There’s a CBD craze sweeping the world. An ever-growing number of food and beverage companies are starting to incorporate hemp and CBD into their products to take their food to the next level. If you’ve never tried CBD food before, you might have some questions. We’re here to shine a light on this new frontier in dining.
There are several ways you can add CBD to your diet. In fact, you’ll find that there are many easy CBD food recipes that you can make just in time for dinner tonight! Come with us as we break down what CBD does, what foods you’ll find it in, and how you can make CBD edibles in your own kitchen. Join us!
Table of Contents
What Is CBD Food?
CBD food is exactly what it sounds like — food that contains CBD. But what is CBD? Short for cannabidiol, CBD is one of over one hundred cannabis-derived compounds called cannabinoids. It has numerous beneficial effects, which we will cover in the next section. CBD comes in a vast array of products, and you will often find it infused into foods and beverages. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular culinary applications of CBD.
Food
CBD oil is versatile enough to incorporate into any meal. These days, you’re likely to find CBD appearing on restaurant menus. Some restaurants even offer full-tasting menus with multiple CBD-based courses! Popular CBD food products include pasta sauces, salad dressings, and condiments.
Drinks
CBD beverages typically include CBD oil as the active ingredient. This can pose a challenge since oil and water famously do not mix. Here’s a word of advice: shake or stir your CBD beverages thoroughly before consuming them to make sure the CBD gets fully incorporated into the drink.
Popular CBD beverages include smoothies, juices, and teas. In our fast-paced world, it’s no surprise that CBD energy drinks are all the rage. The calming effects of CBD help to balance its overall effects. You can easily make your own CBD drinks by adding a few drops of CBD oil to your favorite beverages.
Snacks
In the world of gourmet cooking, multi-course meals reign supreme. In the world of CBD food, the snack is king. There are thousands of CBD snacks on the market, including CBD chips, baked goods, and candy. The most popular kind of edibles are CBD gummies. Look for ones with natural ingredients and real fruit flavor like Hollyweed’s CBD gummies.
Is CBD Food Legal?
Yes, CBD food and all hemp-derived CBD products are federally legal under the Agriculture Improvement Act, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill. To understand how the government regulates CBD, you need to know the difference between hemp and marijuana.
There are two categories of Cannabis Sativa plant: hemp and marijuana. The United States federal government defines marijuana as any cannabis plant that contains more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC, the primary cannabinoid in marijuana. Marijuana is illegal on the federal level under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, although some states have enacted laws legalizing it.
Cannabis plants with 0.3% CBD or less by dry weight volume are considered hemp. Hemp is legal in all 50 states, meaning any U.S. resident can enjoy CBD food items! Just make sure that your oil and edibles contain CBD from legal hemp plants rather than marijuana plants.
What Are Some CBD Food Benefits?
CBD achieves multiple wellness benefits by interacting with receptors in your endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a network of cannabinoid receptors spread through your brain and body. It regulates critical physical and neurological functions, such as:
- Immune response
- Mood and memory
- Emotional processing
- Appetite and digestion
- Sleep
- Energy levels
By interacting with our natural cannabinoid receptors, CBD can give the ECS a boost. Here are the principal benefits you’ll receive when eating CBD food:
- Relief from aches, muscle tension, and general physical discomfort
- Physical and mental relaxation
- Reduced nervousness
- Positive mood and mindset
- Promotes better sleep
- Improved appetite and digestion
If you want to take your wellness to the next level, look for a CBD tincture made with hemp seed oil, like Hollyweed’s CBD Oil. The versatility of tinctures makes it the easiest way to incorporate CBD into any beverage or meal. In addition to CBD, you’ll get extra nutrition from hemp seeds. This superfood has a reputation as a powerful dietary supplement because of its rich nutrient profile. Hemp seeds are an excellent source of plant-based protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and essential omega fatty acids.
Omega fatty acids have many potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory capabilities and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Hemp seed oil is one of the most popular dietary supplements due to the high levels of omega fatty acids it contains. A CBD product with hemp seed oil, such as Hollyweed’s CBD tincture, delivers the power of omegas in unison with CBD for even greater benefits.
What Does CBD Food Taste Like?
The flavor of CBD food varies depending on the meal and what kind of CBD product you add to it. Full-spectrum CBD oil contains all of the compounds naturally found in cannabis, including trace amounts of THC and all of the terpenes (terpenes are the natural chemical compounds that give plants their flavors and aromas). Full-spectrum products have the strongest hemp flavor, a mild earthy, grassy taste.
Broad-spectrum CBD products have all the compounds in hemp plants besides THC. They may have a slightly milder taste than full-spectrum products. However, if you want the benefits of CBD with no hemp flavor whatsoever, you can try CBD isolate.
Isolate is pure CBD with no other hemp compounds. It is odorless and flavorless, integrating seamlessly into any dish. Hollyweed CBD capsules have a pre-measured amount of CBD, making dosing easy. Break open a capsule and add it to any food to create an instant edible!
Can You Make Your Own CBD Edibles?
Indeed you can! The easiest way to make CBD edibles at home is to mix a dose of CBD oil tincture into one serving of your favorite food. If you aren’t sure what the proper dose of CBD oil is, check out our simple CBD dosing chart.
You can add CBD oil to anything you want either before or after cooking it. We recommend adding CBD oil before or during the cooking stage to better mix it into the meal. This may also help to reduce the strength of the hemp oil flavor.
You can also make homemade CBD edibles from hemp flower. If you do this, you want to start with a strain that has a high concentration of CBD, like Hollyweed’s Skywalker OG (20.94% CBD). You can’t just add raw hemp flower to your food, however. It won’t achieve the desired effects. You have to activate the cannabinoids in hemp through a process called decarboxylation. To do this, bake ground hemp flower at 225° F for 45 minutes.
Ready to make your own CBD food? Then keep reading to learn how to make some savory CBD treats and meals!
CBD Brownies
Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 ounces melted butter
- 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) Hollyweed CBD Oil (choose your strength — we recommend 300 mg for beginners)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 300° F and grease an 8×8 baking pan.
- Beat the eggs until fluffy, then add the sugar and whisk to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until no lumps remain.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Resist the temptation to eat the brownies right away and let them cool completely before cutting (this is the hardest part!).
CBD Salad Dressing With Lemon
Time: 3 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (approx. 1/2 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 1/2 milliliters) Hollyweed CBD oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Steps:
- Whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, and honey in a medium bowl.
- Add the CBD oil slowly, constantly whisking to emulsify the mixture. Repeat this process with the olive oil.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
CBD Smoothie for One
Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit of choice (mixed berries, mangoes, and bananas are great options)
- 1 cup fruit juice or coconut milk
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 dose Hollyweed CBD oil (see our CBD Dosing Chart for guidelines) or 1 Hollyweed CBD capsules
- Ice cubes (optional)
Steps:
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
- If you’re using fresh fruit, you might want to add ice cubes to cool the beverage. Frozen fruit will act as its own ice, naturally chilling the drink as you blend.
Final Thoughts – CBD Food
These days, you can find CBD in any kind of food you can think of. Listen to your taste buds – what do they desire? You can doubtless find it infused with CBD. If not, you can always make your culinary dreams a reality at home by mixing CBD oil into your favorite foods and drinks.
When purchasing CBD products, look for those with natural, organic ingredients and U.S.-grown hemp plants. This ensures you get the finest overall experience. Head to our shop and start your CBD culinary journey with some top-shelf hemp flower or CBD oil from Hollyweed!
