Article contributed by Nancy Fernandez
Food trends have taken a whole new meaning with the rise of social media. Nowadays, it only takes one post from a famous social media influencer to turn food into a trend. There was matcha, and the avocado toast before that, acai bowls, and the perfectly scooped ice cream cone in a cacophony of pastel hues.
But when the food trend involves an ingredient derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant, it’s normal to question whether it’s worth the hype. This is the case for the trending CBD, and it’s natural to wonder how safe CBD is. More importantly, why are people in the food industry incorporating this ingredient in their food and drinks? This article will answer these questions and more while introducing you to the Cannabis plant’s rising star.
CBD is non-intoxicating
Before any other point, it’s good to note that this cannabinoid will not make you high, nor can you overdose from it. Hemp-derived CBD has less than 0.3 percent THC. In contrast, marijuana causes users to become high because it can have up to 30 percent THC. Hemp-derived CBD is legal in several countries, including all US states, making it safe and easy to buy. For this reason, consumers can now find a range of CBD products, from CBD vape juice to edibles like chocolate and gummies.
When you are ordering a CBD-infused drink or meal, keep the THC percentage in mind. Make sure that the product or meal you are buying contains CBD with less than 0.3 percent THC.
CBD should be consumed with food
The food industry wants you to know that CBD is more effective when ingested with fatty foods, and the studies prove it. CBD can cause adverse side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting on an empty stomach, but the body absorbs more CBD when taken with food. One study showed that taking CBD with a high-fat meal, compared to a low-fat meal, led to a significant increase in CBD’s solubility in the bloodstream.
CBD comes with various benefits
Superfoods are often the ones driving food trends. These types of foods promise consumers some form of health benefit. The avocado’s selling point was its healthy fat content, but CBD promises far more health benefits. Although studies on this cannabinoid are limited, as researchers conduct most studies on animals, they have noted how this natural compound can help users.
Researchers have observed CBD’s effects on symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain management, infertility, the onset of cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and the list goes on. Indeed, the FDA has approved the first-ever CBD-based drug for people who suffer from a rare form of epilepsy known as Dravet’s syndrome. Doctors administer this medication to adults and children as young as two years old.
Nanoencapsulation is paving the way for CBD-infused drinks
A quick browse online will confirm that most CBD products come in solid form. There are various CBD-infused solids like chocolate, soap, skincare products, and more, but it’s a different story with drinks. The lack of CBD-infused drinks is because, in its pure form, CBD is an oil. As an oil, it’s far trickier for manufacturers to blend it well with liquids such as water. Nanotechnology— the application “of tiny things”—promises to solve this problem.
Through nanoencapsulation, manufacturers work to blend CBD with liquids. As a result, CBD-infused drinks such as water and wine have already hit the market. Nano-sized microemulsion promises to increase the bioavailability of CBD to a 50 percent absorption rate. Currently, the highest bioavailability rate you can get from CBD is through vapors, with a 34-46 percent average. When you take CBD orally, such as through CBD oil, the absorption rate of the cannabinoid in the bloodstream is at 20 percent.
Not all CBD is the same
Although there are high-quality CBD brands on the market, there are also those selling low-quality CBD that can make you ill. So when you are purchasing CBD-infused products, conducting research is critical to ensure you invest in effective products without causing harm. The following is a list of checkpoints you should go through before purchasing CBD products:
- Go through the website: A professional and easy-to-navigate website is a good indicator of how professional the brand is.
- Check the reviews: Read what people say about the brand and their CBD experience.
- Find the extraction process: High-quality CBD products are extracted by CO2 so that manufacturers can avoid contamination of the product.
- Read the lab results: The best CBD brands will have third party lab results of the cannabinoid used. Ensure the test results aren’t fake by doing a quick Google search to check if the lab follows ISO standards. The results should not be over six months old.
- Note any false claims: High-quality CBD brands will never make false claims such as that the CBD product cures the flu, anxiety, or cancer.
- Find out if the product is organic: CBD will absorb anything found in the soil while it’s growing. For non-organic CBD, this means absorbing anything from harmful chemicals, toxins, and other pesticides used by the producer. So when buying CBD products, organic is best.
Conclusion
The food industry is continually striving to bring forth the new ‘it’ food that can lure more consumers into buying, which is the case with the CBD food trend. What’s remarkable about this trend is CBD’s health potential for various chronic and mental health issues. If researchers continue to uncover encouraging results regarding this natural compound, then the food industry will have more reason to infuse different food and drinks with this emerging cannabinoid.
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