If you are familiar with the world of cannabidiol (CBD), you have probably heard a lot about one product in particular: CBD edibles. If you have never tried an edible, you have likely wondered why everyone cares so much about them. The goal of this article is to educate you on CBD edibles, so that you can decide whether they are the product for you.
CBD? What is that?
If you are interested in CBD edibles, you should probably have at least an idea of what exactly CBD is, so let’s talk about it.
CBD is one of the over 113 different chemical compounds found in cannabis plants, like marijuana and hemp. These chemical compounds are called cannabinoids. CBD certainly is one of the best-known cannabinoids, but there is one that you like heard of long before you heard of CBD. That would be tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
The reason for THC’s fame is based primarily on its effect on its users. THC is psychoactive. That means that it creates an inebriating high. It is the reason why marijuana causes the high it does. It is widespread for people to think that because THC is psychoactive, so are all other cannabinoids. However, this is not the case. Most cannabinoids are not psychoactive, especially not CBD. CBD does not cause any sort of high or inebriation.
Even though hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants, there are some significant differences between them. One is the different concentrations of specific cannabinoids. Marijuana has high levels of THC and varying degrees of CBD. This is why marijuana is usually considered a cannabis plant that will cause inebriation. Hemp has low THC (no more than 0.3%, which is not enough to create a high) and high levels of CBD. Another difference between them is based on legality. Hemp was officially legalized in the United States in 2018 by the Farm Bill. The bill made it legal for farmers to grow and sell CBD across the country (with exceptions in individual states). Marijuana is still federally illegal throughout the states, though some states have legalized it on one level or another. It is for these reasons that most CBD manufacturers use hemp to make their products rather than marijuana.
Why are CBD edibles so popular?
CBD is a pretty versatile extract, so it is easily made into many different products. However, the one that is the most popular has to be edibles. But why is that? What is so great about them? Let’s explore some of the reasons.
To start with, let’s just give a quick definition of what a CBD edible. You can probably guess that a CBD edible is any food or drink that has been made with CBD. These are pretty easily accessible at many stores, pharmacies, and cafes. You can even make your own, as we will talk about further below.
One of the main reasons is taste. Hemp tends to have a distinct, earthy flavor. Certain CBD products still have that flavor, despite CBD being an extract. For some, this is not a problem, as they enjoy or just do not mind the taste. However, for others, it can make a CBD product nearly unbearable. So, edibles are an excellent solution for these people, as the flavor of the food or drink typically overpower or mask the hemp’s taste.
Another reason why people love CBD edibles is based on control. Most edibles are made with the same amount of CBD in every serving. This makes it so you always know precisely how much CBD you are getting, and helps you be sure that you are not taking too much. Other CBD products can be a little bit harder to control. For example, drops are a great way to get CBD directly, but it is easy to accidentally get one drop too many with the dropper. Edibles provide a level of control that other products do not.
A third reason why edibles are so popular is that there are many choices. You can find CBD edibles in just about any food or drink you could want. Some companies make CBD crackers and pasta. Others make CBD sodas and sparkling water. Then, of course, there are the CBD candies, like gummies or chocolates. No matter what kind of food you like best, you can likely find a version with CBD in it. If not, you can add it yourself.
While all of these are great reasons to love CBD edibles, nothing is perfect. Edibles take the longest to start working out of all CBD products. This means that you do need to be prepared to wait at least half an hour to see if the CBD is working. However, edibles also are believed to have the longest-lasting effect, so there is a little bit of trade off with this downside.
What if I do not want to get my CBD through edibles?
That is perfectly understandable. Some people need their CBD to start working faster. Others would rather have their CBD provide a localized effect. Whatever your reason for wanting a different way to take your CBD, you have plenty of options. Let’s talk about some of them.
Topicals
These are anything that you use on your skin, instead of ingesting, that is made out of CBD. These are what you will want to look for if you prefer a localized effect rather than an overall effect. This is because the CBD in the topicals usually do not enter the bloodstream like they do with oral CBD products. Instead, they absorb through the pores and do their work from there.
FDA approved medications
Because the CBD industry is so new, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still in the process of approving certain medications made from cannabinoids. So far, a handful of them has been approved. One of the big ones is Epidiolex, a pure CBD medicine aimed at helping lower the number of seizures experienced by those who have some rare forms of epilepsy. Another is Sativex, a mixture of CBD and another cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Sativex is made to ease the painful spasticity that comes along with Multiple Sclerosis. The rest of the cannabinoid- based medicines that have been approved are prepared to help fight nausea that is a common side effect of some cancer treatments.
Tablets & capsules
Some people prefer to get their supplements in the form of pills. If this describes you, no worries. There are plenty of CBD products that are more pill like, namely sublingual tablets and soft gel capsules. Sublingual tablets are the faster option out of the two. This is because you place the tablet under your tongue and allow it to dissolve. The skin under the tongue is thin, which allows the CBD to absorb into the system faster. The soft gel capsules are the most pill-like out of the two, as they are just capsules that you swallow whole. While the fact that they are soft gel means that they digest and start working faster than regular pills, they still need to digest before they can begin working. This makes them slower than tablets.
Oils & tinctures
If you are looking for a more straightforward CBD product, then oils and tinctures are the options. These are CBD extracts that have been placed in a carrier oil, like coconut oil, for example. You have a few choices in how you take these. One we mentioned briefly above. It is mixing the oil in with food or drink. This is similar to an edible; the only difference is that you have more control over how much CBD oil is put into food or drink. As a result, you do need to wait for the drink or food to digest before the CBD can start working. The other option is by placing a drop or two directly under your tongue. Like tablets, this is a fast way to get your CBD serving as the cannabinoid absorbs through the thin skin under your tongue.
When you put all of the reasons in the above sections together, it is not surprising that people love CBD edibles. They are comfortable and delicious to take and still give you all the benefits of CBD. So, if you are new to CBD, why not try an edible to start with? It could be a great introduction to the world of CBD.
Still have some comments, questions, or concerns? No problem! Feel free to contact us and let us know. You can get ahold of a member of the Panacea Life Sciences team either through our Contact page or by emailing us at [email protected]. In the meantime, why don’t you check out our high-quality CBD products? We have a large range of CBD products for everyone, including our delicious Cherry Bomb CBD Gummies!
