By Steven Voser


Over the last couple of years, CBD has grown into a billion-dollar industry. And for good reason; this non-intoxicating cannabis-derived compound may have some potential as a wellness supplement.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of its posible benefits, you may be considering including CBD in your cooking.

Cooking With CBD: How Does It Work?

CBD, like many other cannabis compounds, is fat-soluble. And since we almost always use some kind of fat in our cooking, infusing your favourite recipes with CBD is super simple. Infuse your favourite aromatic cooking oils or fats, such as olive oil or ghee, with CBD and use them to spice up your favourite savory dishes (like sauces, stews, and dressings), or use more neutral fats such as coconut oil to work it into your favourite sweet treats.

Here are a few tips to help you start cooking with CBD.

Cooking With CBD Oil

Many of the CBD oils on the market are made by diluting CBD extract (derived from CBD-rich cannabis strains or hemp) in vegetable oil (most manufacturers use olive or coconut oil as a carrier). Using these oils in your cooking is super simple, but because cannabinoids degrade at high temperatures, you should avoid exposing your CBD oil to high heat. It’s best added to dishes at the end of the process, or to cold dishes at any point in the process.

  • Always Use High-Quality CBD Oil

If you’re planning on cooking with CBD oil, always make sure you're using a quality product made by a reputable manufacturer. CBD oils made with poor-quality ingredients or with sub-standard processes can not only be less effective, but may also carry traces of pesticides, pollutants, bacteria and fungi, and other contaminants you definitely don’t want to be ingesting.

Cooking With CBD Flower

When cooking with CBD flower, you’ll first want to decarboxylate your buds (detailed instructions below). This process converts compounds like CBDA, THCA, and other cannabinoid acids present in live cannabis into the compounds we more commonly associate with cannabis (CBD, THC, etc.).

After you’ve decarbed your CBD flowers, you’ll want to extract their compounds into some kind of carrier oil or fat that you can use in cooking. Most people either use butter or olive/canola oil, but you can essentially use any cooking fat you prefer. Simply take your decarbed flower and cook it in the cooking fat of your choosing on low heat for around 3 hours, strain the mixture, and let it cool before using it in your recipes.

  • Decarboxylation Is Key

As we mentioned earlier, decarboxylation is all about activating the compounds naturally present in cannabis flowers. Without getting too technical, the heat employed in this process helps to break down carbon bonds in compounds like cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and other chemicals that are precursors to CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids.

When we smoke or vaporize cannabis, decarboxylation happens automatically when we turn on our device or spark up a joint or bowl. When cooking, however, we need to help the process along to ensure we get the desired effects from our infused meals. The best way to do this is to coarsely grind your CBD flowers, spread them out on a lined baking sheet, and bake on low heat (roughly 110–120°C) for 30–40 minutes. You’ll know you’ve finished decarbing your buds when your kitchen smells like Sweet Mary Jane!

What’s the Benefit of Cooking With CBD?

You might be wondering why you should bother going through the extra hassle of cooking with CBD when you could just take it orally. The answer to this question is complex and has to do with how our bodies process CBD depending on how it is administered.

CBD oil is typically taken sublingually, where it is absorbed via the mucous membranes lining the inside of the mouth. The CBD in homemade or shop-bought edibles, on the other hand, is absorbed in the digestive tract. Both sublingual administration and ingesting CBD are effective ways to harness the unique benefits of this compound. However, the different routes of administration cause our bodies to absorb CBD slightly differently, and may be better suited to different situations.

Based on our experience and research, we find ingesting CBD to beneficial because:

It offers a slower, more gradual release of CBD into the body
When taken sublingually, CBD enters the bloodstream and starts acting on receptors throughout the body within 15–20 minutes. Ingested CBD, on the other hand, can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour to take effect, but offers a slower, more gradual release of CBD into the bloodstream.
It is convenient and discreet
Cooking with CBD allows you to prepare CBD edibles in advance, and can be great for dosing on the go or in public, whereas taking a tincture/oil or vaporizing/smoking CBD might draw more attention and prove less appropriate.
It masks the strong flavour of CBD oil/flower
CBD oil supplements have a distinctly bitter and intense favour that some people might not like. By working CBD into your favourite recipes, you can reap the benefits of this amazing cannabinoid without having to deal with its intense flavour.
It’s healthier than smoking
Smoking is usually the most common way cannabis is consumed. Unfortunately, it’s far from the healthiest; studies show that cannabis (including the smoke from CBD-rich cannabis) contains many of the same toxic compounds present in cigarette smoke. Cooking with CBD is a great way to use CBD-rich cannabis without the health implications of smoking it.

What Food and Drink Can You Infuse With CBD?

Now that you’ve learned the basics of cooking with CBD, here are a few ideas to help inspire you in the kitchen.

  • Coffee and Tea

Infusing coffee and tea is a great and simple way to start cooking with CBD. If you like taking your CBD in the morning, mixing it into your cup of Joe can be a great way to kickstart your day. If you prefer taking CBD in the afternoon or evening, on the other hand, consider infusing it into your preferred tea or herbal blend for a soothing experience.

  • Smoothies

Delicious smoothies and cannabis go great together. Plus, the endless possibilities of fruit, vegetables, juice, and other ingredients you can work into a smoothie mean taking your daily dose of CBD will never be a dull experience.

Smoothies

  • Soups

Nothing’s quite as hearty and wholesome as a big bowl of soup. Whether you like it hot or cold, smooth or chunky, meaty or vegetarian, there are countless different soup recipes you can enhance with the power of CBD.

  • Cookies and Brownies

Can you think of a more classic way of combining cannabis and food than packing it into a delicious batch of brownies or cookies? We definitely can’t. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll be glad to know you can infuse virtually any baked good with CBD and cannabis.

  • Sauces and Dips

Another one of our favourite edible options is to infuse CBD into sauces and dips (both hot and cold). Many sauces and dip recipes call for generous amounts of fat, meaning they’re super easy to infuse with your canna-oil or butter. One of our all-time favourites is a delicious strawberry CBD sauce that goes great with a variety of desserts, and even as an accompaniment to certain savoury dishes.

How To Cook With CBD

Now it's time to dig into the details of how to effectively cook with CBD oil and flower.

  • Dosing CBD for Cooking

Dosing CBD in your recipes can be difficult, which is why we suggest simplifying it as much as possible. The best way to do so is to calculate how many servings of food you’re preparing and then infuse your standard dose into each serving.

If, for example, you’re making 4 servings of soup, and you typically take 10 drops of CBD oil per day, use a total of 40 drops of CBD in your recipe. If you’ve never taken CBD before, we suggest you try a medium-strength CBD oil for at least a week to familiarise yourself with the compound and how it affects your body.

Then, once you’ve found a dose that works for you, take that same dose and use it in your cooking. If you feel like that dose isn’t working, increase it gradually until you get the effects you’re after. If you’re cooking with dried CBD flower instead of oil, on the other hand, follow this guide to properly dose your CBD edibles.

Eye dropper CBD Dosage Calculator
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Eye dropper CBD Dosage Calculator
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Cooking With CBD Oil

Cooking with CBD oil is the best way to start your journey of using CBD in the kitchen. The process is simple:

  1. Measure your dose.
  2. Prepare your food as per your recipe.
  3. Add in your CBD oil when you see fit. However, as detailed above, try to avoid bringing your CBD oil into direct contact with high heat. So if you want to make CBD-infused pasta sauce or a stir fry, for example, you’d be better off adding the CBD oil in at the end.
Cooking With CBD Oil

Cooking With CBD flower

Cooking with CBD flower gives you a lot more control over your recipe and is a lot cheaper than adding shop-bought CBD oil every time. It is, however, a lot more hands-on, and can seem a little overwhelming to inexperienced weed cooks.

Here’s how to cook with CBD cannabis flowers:

  1. Determine the amount of flower you need.
  2. Grind up your flower and spread it out evenly on a lined baking sheet. Decarboxylate at 110–120°C for 30–40 minutes or until fragrant. Stir regularly to ensure the buds decarb evenly and don’t burn.
  3. Heat your decarbed flower in the amount of oil or butter required for your recipe. Let the mixture simmer on low heat for 3 hours to extract as many cannabinoids and other active compounds from the buds as possible.
  4. Strain the oil or butter to remove any plant pieces, let cool, and use as called for in your recipe.

Note: If you regularly cook with CBD, consider making large batches of CBD oil or butter to save time.

Cooking With CBD Oil

Tips for Cooking With CBD

To ensure your CBD cooking journey starts off without issue, we’ve assembled some must-know tips. Keep these nearby when crafting your own edible infusions, especially if you’re new to the practice.

  • Grind Your Bud Right

When extracting cannabis flower in oil or butter, it is crucial you grind your buds to the right consistency. In general, we recommend using a coarser grind for longer and slower extractions, and a finer grind for when you need to extract your weed faster. A finer grind helps to reduce the overall surface area of your weed, meaning it will both decarb and extract a little faster than more coarsely ground weed.

  • Add Fat To Improve Bioavailability

Remember, cannabis compounds are fat-soluble, so don’t make the rookie mistake of throwing a bud or drops of CBD oil into a recipe that doesn’t contain at least some fat. If you’re using CBD flowers, always extract them into cooking oil/fat per the instructions above, and if you’re using CBD oil, make sure to add it into recipes that contain a decent amount of oil or cooking fat. This will help make more of the CBD available to your body.

  • Avoid Excessive Temperatures

The cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that give cannabis its unique aromas, flavours, and effects are all very fragile compounds. When exposed to high temperatures above roughly 120°C, these compounds start to break down and evaporate into the air. When making CBD edibles, we obviously want to preserve as many of these compounds as possible, so make sure to avoid exposing your CBD (be it in the form of flower or shop-bought oil) to excessive temperatures.

  • Timing Is Crucial

Making cannabis oil and butter takes some patience, as the ingredients need to infuse at relatively low temperatures for several hours. Ideally, cook your CBD and oil/fat mixture over low heat for approximately 3 hours for a decent extraction.

  • Filter With Care

After your raw plant material has been infused into a base of oil or butter, it will need to be strained using a fine filter, such as cheesecloth. This process requires patience as the infused solution slowly but surely drips into the container below. Try to resist the temptation of squeezing the cheesecloth to speed up the process; although your patience may be wearing thin, you will most likely push plant material into the solution if you do so.

Cooking With CBD Is Fun!

In this article, we covered the ins and outs of cooking with CBD. Now that you know the basics, explore recipes (both from our blog and other sources; there are tons out there!) for inspiration and ideas on how to work the magic of CBD into your cooking.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: