Article contributed by Amelia Noble, a researcher with the CBD Awareness Project
CBD and its seemingly magical effects are sweeping the nation. It can be difficult to figure out what is true about CBD and what isn’t, and whether you should actually look into using it in your professional kitchen or restaurant.
Lucky for you, I’m here to talk about how science has found that CBD affects people, how to use it in cooking and what to do if you decide to use it in your kitchen.
What is CBD and How Does It Work?
CBD is also known as cannabidiol. It is a cannabinoid derived from hemp that is also often found in marijuana. Because of this, it gets a bit of a bad reputation, but CBD is totally legal and safe to use for most people.
CBD works as a mild sedative in most people, which helps them to deal with all sorts of things by reducing inflammation and anxiety. It can also help to lower people’s blood pressure. Its varied effects are the reason that many people find it so helpful.
CBD acts much the same no matter how it’s used. Food is not one of its most common transmission methods, simply because of the added expense, but it’s not uncommon either. It’s less fun cousin, marijuana, winds up in food all the time, so why shouldn’t CBD?
What Kind of Food can CBD be Included In?
Realistically, CBD can be included in just about any food. Some foods are more useful as a CBD transmission method than others. Something solid that a person will eat all of would work better than something like a soup, which often leaves a lot left behind in the bowl. You want to make sure that someone gets a specific dose of CBD in their food if you’re going to claim it as an ingredient, so here’s some that might work well!
Baked Goods
There’s a reason that marijuana brownies are so popular in popular media. Small baked goods make perfect vectors for CBD because they are intended to be eaten by one person and all in one sitting. You can do this with larger baked goods like cakes (or bake with cannabutter), but it gets a little more complicated to know exactly how much CBD someone would get from each piece. It’s up to you how fancy you want to get with these things.
Drinks
Drinks are another great way to get CBD to the people that want it. They’re easily transportable, they are easy to hide the flavor of CBD in, and they’re easy to customize. It would be simple to add a shot of CBD into someone’s coffee or tea and keep it out of the drinks of customers who do not want them.
What Do You Need To Do If You Use CBD In Your Kitchen?
Source Good CBD
Just like with any other ingredient you source for your restaurant, you want to make sure that the CBD that you get is high quality and is labeled properly. unfortunately, the FDA doesn’t regulate CBD at this point, so you will need to do some research. Every CBD producer should have a certificate of analysis for their products which will help you to ensure you are giving your customers exactly what you intend to. These producers will also likely be able to get you a better deal on CBD products like oils than you would be able to get through other suppliers.
Explicitly Label All Dishes Using It
Like any supplement that claims medical benefits, it can also cause medical problems or be an allergen for some people. Even if it wouldn’t, you need to explicitly label any products that include it.
CBD can cause problems for people with liver or kidney issues, as well as those who are already on blood pressure or anxiety medication. It would be smart to have these effects written down somewhere easily accessible for customers old and new.
You should also train your staff on how to talk to customers about any of your food or drinks with CBD in them. This can help to allay any concerns and educate people around you, making it easier to sell your products in the long term.
Offer CBD as an Add On
As mentioned previously, offering as an add on for various products if they are made or cooked fresh could be an awesome way to give people a thrill while getting them their CBD. Make it seem really cool, and you’ll be a hit with your customers. However, you should also always offer the “vanilla” version of any product you make with CBD for those who don’t want to use this supplement.
