One of the latest crazes in health and wellness is turning a lot of heads mainly because it comes from the Cannabis plant.  Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-psychoactive element in marijuana that carries many beneficial properties and has potential to provide relief in an array of wellness areas ranging from helping with diabetes to relieving pain and even psychological trauma.  

Methods to consume CBD

Interestingly and regardless of the wellness it can provide, some are reluctant to try CBD because they associate it with smoking.  Fact is there are now endless ways to Consume CBD that don’t involve smoking including topicals, inhalants, tinctures, soaps, teas, coffees and much more. 

Actual CBD found in cannabis is truly Cannabidiolic acid, or CBD-A.  The process of heating it up causes it to convert into CBD and activate the benefits it packs inside.  Once activated we’re able to consume it in a variety of ways including eating it and this is among the most common ways to consume CBD.

CBD Oil

The true wellness hero will most likely go straight for the Cbd Oil but you would first have to know how to use CBD oil in order to reap its full benefits.  It’s important to note that CBD oil has a relatively low smoke point compared to other cooking oils. 

This means it heats up and also burns very quickly making it a bad choice to cook with.  Even if you cook with it and manage to not burn it there’s still the risk of damaging the CBD and making it useless.  CBD oil is far more beneficial consumed at lower temperatures like in salad dressing or perhaps drizzled over pasta after it’s been cooked and cools a bit. 

Edibles

The more adventurous CBD consumer may opt for the gummies or the Cheetos but believe it or not it doesn’t stop there.  

There are CBD wines, waters and teas and those are extremely impressive.  Why you ask?  Because CBD itself isn’t water soluble.  So consuming it in water form is a technological breakthrough!

Tinctures

There are also tinctures; technically not edibles but these relief treats are still worth mentioning.  Tinctures are usually very concentrated solutions.  Typically a few drops of a good tincture amount to the sum of CBD in an entire flower.  They’re worth mentioning because you can eat them if you want but they’re meant to be dropped sublingually and then absorbed through mucous membrane in your gums.  Technically not an edible because it’s bypassing the whole digestive system and being absorbed straight into the bloodstream and it hits differently as well.

Effects of CBD

Speaking of how it hits, keep in mind as with eating anything it can take time before you feel it systemically throughout the body.  CBD is no exception with edibles taking anywhere from 15 minutes to close to a few hours to be felt.  It varies based on many personal factors and also the quality of the product you’ve consumed. 

Tinctures on the other hand are a little different.  When consumed sublingually they can begin to take effect a little sooner.  Again, CBD is not psychoactive so we’re not expecting a high when we consume but it is a substance meant to interact with your body and at the very least it’s been known to mellow people down. Just be aware of how you’re feeling when consuming.

Reality is when it comes to CBD most prefer not to smoke it because it’s a clear wellness choice, why cloud it up with smoke?  But do keep in mind there are differences between the various methods of consuming CBD and it doesn’t HAVE to be smoked.  

Other Methods of Consuming CBD

Beyond edibles there’s also vaping, lotions, bath bombs, chap sticks and so much more.  If you decide to give it try be sure to make the choice that works best for you.