What is full spectrum CBD oil?
December 27, 2023
Does drinking a CBD infusion promote sleep?
December 27, 2023
As you know, the medicinal use of hemp goes back thousands of years. It was used in the early days of traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine in India.
Indeed, the texts from these medicinal practices indicate that the whole plant was used: from sheaths to flowers to leaves, and that one of the simplest ways of doing this was to infuse it.
Making a hemp infusion is certainly a simple, quick and economical way to enjoy the benefits of CBD. However, for this herbal tea to be effective, you need to know how to make it!
Today, we'd like to show you how to prepare a CBD infusion the right way.
Hemp tea (CBD): what exactly is it?
Before giving you a few tips on how to make a hemp infusion, we feel it's necessary to clarify a few terms.
Indeed, to speak of "CBD infusion" is a misuse of language, since the cannabidiol itself is not infused. It would be more correct to speak of "hemp flower infusion". After all, it's in the flowers that our beloved molecule is found!
If you're buying a ready-made CBD herbal tea, available in most hemp store catalogs, it's important to check that the herbal tea in question actually contains hemp flowers. And not just leaves.
Good to know: Some CBD infusions are made with CBD isolate, which is a pure form of the molecule. The advantage of this type of herbal tea is that you can know precisely the concentration of CBD contained in the blend. However, if this herbal tea doesn't contain hemp flowers, then you won't be able to enjoy the entourage effect.
We invite you to discover our range of organic, FrenchCBD infusions. They have been developed in partnership with a master herbalist and a French organic hemp farm. Together, we've come up with 8 recipes to let you enjoy the benefits of hemp combined with those of numerous medicinal plants such as vervain, chamomile, mint and others.
Make a CBD infusion with flowers in 3 steps
#1. The ingredients
To make a hemp infusion, you need :
- CBD flowers, preferably organically grown in France. In terms of variety, Skunk gives you an intense hemp taste. If you're not particularly fond of pungent, herbaceous flavours, choose Lemon Haze, Strawberry or Purple Haze instead. Your infusion will be even fruitier! Make sure the flower contains a high level of CBD. The liver degrades a large proportion of cannabinoids, which substantially reduces the molecule's bioavailability, and therefore its effects.
- Fat: this can be cow's milk, or vegetable milk such as soy, almond or even coconut milk. Just remember that this ingredient is essential, because without fat, your body won't be able to absorb the cannabinoids (CBD) present in the herbal tea. This is because they are hydrophobic.
And optional :
- A variety of plant extracts to enhance the flavour of your infusion, but also to potentiate certain CBD effects. For example, verbena and chamomile can maximize its relaxing properties. A citric extract, on the other hand, can unfold its stimulating and energizing virtues;
- Sugar, honey or stevia...
#2. Infusion
Infusing your CBD flowers couldn't be easier. Use a tea ball to hold around 0.5 g of CBD flowers. Plunge it into a cup of hot water(around 100°C, just before boiling) and cover the cup to preserve the terpenes. Leave to infuse for around ten minutes.
If you don't have a tea ball, you can plunge the flowers directly into the water, then filter the mixture.
Please note that we did not decarboxylate the flowers, as is necessary to prepare CBD butter. In fact, the heat of the water is enough to activate the cannabinoids.
#3. Tasting
Finally, it's time to enjoy your hemp tea.
You can enjoy your infusion hot or cold. The trick is not to forget to add a little fat to the preparation. As we said, without it, your body won't be able to absorb the cannabinoids (CBD) present in the infusion.
A little further on in our article, we suggest 3 recipes for CBD tea to vary the pleasures.
Other ways to make CBD tea
To make a CBD herbal tea, you can use flowers, as we've just seen, but you can also prepare the herbal tea or tea of your choice to which you can add a few drops of CBD tincture or oil.
The advantage of CBD oil is that it contains fat. So you don't have to add milk afterwards. What's more, if you choose a full spectrum CBD oil, you'll be able to enjoy the famous entourage effect.
As for tincture, it generally offers a high concentration of CBD, guaranteeing the effectiveness of the beverage in question.
CBD tea: 3 delicious recipes full of benefits
#1. Iced tea with CBD 🍹
In summer, it's THE ideal non-alcoholic drink to quench your thirst while delighting your taste buds with a fruity flavor. With this slight adaptation, thanks to the potential relaxing properties of CBD, this summer drink will also enable you to indulge in a truly relaxing moment.
To make CBD iced tea:
- First prepare a hemp infusion and allow it to cool;
- Add coconut or oat milk;
- Lemon juice or slices;
- A few mint leaves ;
- a little ginger ;
- And don't forget the ice cubes!
You can store your CBD iced tea in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
#2. CBD Cappuccino ☕️
For a moment of cocooning, what could be better than a good cappuccino? If you're a fan of this type of hot drink, it's perfectly possible (and recommended!) to add a little CBD to it.
To make a CBD cappuccino:
- Infuse water with CBD flowers;
- Strain this infusion (before it cools) through a coffee filter;
- Add hot milk (you can whisk it a little to create foam);
- Sprinkle with cocoa powder;
- Enjoy immediately!
For this recipe, choose Skunk varieties to enhance the taste of the coffee!
#3. CBD matcha tea 🍵
A final recipe idea for fans of superfoods like matcha tea, known for its antioxidant properties and energy-boosting properties.
To prepare this energizing cocktail:
- Infuse hemp and allow the mixture to cool slightly (covered, to preserve the terpenes). The ideal temperature is around 80°C;
- Heat a bowl by running it under hot water;
- Add a tablespoon of matcha tea to the bowl and gradually add the hemp infusion, whisking vigorously with a bamboo whisk if you have one;
- Enjoy with a little sugar, honey or stevia.
How to dose a CBD infusion?
Whatever the method of administration, the question of CBD dosage is a thorny one, as it is highly personal. The amount of CBD to take depends on a whole host of factors inherent to each individual, such as weight, age, nature of symptoms and sensitivity of the endocannabinoid system.
For this reason, we always recommend starting with a small dose and gradually increasing if necessary. In the case of a CBD infusion, we recommend :
- 1 infusion bag/cup (or as indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer);
- or 0.5 gr flowers/cup.
Good to know: To help you dose your CBD flower infusion, here's an order of magnitude of the amount of CBD contained in the flowers according to concentration:
- Flower 5% CBD = 50mg CBD/g flower
- Flower 10% CBD = 100mg CBD/g flower
- Flower 20% CBD = 200mg CBD/g flower
- Flower 30% CBD = 300mg CBD/g flower
If you don't feel any particular effect, you can add a few drops of 10% CBD oil.
When is the best time to drink your CBD herbal tea?
You can enjoy your CBD infusion at any time of day without affecting its effectiveness: away from meals or not, in the morning or evening, once, twice or three times a day, it's no problem.
CBD infusion will help you feel more relaxed, more serene, less stressed, no matter what time of day it's consumed.
However, if you are looking for a very specific effect, such as improving sleep or managing stress before an event, then we recommend you take your hemp infusion :
- About 30 minutes before bedtime to promote sleep;
- Just after a meal if you want to combat digestion problems;
- About 1 hour before a stressful event such as public speaking or an exam.
Good to know: These tips apply to any type of CBD product. In fact, cannabidiol can be consumed at any time of day.
Is hemp infusion a really effective way to enjoy the benefits of CBD?
Hemp tea is a quick and easy way to enjoy the relaxing benefits of CBD. Prepared with flowers, it allows you to take advantage of the entourage effect, synonymous with effectiveness. And if you opt for a ready-made herbal tea like ours, you can combine the effects of hemp with those of other medicinal plants.
However, if your symptoms are particularly intense, we recommend taking a few drops of CBD oil to place under the tongue.
Indeed, as we mentioned, when CBD is consumed orally, much of it is degraded by the liver, which substantially reduces the molecule's bioavailability, and therefore, its efficacy.
On the other hand, cannabidiol is a capricious molecule, whose efficacy depends greatly on its dosage. Dosing a CBD infusion is particularly complex.
In summary, we tend to recommend hemp tea as a complement to CBD oil rather than a substitute.
