Teas and similar beverages have been associated with overall wellness and health for thousands of years now. It has been a go-to home remedy for colds, cough, throat infections, and even hangovers. Likewise, cannabidiol or CBD tea is known for its myriad medicinal benefits such as relief from pain and anxiety alongside other illnesses. This beverage also offers a relaxing and calming effect and is a great way to destress after a long and tiring day. But just how does one make CBD tea? Most teas are made from infused tea leaves, fruits, or other parts of plants. With CBD tea, you brew using cannabis plant material such as CBD buds. However, the process is not as straightforward as it sounds. This article demonstrates what CBD tea is, the benefits it offers, and the types of CBD tea you can enjoy. Furthermore, a recipe with step-by-step instructions to brew typical CBD tea is also included.
What is CBD Tea And How is it Good for You
CBD is one of the chemical components derived from the cannabis plant that affects the body, for instance, through our endocannabinoid system. Making tea with CBD is just another way to administer CBD and enjoy your daily dose of cannabidiol for various health benefits. Like other CBD edibles, cannabis tea provides all the goodness of CBD without having to smoke or vape them. Also, drinking CBD tea is similar to edibles in terms of slower but long-lasting CBD effects. When you orally consume CBD, the body entails a different metabolic process to ingest as opposed to inhalation. Another interesting point is the fact that drinking CBD tea doesn’t get you high.
CBD tea has a wide range of benefits and here are a few for you to consider:
- Better sleep- One of the top benefits of drinking CBD tea is undoubtedly the relaxing effect it provides. Many researchers vouch for improved sleep patterns after drinking CBD tea.
- Promotes healthy skin- Cannabinoids have strong antioxidants that fight free radicles and reverses signs of aging.
- Relief from stomach ailments- CBD tea eases the upset stomach by activating serotonin receptors in your endocannabinoid system.
- Allows you to destress- The soothing effect of CBD tea allows you to destress at the end of a long and tiring day.
Types of CBD Tea
There are many ways of making CBD tea today. CBD is typically incorporated with tea varieties such as green tea, black tea as well as herbs or spices such as chamomile, ginger, mint, etc. However, CBD must be water-soluble, and merely adding CBD oil to any tea won’t work. Most CBD teas vary in strength and potency as well. Your plant matter dosage could be unique to fit your needs, however, starting with a low dosage tea might be a good idea. Also, remember that most teas are already caffeinated, so choosing a caffeine-free blend will benefit you if you’re looking to relax.
One can brew a hot cup of CBD tea using a tea infuser, quite like any other herbal tea. You will need more leaves than the buds if you are aiming for a strong tea. In addition to plant material such as buds or hemp flower, ready-to-use tea bags, tinctures, and other products are also used to infuse with CBD tea.
Things to Know Before You Brew Some
As mentioned earlier, a vital piece of information to keep in mind before you brew yourself some CBD tea is that CBD is not water-soluble. However, people are known to brew CBD-rich cannabis like ordinary tea, but it isn’t very effective. In other words, CBD needs a binding agent to get into your bloodstream. A binding agent is a chemical compound that absorbs and binds other chemicals and transports them to different parts of your body. So, you can drink CBD tea as much as you want but if you want to experience the beneficial effects of CBD, a binding agent is mandatory. Thankfully, binding agents are easily available, and fats are excellent binding agents. Some examples of a binding agent include coconut oil, coconut milk, butter, whole milk, and alcohol.
Another important detail to consider is that you need to decarboxylate your CBD buds. Accessing THC and CBD in the plant is a tricky process because of decarboxylation and solubility properties. Your stomach is unable to do this on its own, therefore, this process has to be done before adding cannabis to your tea. Decarboxylation is the process of converting THCA and CBDA into THC and CBD, by a heating method. Just be mindful of the time and temperature as decarboxylation relies mainly on the quantity and moisture content of your strain. Nevertheless, it’s a fairly simple process that involves grinding your CBD buds and heating them for 30-40 minutes until golden brown (preferably in an oven under controlled temperature). Allow them to cool before use.
Step by Step Instructions to Make CBD Tea
Making CBD tea is a relatively simple process. Many recipes brew CBD tea depending on a person’s personal preference on taste, flavor, and potency. Here, we use CBD buds to brew tea. Follow the steps below to make 1 litre of CBD tea using a foolproof recipe. Before you start brewing, make sure you have all the ingredients at hand. Again, this is a basic recipe, and you are allowed to experiment with flavors. Also, there are specific steps to follow to brew your tea successfully.
Ingredients:
- 1g CBD strain (ground)
- 1 liter water
- 1 tsp coconut oil (or fat of your choice)
- Tea infuser or strainer
Method:
- Bring 1 liter of water to boil.
- Keep the ground CBD buds into the infuser.
- Place the infuser into the water and let it simmer.
- After 20 minutes or so, decarboxylation (CBDA INTO CBD) should be complete.
- Remove the infuser and when you are ready to drink, put a fat source (in this case, 1 tsp of coconut oil) in your cup and pour yourself the quantity you require.
- Whisk and mix thoroughly to ensure absorption of CBD. Enjoy your satisfying steaming-hot cuppa!
Storage and Consumption methods
You can store this hot brew in the fridge or freezer after it cools down. Stays fresh in the refrigerator for about five days after making. Freezing would ensure an even enhanced storage life. Reheat before consumption and feel free to add flavors, herbs, spices, and even blend with other tea varieties, etc. However, do not forget to add the fat source of your choice! You can also choose an alcohol-based binding agent like rum instead of coconut oil here. Rum is good as it adds sweetness to the somewhat grassy flavor of CBD tea.
One main advantage of brewing your tea is that you can customize it to your exacting tastes. Some people brew CBD tea by adding fat-based binding agents right from the beginning. However, if you are using an alcohol-based binding agent, you may choose to add it towards the end, so it doesn’t boil off completely. If you choose cannabis oil instead of cannabis buds, then add a few drops after brewing, although it may require consistent stirring to mix oil and water. Adding cannabis tincture to tea is another way of consumption. Simply add several drops of CBD tincture to the hot brew. A quick note on dosing would be to aim for between 5-50mg of CBD per cup depending on your personal needs. Remember that in this case, quantity can affect the quality and you need to go easy with CBD even if it is non-toxic and has the least side effects.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, CBD tea administers CBD benefits conveniently and easily. You are drinking your way to health! Remember to not cold brew your CBD tea as heat is essential to activate all the beneficial elements in the plant matter. Cooling or freezing your beverage after brewing is completely okay though. Also, if you’re trying to refrain from getting high, ensure that your strain does not have traces of THC. Tea made from typical marijuana will get you crazy high. You are allowed to experiment with taste and dosages and other ingredients according to your personal preferences. Typically, the effects of orally consumed CBD last around 2-5 hours. However, this effect varies from person to person, and you should stick to a doctor‘s or cannabis expert’s recommended dosages.