do’s
Proper Dosing
The easiest way to ensure each serving has the dose you want is to make your recipe without CBD first. You can standardize a single serving by measuring how many cups, slices, or pieces you end up with. Once you know how many servings the recipe makes, you’ll just do some simple math. For example, if you want each serving to contain 15 milligrams of CBD, multiply the CBD serving (15) by the number of servings, or edibles, you’ll end up with: 15mg CBD x 10 brownies = 150mg of CBD. You’ll need to know how much oil to use to achieve the overall strength, in this case, two 1ml droppers of a full-spectrum CBD oil. If that all sounds too confusing, use this free online calculator offered by BeTheHippy to estimate infusion potency and edible recipe dosage potency.
Decarb
Decarboxylation is one of the most important processes in making CBD edibles, in which CBD loses carboxylic acid through heat and becomes CBD. If the cannabidiol (CBD) isn’t activated, it won’t have any effect. To do so, you’ll need to bake evenly trimmed hemp buds in a single layer on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 240 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Next, use a mortar and pestle or herb grinder to grind it up easily.
Use High-Quality Oil
Just like cooking anything, high-quality ingredients mean high-quality results. Use higher-quality fats such as grass-fed butter or coconut oil for products that are not only tastier but latch onto CBD at a better rate as compared to oils like vegetable or canola.
Dont’s
Over Grinding
While many people are under the impression that marijuana must be finely ground to be used for edibles, that’s simply an urban legend. All that grinding will do is put more plant material into your finished product, increasing unwanted flavors and the possibility of it turning green, a color that’s not all that appetizing in chocolate chip cookies.
Baking At A High Temperature
At temperatures above 350 degrees Fahrenheit, CBD, and other cannabinoids will boil off, vaporizing and leaving your edibles ineffective. Only use recipes that call for 350 degrees or lower to protect your CBD’s integrity.
Not Stirring Enough
When cooking edibles, you need to stir a lot to ensure proper distribution. Stir, stir, and stir again so that each proper size has the same amount of CBD.
Photo – CBD Oracle
