CBD coffee is not a type of coffee, it is coffee that contains cbd oil that has been extracted from the cannabis plant and added to a cup of liquid coffee during or after it has been made and stirred in to create cbd coffee.
Cannabis has hundreds of properties and it has been clearly identified which ones get you “high” and the ones that don’t. CBD oil does not get you high.
Despite now being legal in many countries, cannabis is still illegal in the UK but cbd oil is legal because cbd oil has the properties within cannabis that get you high removed.
The key point here is that although cbd oil that you can add into your coffee is derived from the cannabis plant, cbd coffee will not get you high.
What exactly is the CBD oil that goes in coffee?
Historically cannabis and its properties have been illegal throughout most countries in the world and classified as a harmful drug that should be avoided.
When you think about cannabis your mind may conjure up images of hippies from the 60’s and 70’s at concerts getting “high” purely for recreational purposes.
Over the last decade or so that’s all changed and there is scientific evidence to support the medicinal benefits that cannabis contains.
So much so that in recent years cannabis has been legalised in “mainstream” western countries as it becomes widely accepted to be more harmful to keep it illegal than to let everyone make their own decision and make it legal.
It’s really important to understand the difference between cannabis in its raw form and CBD oil which is an oil that is extracted from the cannabis plant.
To keep it as simple as possible the main property within cannabis that gives people a high is called THC and that is not present in CBD oil.
So if you were thinking of making a cappuccino infused with cbd oil and then going into a darkened room and chilling out with a bit of Pink Floyd you are going to be let down but there are plenty of other reasons why you may wish to consider having a cbd oil-infused coffee.
A very comprehensive scientific study has been undertaken by the World Health Organisation and specifically says within a 27 page document “CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential”
So basically, you are not going to become addicted to it or become dependent on it.
We are not experts on cbd oil and cannot testify to the benefits or any side effects but it has become very popular and from looking through the world health organisation study there seems to be extremely minimal risk if you want to give it a go.
It seems to be most popular with people suffering from anxiety but pain relief and anti-acne are other benefits widely suggested.
Some side effects may include dizziness and irritability.
This short video from the Evening Standard explains in a bit more detail.
How do you make CBD coffee?
However, you like to take your coffee and whichever brewing method you prefer just go ahead and make your coffee in the same way you always do.
It makes no difference whether you add the cbd oil at the beginning middle or end of when you make your coffee.
Personally, cappuccino or flat white is my drink of choice and when I gave cbd coffee a try I pulled a double shot of espresso and added the oil at that point before I added the milk and sugar.
I did it that way because once the milk and sugar are added I give it a good stir and that also makes sure the cbd oil is fully mixed in with the coffee.
How much cbd oil should you add to coffee?
You cannot buy pure cbd oil, it just comes in different strengths as a percentage of the total contents of the bottle.
5% is common but you can get it in strength up to 20%. If you have never tried it before start out with one that has a low percentage and go from there.
Add a few drops to start with and you can gauge how it goes for you and adjust the dosage accordingly.
It seemed to give me a calming feeling and reduced level of anxiety after using it for a few days but it’s hard to know whether it was the cbd oil or whether it was just a placebo effect because I knew I was taking it and I wanted it to do that.
What does cbd coffee taste like?
It does have a distinct flavour to it as well so depending on how you take your coffee will depend on whether or not you will notice a difference from how it normally tastes.
There is a definite bitterness to it that may come through slightly if you drink weak filter coffee but if you like your coffee medium or strong and you add sugar then its very unlikely that the cbd oil will affect the taste of your coffee and you probably won’t even notice it at all.
I like a nice strong coffee brewed using an espresso machine to create a flat white or cappuccino and I couldn’t taste any difference.
Who is cbd coffee for?
Anyone that is looking to find out if they can benefit from an oil extracted from the cannabis plant that does not contain the psychoactive elements may benefit from giving it a try.
If you are concerned or not convinced then it’s worth knowing that two drugs that contain cbd oil have been approved by the NHS and will be prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
You can find out more in this article from the BBC.
Whether or not cbd coffee is destined to become the next big thing or not remains to be seen but there is certainly a lot of hype around it and it is growing in popularity all the time.
