4 Tips for Cooking With CBD (Plus 2 CBD Recipes!)

CBD derived from hemp is being increasingly used for its therapeutic properties, whether it’s as a health supplement, or as a treatment method for many conditions. Despite its many well-known health benefits, hemp’s natural taste may not appeal to everybody. Fortunately, cooking with CBD hemp oil can be a method to help mask its flavor. 

While taking CBD hemp oil sublingually is optimal for absorption and bioavailability, let’s go over some of the ways that CBD can be used in cooking, as well as why it can be a great ingredient to add to your favorite dishes.

Scroll to the end to see our 2 top picks for CBD recipes!

Why Cooking with CBD is Beneficial

CBD provides numerous health benefits on its own, but these effects can be amplified or made more efficient when added to food. Many of the vegetables, herbs, and spices that are used in dishes have their own therapeutic properties, and hemp-derived CBD can either work in tandem or in synergy with these effects. 

In addition, meals high in fat allow for optimal absorption of CBD by the body. CBD is water insoluble, but it is highly lipophilic, meaning it can be easily infused with fats and oils. A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota found that epileptic patients who ate a high-fat meal prior to taking CBD were able to metabolize it much quicker than patients who fasted. This finding is highly important, as it demonstrates that fats allow for the benefits of CBD to be realized most effectively.

Lastly, many people feel that hemp’s earthy taste is a bit strong, so incorporating it into meals can make it much more palatable. The most popular recipes that include CBD hemp oil are sweets and desserts such as cookies, shakes, and lattes, but savory foods such as soups and pastas can mask hemp’s strong flavor just as well.

Tips for Cooking with CBD

1. Use the Right Serving Size

It might seem tempting to use large amounts of CBD while cooking, but simply adding more can increase the chance of adverse side effects, as well as possibly ruining the taste of the food. As we’ve covered before in our article “How Much CBD Oil Should I take”… everybody reacts differently to CBD, so it’s best to start with smaller doses and go from there. 

2. Eat on a Schedule

The benefits of a CBD-infused meal are best enjoyed on a set schedule. If you have trouble sleeping, try using it in a light snack before you go to bed, or if you experience pain that routinely flares up in the evening, add CBD to your dish at lunch. Knowing when you’d like to reap the benefits of CBD can help you plan when to prepare it in a meal. Adding CBD to your morning coffee is another popular method for incorporating CBD into your daily routine.

3. Avoid Excessive Temperatures

Exposing CBD to direct heat can denature it, which will cause it to lose its potency. CBD tends to evaporate between 320-350 degrees Fahrenheit, so the temperature should not exceed these limits if you want to get CBD’s full benefits. A solution is to add CBD to food after it has been cooked, or to use it as salad dressing or mix it into spreads such as guacamole.

4. Incorporate Healthy Oils and Fats

As mentioned before, fat helps the body more readily absorb CBD, making it more effective. Low-fat meals may not provide the same benefits of a high-fat meal, so it would be ideal to incorporate healthy fats and oils wherever possible. Try to keep saturated fats from meat and dairy at a minimum, and instead opt for healthy vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts.

Two CBD Recipes to Try

CBD Infused Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from glutenfreefollowme.com)

Chocolate chip cookies are a particularly good dessert to make with CBD for a number of reasons. 

For one, the sweetness of the sugar and chocolate can mask the bitter taste of the CBD oil, or you can choose Tessera Naturals mint flavored CBD tinctures and add a hint of peppermint flavor to your cookies!

Secondly, the butter will encourage maximum absorption of CBD by the body. Furthermore, cocoa works great in tandem with CBD. Cocoa is a healthy source of fat, and is high in magnesium, which can help ease muscle tension. When combined with the anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects of CBD, it can provide potent relief for cramps and other muscle pains. 

However, it is worth noting again that baking at high temperatures will cause some of the CBD to evaporate and lose its potency.

CBD Pizza
(from fodmapeveryday.com)

CBD can even be added to one of America’s most popular savory dishes… Pizza!

Pizza contains plenty of strong ingredients that can mask or complement the flavor of CBD, as well as plenty of oils and fats to help with CBD’s bioavailability. 

This particular recipe also happens to use fresh, healthy, and all-natural ingredients. Instead of cooking the CBD oil directly into the recipe, it is applied right before serving. This is done to preserve the oil’s potency, and the dose can easily be adjusted depending on what you’re aiming for.

We love making homemade pizza, and the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to toppings, so now you can add CBD to your toppings list and make your pizza even healthier!