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Can CBD Isolate Be Eaten? – Pros, Cons, & Recipe Suggestions

CBD isolate products, which contain only CBD, are great options for those looking to avoid THC entirely. But is eating CBD a good idea or one that will work?

CBD isolate products can indeed be eaten safely and effectively. Users can consume products alone or with other foods. It’s possible to mix CBD isolate with dishes of all sorts, though some types of products tend to work better than others.

How and when you choose to eat CBD isolate products depends on a variety of factors, including product type, personal preference, desired effects, and more. It’s important to be aware of the pros and cons associated with this method of consumption as well so that you can make an informed decision on how to best take advantage of your options.

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How to Eat CBD Isolate

How you choose to consume your CBD isolate tends to depend on what sort of product you’re using. CBD isolate comes in different forms, and some are better suited for oral consumption and eating than others.

CBD isolate products come in three main forms:

Oil: CBD isolate oil differs from others because it contains only CBD, and no other cannabinoids, blended into a base oil. These products are perfect for foods that pair well with oil or use it as an ingredient (think tossing olive oil into a salad, for instance).
Powder: Isolate powder is both flavorless and odorless, which means it mixes into most food and drinks very easily.
Crystals: Crystals aren’t the best option for eating; they’re very solid, harder to break down and mix into food, and can be unpleasant to try and chew or digest. CBD isolate crystals are more commonly consumed via inhalation, specifically dabs.

Oil and powder are likely the options you’ll want to go with. Powder tends to be more versatile than oil because it can be easily added to just about anything.

There are lots of ways you can incorporate CBD isolate powder or oil into foods you already eat on a regular basis; there isn’t always a need to go above and beyond to find a way to reap the benefits of eating your product.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Add CBD to coffee, tea, smoothies, or other beverages. Powder and oil CBD isolate both work well with liquids, though taste is likely a factor you’ll want to consider here. Powder is generally a better choice because it won’t overwhelm the natural taste of your beverage.
Blend with sweeteners to create one of your own. Mix your product with a sweetener like honey, maple syrup, stevia, or even just plain sugar to create a CBD-infused option. What’s great about this technique is that you can add your CBD sweetener to just about anything you’d normally want sweetness in, whether it be a glass of iced tea or even baked goods.
Mix into sauces, dressing, marinades, etc. This is where oil really has a chance to shine. Many liquid components of dishes contain some level of oil on their own, which makes CBD isolate oil an easy and natural addition. Alternatively, you might consider creating a CBD-infused cooking oil of your own to add to various dishes.

With some careful thought and planning, it can actually be quite simple to include CBD isolate in the foods you enjoy. Eating CBD isolate makes medicating even easier and more enjoyable than it might be otherwise, so don’t be afraid to get creative and try new things, too.

What does CBD do when you eat it?

Eating CBD produces the same sort of effects you’d expect from other methods of consumption, including feelings of relaxation, lowered levels of anxiety, pain and inflammation relief, and more.

The main difference between eating CBD isolate and consuming it in other ways is how it enters your body and to what extent. Because you’re eating your product just like you would food, it goes through the same process.

Once it reaches your stomach, CBD isolate can be broken down and react with the endocannabinoid system in the body (the system responsible for binding with cannabinoids and producing the results users expect).

CBD can bind with receptors within the endocannabinoid system in both the nervous system and the immune system, which means it can tackle concerns within each area. Inflammation, pain, anxiety, agitation, and more can all be alleviated as CBD works its way through your system.

Once fully processed through the digestive tract – including the stomach and both intestines – the effects of CBD will likely begin to fade until they disappear entirely.

You can think of this process as one relatively similar to those that help our bodies break down the nutrients we need from food. Once nutrients (or CBD) have been obtained to the best of the body’s ability, the contents of the digestive tract are converted into waste that is later expelled.

Remember that eating CBD is a slower way to consume CBD than other consumption methods like inhalation or sublingual absorption, and it may imply lower levels of bioavailability.

What are the pros and cons of eating CBD isolate?

Oral consumption is a common, but not necessarily the most popular, way to reap the benefits of CBD products; whether or not it’s best for you comes down to what sort of factors you need to prioritize and which type of experience you prefer.

Pros of Eating CBD Isolate: Convenience

It goes without saying that simply eating your product is one of the most simple and approachable ways to get CBD into your system.

Other options, like smoking and inhalation, are more time-consuming, may require you to purchase other materials, and may not be easy to take on-the-go. They also may appear conspicuous, or look similar to smoking marijuana, which could lead to problems, especially in places where weed is not legal.

Eating CBD isolate, on the other hand, is something you can do just about anywhere at any time. The effects will likely last longer than they would if you’d smoked your product, too.

Whether you take the time to create something like an infused sweetener or simply carry your product on you regularly, it’s not necessarily difficult to find ways to keep CBD involved throughout your entire day.

Cons of Eating CBD Isolate: Efficiency and Speed

Perhaps the biggest drawback associated with eating CBD isolate is its low bioavailability. Bioavailability refers to how quickly and effectively a substance is broken down by the body; the lower the bioavailability, the weaker or more delayed effects tend to be.

In the case of eating CBD isolate, the means through which the body processes and breaks down the product itself are mostly responsible for lower bioavailability. Eating CBD isolate means that your product will be processed through the digestive tract, a phenomenon that can take 6-8 hours or more from start to finish.

When going through the digestive tract, it simply takes longer for CBD to break down and be felt throughout the body. As the product works through your system, you may feel varying levels of effects, but they’re unlikely to be as powerful or heavy hitting as they might be with other methods of consumption.

Aside from bioavailability, efficiency in general is something to consider. While it’s straightforward to find ways to incorporate CBD isolate into your existing diet, mixing your product into other substances inevitably leads to some loss.

If you decide to mix CBD isolate oil into your salad, for instance, some amount of product may stick to the bowl or tools you use. While this may seem insignificant, over time these losses can add up.

CBD products aren’t always the most affordable, so if maximizing every last drop or speck of your isolate is important to you, it helps to be cognizant of these risks.

Final Thoughts

Eating CBD isolate is perhaps one of the easiest ways to involve CBD in your daily routine. Isolate products are especially useful because they come in multiple forms.

CBD isolate oils and powders tend to be the best options when it comes to this method of consumption, particularly because they’re not hard to mix into the foods you already eat and enjoy.

Adding your product to food doesn’t have to be something elaborate, either. In fact, you don’t even have to cook – simply adding some product to your morning cup of joe or a glass of juice can be enough.

If simplicity sounds boring, never fear! You can also use your product when cooking, seasoning, dressing, or otherwise spicing up your dishes, so don’t be afraid to think of new and fun ways to bring the two together.

Of course, along with consuming products in a smart and thoughtful way comes picking products that are actually worth your while. Be sure to check out our directory here for CBD isolate product recommendations of all sorts; finding ways to medicate that work for you shouldn’t be a challenge.

Josh Murdoch

I was born with Cystic Fibrosis, and although it is incurable, cannabinoids have been allowing me to live my life as a healthy adult now for years. For that reason, I’ve dedicated my career to spreading the good news about cannabinoids. Currently, I work for a cannabis distribution company called Humble & Fume which operates in California. Previously, I worked on two cannabis farms in northern California, one of which was located in the famous Humboldt County. I’ve also managed a medical cannabis delivery service in Marin County, California. I created CBD Facilitator to share what I’ve learned, and to recommend the best products that I have found in this chaotic market.