There are many trendy drinks are out there, from sparkling water to kombucha. You may have dabbled with these drinks. Did you know that there are versions of those drinks that could benefit you even more? These are drinks with cannabidiol (CBD) in them.
In fact, there are many different types of CBD-infused beverages. This is not very surprising as it seems like CBD is everywhere these days. There are CBD gummies, lotions, and oils all with CBD in them. But what is CBD and why do people want it in drinks?
Learning more about CBD
Let’s lay out exactly what CBD is. CBD is a chemical compound that is known as a cannabinoid. These are found in Cannabis plants like hemp and marijuana. There are over 113 cannabinoids in Cannabis. They can have a number of different effects on people. The one cannabinoid that is very well-known is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as this is the psychoactive compound that creates the high associated with marijuana use.
While CBD is a cannabinoid, it is quite different from THC in that mainly it is not psychoactive. CBD does not create a high. It may help the user have a greater sense of calm, but it will not make them feel intoxicated.
CBD is usually derived from hemp and not marijuana. There are two main reasons for this.The main one is that hemp, by definition has much higher levels of CBD than THC. This makes the extraction a lot easier and provides a lot more CBD. The other reason is that industrial hemp is legal in the United States, while marijuana is still illegal.
CBD comes in three different forms: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate. Each of those names refers to what is in the extract along with the CBD. Full-spectrum includes everything. It has other cannabinoids, including THC (less than 0.3%, which is not enough to get someone high), and terpenes, which give Cannabis its distinct smell and flavor. Broad-spectrum is similar to full-spectrum, but there is one key difference: broad-spectrum does not have any THC in it. CBD isolate is what it sounds like. It is just CBD and nothing else.
Now that we have covered what CBD is, let’s talk about what it has to offer.
Why is CBD such a big deal?
There has been quite the increase in studies on CBD over the last few years. Researchers have been really interested in what CBD may be able to do for people.
As talked about before, CBD may be able to help people achieve a sense of calm. This study found that CBD was able to help some people with Social Anxiety Disorder face one of the more terrifying aspects of life: public speaking. The CBD was able to help them calm down and face the challenge.
Another area that many researchers look at is inflammation. Many studies, for example this study and this one, have found that CBD may have anti-inflammatory properties. This means that taking CBD daily may be able to help with movement and/or mobility.
The area of study that many researchers are excited about is CBD’s effect on prescription drug-resistant epileptic seizures. There are many studies, like this one, that have found that CBD may not only reduce seizure frequency but even protect against damage caused by epileptic seizures. In fact, these studies have been so promising, the FDA approved a CBD-derived medication for epilepsy, called Epidiolex.
These studies are really just the tip of the iceberg regarding research on CBD. There are many scientists exploring the numerous claims and applications of CBD for human and animal health. The healing potential that is known to date is why physicians, scientists and consumers are so excited about CBD. So, what CBD drinks are out there, and why take them?
What drinks have CBD in them?
Since the legalization, there has been a boom in the number of CBD-infused drinks on the market. They range from just the basic, like water, to the more complex, like kombucha. But what other ones are there?
Water, still and sparkling
Let’s start with the more basic of the CBD drinks, water. CBD isolate is naturally flavorless, so basic waters with the cannabinoid will likely just taste like water. Many of the CBD waters out there are sparkling. These often include flavors and/or sweeteners. These products can be delicious and refreshing.
Soda
Soda can be a nice, sweet treat. CBD in the soda can make it even better. There are CBD manufacturers who make CBD sodas that range in flavors from lemon-lime to root beer. Now you can have things like CBD root beer floats.
Coffee
CBD coffee is interesting because you get many options. Some companies sell CBD-infused coffee grounds in bags or pods. That way you can brew the coffee yourself and make it the way you like it. Pre-made CBD coffees are also available, if you do not have time to make the coffee yourself. These are often things like cold brews and iced lattes. There are also CBD coffee creamers if you are looking for more flexibility in your CBD coffee.
Tea
Some of us are more tea than coffee people. If you are one of those, you may be interested in CBD tea. There are a lot of options with this one as well. You can find CBD tea in bags and loose leaf. If you do not want to brew the tea yourself, there are plenty of pre-made iced teas that you can buy.
Kombucha
This is an area of CBD beverages that not everyone may be familiar with, so let’s just cover what kombucha is. It is basically fermented green or black tea. It normally has fruit and/or spices mixed in to give it some flavor. Because it is fermented, kombucha is a great way to get some probiotics in your system. And now you can find it infused with CBD. With drinks like these, you can get a boost to your day in a few ways.
Nutrition drinks
This is a broad category of beverages that includes sports drinks and juices. The sports drinks may be a good option for athletes, because they not only tend to have electrolytes, but also include the CBD which may be able to assist with post-workout inflammation. Juices are also a great CBD beverage. They give you the benefits of CBD, but you also get the vitamins and nutrients that are in fruits and vegetables.
These beverages are a good way to get a daily dose of CBD. This is partially because you can get in the form of your favorite drink. They also make it easy to control your dosing. With the information printed on the drinks, like CBD content and serving size, you know exactly how much CBD you are getting. It can also make including CBD into your daily routine easy. If you drink coffee every day, you can just replace your normal brew with a CBD one.
How much is too much?
This is always a tricky question to answer. Everyone experiences CBD a little bit differently. That is, everyone requires a different amount to get the effect that they are going for. While CBD is safe overall, it is also something that you do not want to consume too much of because there are some side effects. These side effects are not necessarily detrimental, but they are not fun. They include things like dizziness and fatigue.
The side effects mainly appear to be associated with taking too much. As a result, they are easy to avoid. The best way to do that is by keeping your daily dose low to start with. Starting out with drinking only one or even half a CBD drink at the beginning. If that dose does not bug you, but you still have not reached the effect you are looking for, you can start drinking some more.
As CBD beverages are technically edibles, they may take a little while to start working. This is because the cannabinoid needs time to digest and enter the system. As a result, be sure to wait about an hour after drinking a CBD beverage to see if the amount you drank is enough.
There are some medications that do not work well when CBD is involved. So, if you are on medications, please talk to a healthcare professional before you start taking CBD daily.
If you drink specialized beverages every day, like coffee or sparkling water, you may want to consider trying the CBD version of your favorite drink. You may get an added bonus beyond what the average drink may give you.
There is a lot to know about CBD. If you want to know more about CBD check out the rest of Panacea Life Sciences’ website. On there you can not only find many articles about the different areas of the CBD world, but you can also check out some of Panacea Life Sciences’ products. If you have any comments questions or concerns please contact a member of the team either on the website or by emailing [email protected].
