There’s a lot of discussion around whether it’s better to take CBD on an empty stomach or together with food or drink. Because cannabidiol is fat soluble, taking it with a small quantity of high-quality fats is a good idea.
For instance, some of our customers will have a little bit of gluten-free bread with butter or olive oil, a dish rich in Omega 3 (seeds, fish) or just by adding some coconut oil, MCT oil or cold-pressed hemp oil to their dish. Some CBD products, like this one from Love Hemp, already come with an MCT oil base. CBD pastes tend to come with a coconut oil base.
Not sure how to take CBD oil in food? CBD oil can be added or infused into nearly any food you can think of. Here are a few tricks on how to combine it correctly, maximise the amount of CBD your body receives and utilise other active ingredients. We'll kick start our journey to CBD culinary mastery with a range of great recipes suitable for any occasion. (All of the recipes featured in this article are vegan-friendly.)
You may have seen in the news how a coffee shop has started selling £7 croissants with 5mg of CBD each. Don’t let yourself be deceived. You can make much tastier and healthier edibles on your own at a fraction of the price.
Control the Dose
Making your own edibles means that you are in control. With a little practice, you can make each recipe to directly match your tastes and requirements. Start by adjusting the amount of CBD oil you add to each recipe. Begin with a small amount and slowly increase to achieve your desired effect.
Increased Bioavailability
Bioavailability refers to the amount of each dose your body can actually make use of. Fats, particularly medium chain fatty acids like MCT oil, have been found to dramatically increase the amount of CBD that your body absorbs through the gut. Adding MCT oil, which can be found in coconut oil, to your CBD edibles allows your body to metabolise the fatty acids and CBD quicker. This has been found to result in a larger percentage of the CBD being used by the body.
Combined Benefits
Matching active ingredients can also add a host of other benefits:
• MCT oil: As well as increasing bioavailability MCT oil has been found, in some studies, to assist with energy and brain function alongside a range of other positive effects.
• Curcumin and Piperine: Curcumin is found in turmeric and has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Piperine from black pepper has been found to relieve nausea and headaches and also makes a great partnership with curcumin by increasing its absorption into the body.
Fun & Tasty
Whether you like the flavour of CBD oil or not, edibles are a great way to go. You can either add the earthier tones of CBD to a range of other flavours that will really make it shine or you can hide it among stronger flavours. This is ideal for children or those who are just not keen on the taste and an opportunity to experiment in the kitchen.
While most CBD oil can be used to make edibles a careful choice here can really make a difference to the overall taste and potential effect. For any purchase of CBD oil, it is important that you know enough about its source and concentration and this is no different for culinary use.
The main things to consider are:
Choosing a certified organic oil will give you a much better flavour for your cooking and will also ensure that the oil doesn’t contain any other chemicals that shouldn’t be present naturally. Organic oils generally have a less intense flavour making them much more suited to combining with other flavours and will add to your palate rather than taking over.
CBD isolate is purely an isolated cannabinoid without any other synergetic cannabinoids. However, CBD isolates or crystal isolate is not legal for ingestion in the UK and can only be used for inhalation or vaporisation. For edibles, full spectrum oil is the best choice. Whole plant & full spectrum is even better. With this oil, you will get a range of other beneficial and synergetic active ingredients which work together to form a positive entourage effect. With full spectrum CBD alongside the nutrients and other ingredients in your recipes, you can really pile on the health benefits from each meal or snack.
Much like how much you choose to add to each recipe, this can be down to your own personal preference or budget. Your choice here will also affect how much CBD ends up in your system and only you can decide which strengths and doses work best for you. We suggest starting out small and working up to find a dose that suits you best.
CBD oil is very versatile and can be used in cooking without affecting the quality as long as you follow a few simple suggestions.
1. Don’t heat CBD oil above 175⁰C during the cooking process or expose it to direct heat. Temperatures above 175⁰C will damage the CBD and give it a strong bitter flavour.
2. To get the best flavour and texture from your oil include it in the cooking rather than drizzling it on later. (Unless required in the recipe.)
3. Mix well into other ingredients to reduce any wastage from oil residue left on cutlery or equipment.
Edibles are growing in popularity and it’s not hard to see why. They can be sweet or savoury, are easy to carry and make for a great CBD delivery system. Here’s how to make your own version of two favourites.
Ingredients:
Taking CBD orally can be so much more than just edibles. Edibles are great for a quick snack and a quick CBD dose but CBD can be used in food for every meal and at any time, so why stop there? We’ve chosen some great recipes to give you an idea of how versatile CBD oil can be. You will also find some excellent pairings here: Fats to give you the best bioavailability and other active ingredients for overall well-being.
Ingredients:
1 cup steamed dairy-free milk (cashew nut milk gives you the creamiest latte but soy also works fine)
1 tea bag
½ tsp Chai Spice
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp CBD oil
1 tsp Honey
Method:
1. Steam the cashew milk (or microwave at full power for 2 minutes) and add the tea bags for 5 minutes.
2. Then, remove the tea bag and add coconut oil, chai spice, CBD oil and honey.
3. Whisk until fully incorporated.
4. Enjoy hot, or pour over ice.
Ingredients:
500 ml cashew milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 shot of espresso
120ml boiling water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp CBD Oil
Soy-based whipped cream
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cashew milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the espresso and boiling water. Pour into the saucepan with the other ingredients.
3. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the CBD oil, vanilla extract, coconut oil and sugar.
4. Heat the latte over a low heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid reaches just before boiling.
5. Remove from heat and pour between two mugs.
6. Garnish with soy whipped cream and additional ground cinnamon as required.
Ingredients:
3 medium ripe avocados, peeled, halved and with the stone and peel removed
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp CBD oil
Method:
1. Place the avocado in a bowl and mash using a fork or potato masher.
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Lay cling film directly on the surface of the guacamole and allow to sit at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
Ingredients:
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
280ml vegetable oil
2 tbsp CBD oil
225g granulated sugar
225g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tablespoons of soy yoghurt
5 to 6 medium carrots peeled and grated
75g raisins
For the Icing
225 grams of vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
180g icing sugar
80g coconut whipping cream
60g coarsely chopped pecans
Method:
1. First, preheat the oven to 150C.
2. Grease two 9-inch round cake tins and line the bottom with greaseproof paper then grease the top of the paper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and the cinnamon until well blended.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, CBD oil, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk in the yoghurt until combined.
5. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
6. Divide the mixture between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean; 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off the greaseproof paper and cool completely.
8. In a large bowl, beat the vegan cream cheese with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the icing sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time until fluffy. Pour in the coconut whipping cream and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Chill covered until ready to ice the cake.
9. When the cake layers are completely cool, ice the top of one cake layer, place the other cake layer on top. Decoratively swirl the top of the cake with remaining icing. Scatter the pecans on top.
Ingredients:
Even though restaurants are starting to pop up with CBD dishes and there are plenty of CBD edibles in the market, only you can ensure that it’s all organic, affordable, at the dose you want it, and ready-to-eat whenever you want it. Why not share these impressive CBD oil recipes with your friends and family?
Ingredients:
500g Organic rainbow carrots scrubbed clean, peeled, and dried
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp brown sugar
Sea salt
Black pepper
Chilli flakes
1 cup fresh Parsley
1 cup fresh Coriander
3-6 garlic cloves
70g high-quality olive oil
2tsp CBD Oil
2tbsp red wine vinegar
The juice of half a lemon
40g crumbled vegan feta
20g toasted pine nuts
Method:
1. First, preheat the oven to 170C/fan 150C.
2. Spread the carrots out in a roasting tin, drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the sugar. Season well with sea salt and black pepper.
3. Then roast for 30 to 45 mins, turning occasionally, until the sugar has caramelised and the carrots are soft and tender.
4. Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
5. Add the parsley and coriander, and pulse briefly, until finely chopped.
6. Transfer the mixture to a separate bowl. Add the olive oil, CBD oil, lemon juice, and vinegar, and stir.
7. Season with salt and chilli flakes to taste.
8. To serve, drizzle the chimichurri over the roasted carrots, and garnish with crumbled vegan feta and toasted pine nuts.
Ingredients:
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 large cauliflower
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp vegan butter alternative
CBD oil
Baby leaf salad, to serve
Method:
1. First, heat the butter alternative until completely until melted and add the CBD oil (alternatively CBD oil can be added to Coconut oil for this part).
2. Leave to cool in the fridge until completely solid.
3. Preheat your oven to 180⁰C/ 160⁰C fan.
4. Next, cut the cauliflower in half and slice it into thick steaks about 2cm thick. You may get 4 or more steaks depending on the cauliflower. (Save any excess or roast and add to your meal depending on your preference.)
5. Drizzle each cauliflower steak with olive oil and lemon juice then season with fresh thyme, salt and pepper.
6. Place the cauliflower on a baking tray and roast for between 25 and 40mins until cooked through but still firm.
7. Meanwhile, tip the potatoes into a pan of water, bring to the boil, simmer for 2 mins and drain.
8. Next, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the potatoes and sizzle gently for 20 mins, tossing occasionally, until golden and crispy all over. When the potatoes are cooked, add the garlic to the pan and fry for 1 min more. Toss through the parsley, season with sea salt and set aside.
9. Meanwhile, rub the steaks with a drizzle of oil, then season with sea salt and black pepper.
10. Finally, remove the cauliflower from the oven and top with the CBD butter. Serve with the potatoes and salad.
In this article, we’ve learnt that combining CBD oil with food can be a wonderfully tasty delivery method and provides many other benefits. With the right combination of ingredients, it’s possible to increase the bioavailability of the oil and even benefit from other complementary active ingredients.
With these recipes, you will soon find that CBD oil can either add an excellent additional flavour to food or can easily be disguised depending on your preference. Full-spectrum, whole-plant and certified organic oil is the best choice and will make a great addition to your edibles and family meals.
Start with a low concentration and add small amounts to your food. Build up the dosage until you find the right amount for you. Finally, have fun creating these mouth-watering treats and don’t forget to add CBD oil to your own recipes.
Why
• Control your own does of CBD oil. Start small and increase.
• Increase the bioavailability by adding fats.
• Pair with other active ingredients to maximise the benefits. Start with turmeric and black pepper.
• Use other foods to enhance or hide the flavour of the CBD oil.
What
• Use good quality, certified organic full spectrum CBD oil at your preferred concentration.
How
• Don’t heat CBD oil above 175⁰C or expose to direct heat.
• For the best flavour mix it into your other ingredients.
Written by Tim Shaw
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Tim Shaw
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Tim W. Shaw is a freelance writer and English graduate. He writes extensively about supplements and food, particularly CBD. He and his wife share their home with two daughters and a lifetime’s collection of books.