Blog

Using Cannabis in Food and Drink: What You Need to Know

Cannabis leaves on cookies - Image Courtesy of Pexels

You might be wondering how you can use cannabis in food and drink, whether it's legal and what the benefits might be. There are two compounds in cannabis, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the chemical in cannabis that gets you high. CBD does not. Yet CBD is thought to have some health benefits, and because it's less potent is becoming legal in many countries and US states. It is often used in food and drink rather than smoking. CBD oils are common, yet edibles like gummies, candy, and soda are novel ways of taking it.

Cannabis in Food and Drink

Cannabis-based products are seemingly everywhere these days. Because of relaxing laws and the medical benefits of marijuana, there is a huge industry around it today. In 2021, legal cannabis sales hit a milestone of over $37 billion globally. As an ingredient, cannabis has been used for hundreds of years. Today, you can buy cannabis products without THC, which gets you high, and only the medicinal CBD content. Depending on where you live, you can grow your own cannabis by ordering from a seed bank, but only in certain states, and it's illegal in the UK.

Edibles as Treats

One of the most popular ways to use cannabis today is by eating it. For most people, the first taste of cannabis is with sweet treats such as cakes, candy, and gummies. Some can contain high amounts of CBD, and others relatively little. In some states, you can purchase cannabis edibles that contain both CBD and THC. Most people use cannabis edibles as some form of medical treatment. For example, people with cancer often easily digestible gummies made from cannabis for loss of appetite and weight loss. But they also help with nausea and pain.

Cannabis Infused Drinks

Following the success of cannabis edibles, drinks are also popular and an easier way to consume cannabis. On the market today, cannabis-infused drinks include sparkling waters, flavored seltzers, drinks made with juice, mocktails, tonics, and kombuchas, just to name a few. Since the effects come on faster than with traditional edibles, it makes it less likely that you will eat too much or get too high by eating too many edibles and not waiting long enough to feel the full effects. And most of them taste much like traditional energy drinks or juices.

Cannabis in Restaurants

With so many options for food and drink, it was only a matter of time before restaurants started serving up cannabis food. However, even in some states where cannabis is legal, serving it at restaurants is illegal. California is a perfect example. However, there are some states, such as Portland and Nevada, where cannabis dishes are perfectly legal at eateries. Rather than being laced with cannabis, most recipes are infusions. Using cannabis as an infusion rather than an ingredient allows some places to get around the ambiguous legal restrictions around it:

Nostalgia

East Fork Cultivars, a craft cannabis and hemp farm in Ashland, Oregon, came up with the idea for Hemp Bar, which is in pot-friendly Portland, Oregon. It's no surprise that East Fork is in charge of this operation. After all, they were one of the first farms in the country to be certified as organic by the USDA. Inside is an Art Deco-style room that is well-lit and airy, with a long bar counter and a few tables for eating. Nostalgia offers CBD mocktails made with CBD drops, multiple vegan recipes, and pre-packaged convenience snacks.

Hemp Bar

The trendy new restaurant Nostalgia in Santa Monica is run by Chef Chris Sayegh, who is also known as "the Herbal Chef." It is a brand-new addition to the cannabis dining scene. The new business is an interesting idea. Half of it is a bar and lounge, and the other half is an event space. Even though it's still against the law in California to add THC to drinks, Nostalgia wants to use different parts of the cannabis plant in alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The Herbal Chef holds private dinners, but they cost a lot of money per dish and require an annual fee.

Recipes that are Excellent with Cannabis

Cannabis is like any other ingredient. You can't just go and throw it in anything you like. The bitterness of the flavors needs to be balanced out. Which is why it works really well with sweet treats. Here are some of the best dishes to make at home if you want to try cannabis:

  • Cannabis-Infused Citrus-Caramel Blondies

  • Cannabis-Infused Pasta with Clams and Green Chiles

  • Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil Citrus Cake

  • Cannabis-Infused Salted Caramel Fudge Brownies

  • Cannabis-Infused Brioche French Toast

  • Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

  • Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil

  • Cannabis-Infused Tea with Rose and Lavender

  • Premium Cannabutter

Any of these are delicious, anyway. Yet they're also a good way to get a dose of your legally prescribed cannabis if you don't enjoy traditional ways of consuming it. However, you should always stay ahead of laws and regulations, such as not selling or serving these to others.

Source: Food & Wine

What Does Cannabis Taste Like in Food?

CBD and THC are two types of cannabis that are used to make products. Unfortunately, the cannabinoid extracts are very bitter, smell earthy, and are hard to work with. This is because of cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and their complex interactions. So the taste must be balanced well. Conversely, however, you may not mind the taste as you get going. This is because THC in cannabis binds to cannabinoid receptors in cells all over your body, including your brain, tongue, and gut. So, when you're high, it's your mind that tells you food tastes better.

Masking the Flavor

Over time, you will get used to the strange taste of cannabis. However, it is possible to mask the flavor of CBD and THC in your foods using sugars and sweeteners. But you could also experiment to get the balance of cannabis products right. If you want to know how to make edibles taste better, you need to know how much to put in them. There are times when we use too much of an infusion. And sometimes, if you don't use as much cannabis product, you can make food that tastes better because there is simply too little to affect your food negatively.

The Health Benefits of Cannabis

There is some controversy around cannabis as a whole. Some people claim it's a miracle drug. In contrast, others see these claims as an excuse to legalize a dangerous drug and legitimize getting high. However, CBD doesn't get you high, and some studies are finding genuine health benefits of CBD. Several case studies suggest it can help people who can't take anti-epileptic drugs. Other studies suggest that CBD may also help with the symptoms of dementia and multiple sclerosis. And it's known to reduce inflammation, arthritis, or nerve damage.

Is Cannabis in Food OK Every Day?

Cannabis as a legal edible is a recent phenomenon, even though it has been used for centuries. Therefore, the effects of long-term or regular use have little data. Yet preliminary studies are finding it can affect the liver in large doses, much like any other drug. But these studies don't relate to food, only smoking. It is recommended that you ingest no more than 70mg per day, which is the same as around 28 drops from a CBD bottle. However, that is a relatively high dosage. It is possible that food also reduces the toxicity of CBD through diluting.

Is It Legal to Consume Cannabis?

The laws around cannabis vary from nation to nation. And in the USA, from state to state. Therefore you must be very careful about sourcing cannabis, THC, or CBD. Whether it's in edible or smokable form, there are still laws. Additionally, it's highly illegal to serve cannabis-derived food in restaurants. This is why most use infusions rather than using cannabis as an active ingredient. Some countries and states allow the sale of cannabis CBD drinks and edibles. Still, THC products are almost always excluded and, therefore, illegal.

The Risks of Cannabis as Food

Some people wonder if it's safe to eat products that contain cannabis and if it has the same effects as smoking or vaping. There are many different kinds of edibles, some of which can be bought legally and some of which can't. Cannabis needs to be heated for its properties to kick in. So eating raw weed won't really do anything. However, following a certain process, it activates. Although CBD is considered non-psychoactive, it can cause dry mouth, sickness, diarrhea, upset stomach, drowsiness, dizziness, and a general feeling of being lost.

Summary

Cannabis in food or as a consumable is nothing new. It has been used for a thousand years dating back to ancient China. However, today, modern methods can extract the chemical compounds of THC and CBD. So in many countries and states, edibles containing only CBD are becoming more legal because they aren't as harmful as THC. So restaurants are beginning to serve cannabis-infused meals. Further, you can make many wonderful cannabis-infused sweet treats at home that disguise the taste. CBD helps with stress, depression, and chronic pain.

Photo Gallery

Comments