Learn more about how to cook with CBD oil to create delicious and nutritious recipes that can help you naturally manage your health and wellness.
Let's Get COOKING WITH CBD OIL
Hemp oil and CBD oil products have become so popular that they’re now considered mainstream health products with the most notable therapeutic value as an anti-inflammatory.
Cooking with CBD oil can be an enjoyable, safe, and legal way to consume cannabis edibles, but there are a few important tips and tricks to note before getting started making delicious CBD-infused recipes.
In this post, we will explore important considerations for cooking with CBD oil including:
- The Difference Between Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
- What Does CBD Taste Like?
- Understanding CBD Edible Consumption
- Why CBD Loves Fat
- Important Temperature Considerations
- Working With Different Product Types
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The Difference Between Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
Let's clarify this before getting started and selecting a product to work with...
There is CBD in CBD hemp oil, but there is NO CBD in hemp seed oil.
The difference lies in where the oil is extracted from the plant. To be specific, hemp seeds do not contain CBD, so oil extracted from hemp seeds does not contain CBD.
Hemp buds, flowers, and leaves do contain CBD, so oil extracted from CBD hemp flower buds do contain CBD.
While both CBD oil and hemp seed oil can be used in the kitchen, it is only the CBD oil that contains the medicinal benefits of CBD.
Hemp seed oil is still important because it contains many nutrition benefits, including heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are also great for helping to reduce inflammation in the body.
Hemp seed oil is 100% legal and can be bought in just about any grocery store or from online retailers.
Hemp seed oil can be used in various ways, most commonly as an alternative to olive oil in salad dressings and more.
A high-quality CBD oil is the product you want to start with when using CBD cannabis to manage the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and pain.
CBD is also legal to obtain and use in nearly every state, thanks to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.
What Does CBD Taste Like?
Cannabis has a distinct taste and flavor thanks to its unique terpene profile, and CBD oil is no different.
Terpenes are volatile organic compounds that give all plants their unique smells and strong taste.
Terpenes can vary greatly from strain to strain, and how the CBD oil is extracted from the plant will also impact how the final product will taste.
Both CBD and cannabis can be an acquired taste for some, and many find it to be a flavor that can greatly enhance the overall flavor profile of any dish.
Understanding CBD Edible Consumption
CBD can nourish the body’s own endocannabinoid system which is directly responsible for maintaining homeostasis or balance in the body.
The way CBD is consumed or applied to the body will make a difference in how bioavailable, or easily absorbed, the CBD is and how long the onset and duration times last.
CBD can be applied directly to the skin topically or taken sublingually under the tongue.
Both application methods yield an approximate ~30% bioavailability rate, with an average onset time of 15-30 minutes and a typical duration of 2-4 hours.
In contrast, oral or edible consumption of CBD in the form of food and drinks yields an approximate ~6-10% bioavailability rate, with an average onset time of 30-90 minutes, and a typical duration time of 4-8 hours.
It is important to remember that different CBD application methods will yield different experiences and results for each person.
Additional factors like body weight, health status, and more can affect your experience as well.
CBD and cannabis use are about self-experimentation to find which application method works best for you.
Why CBD Loves Fat
CBD, like all cannabinoids, is lipophilic – meaning that it loves to cling to fat. The cannabinoids are most easily and readily absorbed when paired with a fat, such as coconut oil or olive oil (1).
This is why you will find most CBD recipes use these infused oils.
Because CBD is a natural supplement, it is essential to pair it with a healthy diet for the best health outcomes.
A diet full of processed and fried foods creates an imbalance in the body and the inability of your body to receive all the amazing benefits of CBD.
Remember, a healthy diet is a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Important Temperature Considerations
CBD oil can be added to any of your favorite recipes.
A few CBD oil drops can be easily combined with salad dressings, smoothies, lattes, and much more!
To preserve the integrity of the plant compounds, CBD oil should not be overheated on direct heat.
Heating the oil too high can change its chemical composition, reducing its overall effectiveness (2).
However, CBD can be heated up to about 240° Fahrenheit, making baking an appropriate way to use CBD while keeping all of its benefits.
Traditional CBD oil does not need to be decarboxylated, because it already is.
The decarboxylation process happens during processing, making CBD oil ready to be added and enjoyed in that favorite dish of yours.
Working With Different CBD Oil Products
Full Spectrum vs Broad Spectrum vs Isolate:
You can find CBD oil in three different variations; full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate.
It is important to understand the difference before purchasing, so you can make the best decision possible.
Full Spectrum: Full-spectrum cannabis means that all of the naturally occurring cannabinoids found in the mature growing plant are still present in the final processed product.
Full-spectrum products also contain the other important compounds that the cannabis plant contains, including terpenes, flavonoids, and more.
Broad Spectrum: Broad-spectrum products contain many different kinds of cannabinoids and terpenes found within the plant, but not all of the compounds are naturally found within the plant.
Broad-spectrum CBD oil contains the same compounds as the full-spectrum oil; however, the THC has been physically separated, leaving no trace amounts of that specific cannabinoid.
Broad-Spectrum products are ideal for users who cannot have trace amounts of THC in their system, whether for a job, passing a drug test, or personal reasons.
Isolate: Isolate products are specifically isolated cannabinoids that have been physically separated from the cannabis plant.
For example, CBD isolate is an extraction that is 99.9% pure cannabidiol.
During the CBD isolate extraction process, every compound in the plant matter is removed, including any traces of THC, terpenes, waxes, oils, chlorophyll, and more.
Full-spectrum cannabis is thought to be superior to broad-spectrum or isolated cannabis products because all constituents help create what’s known as The Entourage Effect.
Traditional CBD Oil vs CBD Concentrate
The main difference between CBD oil vs. CBD concentrate is volume.
When something is concentrated, that means that it is denser, stronger, or purer by the removal or reduction of liquid.
You will find CBD oil sold in a much greater volume and directed to use a few drops per serving.
While CBD concentrate will be sold in a much lesser volume and is typically used for making bath and body products, food preparation, baking, or even to add to your favorite refillable vape cartridge.
Check out these recipes that are perfect to use for CBD concentrate:
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