Incorporating CBD into food and drinks is a great way to add some variety to how you take it. This can add a new verdant flavor dimension to dishes and direct its gut-healing benefits to the site of damage. Far more exciting than a dropper of oil under the tongue, here’s how best to put cannabidiol on the dinner menu.
CBD for Gut Health
Disorders like IBS and Crohn’s disease can all result in severe pain and cause damage to the stomach lining. The inflammation of the mucous membrane that’s characteristic of inflammatory bowel diseases leads to more damage and increased gut permeability. This then increases inflammation and the leaking of toxins into the body, preventing the healing of the gut lining. It’s a vicious cycle, but one that cannabidiol has been shown to help interrupt.
The modulation of the endocannabinoid system that CBD achieves can effect a reduction in damage caused by stressors and inhibit intestinal inflammation. It also can reduce gastric motor activity, helping to manage the day-to-day symptoms of IBS. What’s more, the pain reduction cannabidiol provides helps manage and control symptoms of gastrointestinal distress even further. Its ability to increase gut serotonin production, meanwhile, aids digestion and moderates appetite—CBD’s truly a gut health superstar!
Cooking with CBD- What you Need to Know
The fat-soluble nature of CBD means it is best absorbed when paired with another oil. Stirring it into dishes containing coconut, avocado, or olive oils not only helps with bioavailability but also allows it to blend better. Even better, each of those oils has anti-inflammatory properties in and of itself, meaning the health benefits are compounded.
Due to the heat sensitivity of cannabidiol, cooking with it at temperatures over 160 °C (320 °F) can cause some degradation. Heating it above 180°C/350°F will destroy the compound, so it's much better to use no-cook recipes, preserving CBD’s full benefits. Blending a dose of 30-35mg CBD oil or serving into smoothie recipes or soups after they’ve finished cooking is ideal.
Salad dressings are another way to easily work CBD into your favorite dishes. As before, work out how many portions you’re making to get the dosing correct. Then just add 30-35 mg/serving of a high-quality CBD oil, like the one from Goodrays, to your olive oil before mixing up your vinaigrette.
No-bake brownies and protein bars can easily accommodate a couple of teaspoons of CBD oil in the mix. And the rich, creamy topping for a no-bake cheesecake is another ideal sweet base for some cannabidiol goodness. Or why not incorporate CBD into a classic vanilla buttercream recipe? This makes enough for 8–10 portions.
Vanilla CBD Buttercream
- 100g softened unsalted butter
- Neutral-tasting CBD oil, 8-10 doses worth
- 200g icing sugar, sifted
- 2tbsp milk
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Beat the butter until pale and creamy before adding in the CBD oil and vanilla extract. Gradually add the sugar, beating thoroughly; the mix should end up fairly dry and stiff. Little by little, incorporate the milk until you reach the smooth and spreadable consistency you desire. Beat in the salt to finish, then use to ice all your favorite baked goods!
To capitalize on the vegetal flavors of some CBD products, working them into a herby sauce like chimichurri makes perfect sense. Or why not use some in a classic pesto or this interesting oregano-based alternative?
Florentine Oregano and Almond CBD Pesto
- Large handful, about 250g, fresh oregano leaves, tough stems removed
- 125g freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- 125g raw almonds (use pine nuts as an alternative)
- 1tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 10 doses worth of CBD oil
- 125ml olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Blend all the dry ingredients in a mixer until they are coarsely combined, then add the lemon juice and CBD oil. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the blender still on until a smooth mixture is created. Use this pesto as a delicious pasta sauce, top grilled meats with it, or even mix it into a salad dressing. This makes enough for 10 servings, but it also keeps in the fridge for up to a week and freezes well. Just pour it into ice cube trays, and when frozen, store it in Ziploc bags until you want to use it.
Hopefully you have found plenty of inspiration here for ways to easily use CBD in the kitchen. Working it into favorite recipes couldn’t be easier, so why not get experimenting today and enjoy your cannabidiol in a whole new way?
