CBD or cannabidiol has become all the rage in the health industry these days. Its primary selling point is that it provides the benefits of marijuana without the psychoactive effects of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.
With this, many CBD products have been developed to cater to customer preferences of consumption. You can find vape juices as well as gummies and other edibles on the market. The most versatile form that you can ingest CBD, though, is through oils.
CBD oil allows you to infuse your meals with the compound and enjoy its effects as you chow down on your favorite dish. Talk about having the munchies while munching!
If you want to try incorporating CBD oil into your meals, here are some cooking and preparation tips you should know about:
1. Know How It’s Sourced
You should always look for high-quality CBD oil if you plan on adding it to your dish. The popularity of this product can lead some fraudsters to take advantage and create diluted or, even worse, incorrectly extracted oil.
The best CBD oil comes from industrial hemp. It must be grown in a monitored environment and tested in an in-house and third-party laboratory for its potency and other content.
Be careful of products that are sourced from marijuana as these may still contain THC, which can lead to hallucinations.
There’s a misconception that full-spectrum CBD oil is automatically superior to others in quality. However, regardless of whether a product is full-spectrum, pure, or isolate, the most crucial thing is that it’s extracted safely and tested by a lab.
Visit the websites of manufacturers to learn about how they source their products. Cheef Botanicals is one company that offers organic, cruelty-free, non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan CBD oil.
2. Use It with Fat
Cannabinoids have been known to bind with fat. You have to add a few drops of CBD oil to a fat-based ingredient, such as butter or ghee. It can also be used with coconut or olive oil.
With this, you boost the bioavailability of CBD oil, which allows you to enjoy the product’s full benefits and effects.
3. Start with Small Amounts
You may be tempted to add a lot of CBD oil to your dishes to ensure that you get the right potency like when you consume it by itself.
However, you should start with small amounts and work your way up, especially if this is your first time to incorporate the product into your meals.
Your body may have a different reaction when you ingest CBD through your food, as opposed to smoking it or eating it in other edible forms. You can start with 10 milligrams (mg) of a full-spectrum product and gauge your response after a few minutes.
If you don’t feel anything after eating, you can increase the dosage in your next cooking session. It’s better to find the effects to be lacking than to bombard your body with so much CBD that it becomes unable to process the chemical efficiently.
4. Find Dishes that Complement Its Natural Taste
A lot of CBD-infused recipes are desserts, such as cookies and cupcakes. This is because the sweetness of sugar can mask the strong, earthy flavor of CBD oil. The product has a distinct smell and taste that’s described as being similar to cut grass infused in olive oil.
However, you can also incorporate it into savory dishes. You can drizzle it over your salad as a dressing or add it to your favorite smoothie recipe.
You can even take advantage of its earthy flavor by using it when making pesto pasta. You’ll need:
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A pound of dried pasta
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2 cups of fresh basil leaves
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Half a cup of your choice of nuts
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A clove of garlic
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A cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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A quarter teaspoon of salt
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A quarter teaspoon of black pepper
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Half a cup of olive oil
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Half a milliliter of CBD oil
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2 lemons
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Red pepper flakes
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4 eggs
First, you have to crush the basil and nuts using the high setting of your food processor. Next, add the garlic, cheese, salt, and pepper. Turn to the low setting and pour in the olive oil as well as CBD oil slowly.
Continue running the machine until the mixture becomes a smooth paste.
Cook the pasta the way you like it and drain the water. Remember to set aside half a cup of pasta cooking water for later.
Mix the pesto, noodles, and pasta cooking water to dilute the paste into a saucy texture. Top the dish with lemon zest and red pepper flakes according to your taste preferences.
5. Avoid Overheating It
Similar to olive oil, you shouldn’t cook CBD oil directly on high heat. Doing this will cause the oil to evaporate and lose its potency. Moreover, it can give your dish a bitter and burnt taste.
It shouldn’t be used for sautéing or deep-frying. CBD oil is better when drizzled onto salads by adding it into vinaigrettes or as a finishing touch on toasts. You can also poach tomatoes with CBD oil to give them a nice and tender texture.
Add some rosemary and thyme to enhance the flavor of your dish.
6. Store in a Cool, Dry Place
If you are using CBD oil as an ingredient in your kitchen, remember to keep it in a cool, dry place to retain its freshness. Avoid putting it on the countertop where sunlight and the heat of the stove can get to it.
Conclusion
Incorporate CBD oil into your dishes to make mealtimes therapeutic. You get to enjoy the calming effects of the compound over your favorite food.
Before you start cooking with CBD oil, you should look for a high-quality product that’s sourced using safe methods and tested by the manufacturer and a third-party laboratory for its efficacy.
Remember that cannabinoids bind well with fat, so pair it with a fat or oil-based ingredient.
Start with small amounts and gradually increase the dosage according to your preference. Look for recipes that work well with the earthy taste of CBD. Lastly, store the product in a cool, dry place to retain its freshness and potency.