Decarboxylation must occur before cooking, baking, or extracting oil from the cannabis plant in order to reap the benefits of activated cannabinoids like CBD or THC. Learn more about when, where, why, and how to decarboxylate cannabis for making edibles and more at home.
Cannabinoid acids, like CBDA, THCA and more, have potential health benefits on their own - but they are not intoxicating in nature.To convert these non-intoxicating cannabinoid acids into the activated cannabinoids we want, the process of decarboxylation must occur.
By definition, decarboxylation is is a chemical reaction that removes a carboxyl group and releases carbon dioxide.Decarboxylation can occur when cannabis is exposed to heat, light, cofactors, or solvents, all of which can be manipulated within your own kitchen.
Decarboxylation can easily be done in your own kitchen at home by baking the dried cannabis in the oven at a low temperature for a certain period of time.
The goal of cannabis decarboxylation is to heat the flower at a low temperature to allow decarboxylation to occur without destroying the other beneficial plant matter such as the terpenes or flavonoids.
There are many factors that will impact the results of your final product when decarboxylating cannabis.Here are a few additional considerations to keep in mind:
While heat is needed to decarboxylate, extreme temperatures can destroy many important plant materials that contribute to positive health outcomes, like terpenes
Many variables can impact the final temperature of the oven. For this reason, we recommend purchasing a digital oven-safe thermometer so that you can track the temperature in the oven that you have.
If you are using an oven or other pieces of equipment like a crockpot, slow cooker, or Instant Pot, small variables in the cooking equipment may impact your final product.