CBD can be taken in a number of ways – smoking CBD flower, vaping CBD vape oils and popping a drop of a CBD tincture under the tongue – but one of the most popular methods is eating CBD infused edibles such as CBD edible gummies. Today, there are so many options available to those that like edibles so I thought I would give you a rundown on what CBD edibles are and the different ones you can pick from. Hopefully, in doing so, you will be able to navigate the market better and pick the right CBD edible for you!
What are CBD edibles?
In the US, you will find two main types of edibles – those that are basically all CBD (with zero to minimal amounts of THC) and those that contain a CBD and THC mix in a variety of ratios. That said, the only CBD edibles you will find for sale in the UK are CBD dominant as legally CBD products are only allowed to have a THC content of 1mg per packet or less over here. So when you are buying CBD edibles please check the packaging to make sure this is the case!
CBD edibles come in all different shapes and sizes – gummies, hard candy, chocolate, baked goods, drinks, savoury snacks – depending on where in the world you live (but there are a lot more options on offer in the US!) so you should be able to find something that best suits your taste buds. Personally, I have become a big fan of Paso CBD edible gummies which taste absolutely delicious – fruity and fresh, with no strong hemp aftertaste (which can often be hard to find!)
When choosing the right edible for you, firstly it depends on what taste you want – whether you are a sweet or savoury kind of person – and then it will depend on the type of experience you are looking to have. If you want an experience that will get you high then you will need an edible that has THC in it – and then you can select the right high for you based on the right balance of THC to CBD. Obviously the higher the CBD to THC ratio, the lighter the high and vice versa. If you are looking more for the wellness benefits of CBD, then a CBD dominant edible, such as CBD edible gummies (with zero to negligible amounts of THC) is your answer as they won’t get you high. But, as previously mentioned, if you are living in the UK your CBD edible selection will be limited to CBD dominant edibles given the illegal status of THC.
What are the benefits of CBD edibles?
The other benefits of CBD edibles are that you can more accurately track the amount of CBD you are putting into your body. Each edible is individually dosed (for example each of Paso’s CBD edible gummies that I mentioned earlier contains 20mg of CBD per gummy) so you know exactly how much CBD you are taking at a given time – which is a lot harder to monitor when you are vaping CBD or smoking CBD flower.
It is important to remember, though, that if you are taking CBD in an edible format (be it CBD edible gummies, CBD chocolates or CBD drinks), the effects of the CBD will be much weaker and take a bit longer to kick in compared to if you are vaping CBD. This is because, when ingesting CBD, the CBD takes longer to metabolize since it has to pass through the digestive system and liver before it goes into your bloodstream. This means it will take approx 1.5 – 2 hours after eating your delicious CBD edible for it to have an effect on your body so wait a bit before you decide to re-up your dose!
What are CBD edibles made of?
As with all CBD products, CBD edibles can be made from three types of CBD: full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD and CBD isolate. Each refers to the varying amounts of additional cannabinoids contained within or in essence how “pure” or isolated the CBD is.
1. Full-spectrum CBD products derived from hemp use the full chemical profile of the hemp plant which often isn’t significantly different from broad-spectrum products. If a product is genuinely full-spectrum, it would include all of the cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds in the hemp plant, including THC. This is important to be aware of because, although some products are labelled full-spectrum in the UK, if they are abiding by regulation and do not contain THC (or only trace amounts), they should technically only be labelled as being broad spectrum.
2. As explained above, broad-spectrum CBD products contain all other cannabinoids of the cannabis or hemp plant that they come from but have had all the THC removed.
3. CBD isolate products contain nothing but CBD. As the name would suggest, this is CBD in its purest form when all other cannabinoids, terpenes, plant matter and flavonoids are refined away from CBD extract/distillate.
The type of CBD used in your CBD edible does impact the effects of the CBD. It is widely accepted that CBD is more effective at stimulating the endocannabinoid system when it interacts with other cannabinoids and terpenes – this is known as the “entourage effect.”
Hopefully, this has helped you understand CBD edibles and CBD edible gummies a bit better – shout in the comments if you have any questions or just to let me know what your fave edible are and why!