Edible Benefits
Over the last decade there have been insane advancements in the cannabis industry, both recreational and medicinal. Studies and research continue to prove the groundbreaking magic that comes with consuming cannabis, and edibles being the more healthy and safest consumption method. Along with science, cannabis consumers agree that these edibles are the key to getting faded incognito.
You aren’t inhaling harmful chemicals, there is no lingering odor, no weed smoke, and no multi-step process when consuming edibles. Makes sense why they are so easy to love! But, there is that obvious factor, the elephant in the room, the delayed onset of effects that come with edibles. It’s a waiting game that can last minutes… even hours. If you want to know why, you’re in the right place!
To address this elephant in the room it helps to understand why the onset of effects takes longer with edibles than smoking. To put it simply, when you smoke cannabis flower, the THC enters your bloodstream almost immediately once it is inhaled.
Edibles need to be digested and the THC is metabolized and processed through your liver before released into your bloodstream. This is why it takes 2 to 4 hours before you hit your edible’s peak high.
The liver then metabolizes THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, a compound that crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily. This is what gives you the prolonged and intensified effects of the edible.
Baked goods: Brownies, cakes, and cookies || Snacks: Chocolate bars, popcorn, and caramelsGummies: Sweet, sour, and sugary || Beverages: Teas, syrups, and tonics
Weed edibles are infused with THC that is in a concentrated form. This is typically in a butter or oil form, along with several others. The whole thing with edibles is the fact that THC is lipophilic, meaning that it loovess to bind to fats and oils.
This is when we start to question all of the factors that can slightly alter the absorption process of THC from an edible. We know that metabolism plays a huge part on how we digest food. But aside from our daily habits, the ingredients, or lack thereof, in our stomach alters how THC is absorbed into our bloodstream.
Now when it comes to booze or taking medicine on an empty stomach we all know it’s a no-no. Hopefully it’s not too much of a surprise, but it isn’t much different for eating edibles. What’s the main reason someone would want to drink on an empty stomach? (Immediate absorption of liquor into the bloodstream.) And what’s typically the main reason why someone is blindsided by feeling intoxicated after two beers on a Tuesday?
Alcohol, medications, and many other things you ingest are designed to interact with fats, enzymes, proteins, and nutrients in your stomach. Without having these interactions, your stomach and liver won’t be able to metabolize it properly. This is the culprit to your hangovers or why you might feel nauseous after taking medications.
Your typical edible should work its magic within 90 minutes after you eat it. On an empty stomach you might get a fast wave of whoa after about 30 minutes. If you just ate a hearty meal, you should feel a slight body buzz within this time if you are consuming your usual dose.There are fast-acting edible options such as Wana Quicks that have a rapid onset time of 15 minutes! This is all done by using nano-emulsification, a method that enables THC to become water-soluble, aka super absorbant. Of course there is a downfall with such a perk, and that’s losing all of the flavorful cannabinoids that get filtered out during the process.
Start low, go slow. It is the number one rule of edibles. You will be surprised how much of an oomph a 5mg gummy has sometimes. Next thing… Patience is a virtue! Give the edible time to kick in before giving into your temptation to eat another.
The fun part about edibles, especially for those of us who microdose, is that when they kick in and start working… we tend to forget we even consumed the edible! You should be able to go about your day without being high or intoxicated, and just feel relief.
But, we know that this isn’t for everyone, and some of us need a high-dose edible that’s going to knock our socks off, and hopefully rub our feet too. If this is your route, keep it chill, choose a comfortable and familiar setting to enjoy your edible.
No, there’s nothing cool about getting crunk guys. It’s actually quite the redundant thing to do… Mixing edibles with alcohol can cause anxiety, nausea, and a whole lot of other negative side effects. Ironically, the typical effects that we are looking to treat when consuming cannabis edibles.
