It’s also the next Superfood. Move over, Açaí and avocado! CBD is here to stay. CBD comes from Hemp (and Marijuana, but that’s a whole other subject, that I’ll get to another day), and Hemp seeds are already widely regarded as a popular superfood due to their damn near perfect balance of nutrients. Seriously, these things are LOADED with Omega 3 and 6, iron, vitamin E, and amino acids. CBD is also derived from hemp, and is a heavyweight champion when it comes to health benefits. However, CBD either has little to no taste (isolate), or a very earthy (oil) taste, which many find undesirable, or slightly bitter. So, you either have a flavorless powder, or an earthy tincture for options when it comes to ingesting the cannabinoid. Enter CBD as a food additive.
Cafes, bars, restaurants, and even hotels (we’re looking at you, Manhattan) have been picking up on CBD as an herbaceous addition to food, smoothies, sauce, drinks, and more! Who doesn’t want to spruce up a smoothie with CBD? Or better yet, spruce up their CBD by adding it to a yummy dessert? The possibilities are endless! However, there are definitely some best practices/guidelines to follow.
Do not put CBD over direct heat. I know I said the idea was “cooking” with CBD, but actually cooking the CBD over direct heat with your food is a literal recipe for disaster. CBD is not inexpensive, and if you put it into direct heat and cook it, you are going to cook the efficacy and terpenes right out of it (CBD begins to evaporate at temperatures higher than 320 – 350°F, approximately). Not to mention, if you cook with the CBD oil directly on heat, it will intensify that bitter, earthy flavor and make your kitchen smell like the inside of Cheech and Chong’s Volkswagen. Stick with adding it to sauces at the end, stirring it into coffee or tea after cooling, smoothies, juices, dressings, garnishment for soups, etc.
Eat it all up. Sauces and garnishes are a fantastic way to incorporate CBD into your food, because they are added at the end of cooking. However, if you are trying to hit a certain dose, make sure you eat ALL of the sauce. For example, if you add 60mg to a batch of sauce for 4 people, pay attention to your portion sizes. You will want each portion to be them same to ensure everyone gets 15mg. Now would be the time to listen to your Momma and clean that plate!
Use carriers, or beneficial fats in conjunction with your CBD wherever possible. Healthy saturated fats like MCT Oil help your body with the absorption of nutrients and CBD. Try infusing it into butter or ghee, or use a tincture where the CBD is already infused with MCT oil. Bulletproof coffee, anyone? You can also use spirits such as rum, whiskey, or vodka as a carrier. Who doesn’t want to wind down with a CBD Jack n’ Coke after work?
Use care when selecting which type of CBD to incorporate. Personally, I try to go for full-spectrum products whenever possible. However, as I mentioned above, they do have quite the earthy flavor. Use full spectrum for things like green smoothies, pesto, dressings, sauces etc. If you’re going for something with a more delicate flavor, like a CBD infused whipped cream, you will probably want to use an isolate so as not to overpower the taste.
Cooking with CBD is a great way to get the cannabinoid into your system, or to trick your kids into taking their daily dose (don’t worry, we won’t blow your secret). If you follow the guidelines above, you’ll be cooking up some recipes of your own in no time! Bon Appétit!
If you’ve found some fun ways of incorporating CBD into your diet, let us know! We may even feature your recipe on our blog.
This article was written by Sarah Surprenant. She has been asked by Green Garden Gold to host a podcast show that demonstrates how to use CBD isolate and CBD oils to enrich delicious everyday foods. Be sure to subscribe to Green Garden Gold’s YouTube channel so you can get notified when the show’s pilot airs this month!