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There is something about taking a moment, especially during a particularly stressful day and making a warm cuppa tea can make almost anything just a bit better, especially so during the COVID-19 pandemic. That incredible combination of stepping away for a moment to focus on something else (making tea), feeling the warmth of the cup relax the muscles in your hands, and watching the steam rise - your first sip goes a long way toward melting your worries away. And science agrees!
According to CNN Health’s Article “Why drinking tea might just help in a crisis” a review of more than 100 studies found that green tea can offer three significant benefits to the brain. It can reduce anxiety, boost cognitive abilities, and support healthy brain function, specifically memory.
Not a fan of green tea? No worries. A study by the University College London shows that black tea can help inhibit stress hormones like cortisol. Yes, you heard that right: black tea soothes stress.
We can think of only one thing that would make tea an even more potent way to reduce stress. That’s adding the stuff incredible benefits of CBD to your brew.
The Benefits of Cannabis and Cannabidiol (CBD) Saying to yourself, “How can can cannabis help me?” That’s one of our favorite topics. We could talk about it all day, but we’ll keep brief. We know you’re here to learn to make DIY Cannabis Tea.
The cannabis plant contains many naturally-occurring cannabinoids. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of them. CBD isn’t known to cause intoxicating side effects--those come primarily from another cannabinoid: Tetrahydrocannabinol or (THC). CBD’s claim to fame is its ability to affect neurological receptors responsible for mood, stress, and pain management.
To add the benefits of CBD to your tea you have two choices: a CBD product from a dispensary or using a high CBD strain of flower. The market is full of pure CBD oils, tinctures, and disolvables that you can add to your favorite drinks, and they can be a fast, no-fuss way to add the benefits of CBD to your favorite beverages.
While they are high in CBD, they may not be your most therapeutic option. There is mounting evidence to show that CBD is most therapeutic when THC is also present As usual, nature knows best. Using the plant in its natural form is likely the most therapeutic option.
If you’re looking for the benefits of CBD but want to avoid THC’s psychoactive effects, you can brew your tea with a cannabis strain that’s higher in CBD and lower in THC.
We’ve got a few suggestions listed in the recipe itself, which is coming right up!
Ingredients for DIY Cannabis Tea With High CBD Strains
4 cups of water 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter or coconut oil. 1/4 teaspoon loose leaf green tea 1/4 teaspoon loose leaf organic rose buds 1 gram of dried cannabis bud , we've chosen Charlotte’s Web
Equipment
An herb grinder or sharp knife A saucepan A spoon A strainer Your favorite mug
How To Make DIY Cannabis Tea With High CBD Strains
Step 1: Grind or Chop Cannabis
If you have an herb-grinder, grind the cannabis until it looks “chopped” not powdery. If it is too fine, you’ll have a difficult time straining it from your tea. You can also use a sharp knife to chop your cannabis. If you like, you can remove seeds and stems but keep them around. You might like to add a stem or two later in the process.
Step 2: Boil 4 Cups Of Water Get that saucepan out and boil some water. We say boil, but there is a bit of debate in the tea community about boiling vs. heating water for tea. We’ll just leave this link here and let you make this call for yourself.
Step 3: Add Butter or Oil And Let It Melt Completely Sounds funny, we know, but this recipe needs a little fat or oil. That’s because cannabinoids like CBD and TCH need to bind to fat in order to be available to your body. Without the fat, they’d pass right through. So if you want those therapeutic benefits, add that fat!
While it’s melting you can read this little article about why you need to eat fat with your cannabis.
Step 4: Add Cannabis And Tea Bag or Loose Leaf Tea To Your Boiling Water
Just pop them in the saucepan with the water. That’s all there is to it!
Step 5: Allow To Boil For 7-10 Minutes
Stir your tea frequently. It’s soothing, meditative and helps the ingredients infuse the water, rather than sticking to the sides of your pot.
Tip: If you want to increase potency by adding cannabis shake, stems or flowers this is a great time to do it. Never heard of shake? Give this a read: what’s cannabis shake and is it as potent as bud.
Step 6: Allow Tea To Steep For 10 Minutes.
Turn the heat down (or off completely) and let your mixture mingle. It can be tempting to skip (or skimp) on this step but try to be patient. To get the most benefits from your tea, you’ll need to treat it like the herbal infusion it is and let it steep.
While it’s steeping, you can read more about herbal infusions It’ll make those ten minutes pass faster.
Step 7: Remove Your Pan From The Heat.
We’re about to handle it and that burner will just get in the way.
Step 8: Scoop The Tea Bag Out With Your Spoon.
Unless you used loose leaf tea. Then move on to Step 9.
Step 9: Pour Tea Through A Strainer Lined With Cheesecloth And Into Your Cup
This will remove all plant matter, both cannabis and tea leaves, from your drink. If you’re not telling fortunes, you don’t need them in your cup!
If you have a small strainer, like the kind used for pourover coffee you can place your mug under the strainer and pour. If you’re using a larger strainer you might want to opt for a teapot or bowl and then transfer the tea to your mug.
Enjoy Your DIY Cannabis Tea!
Well done! You deserve a cup! Curl up on your couch, wrap your hands around that warm cup and sip away knowing that you’ve done two great things to lower your stress level. You’ve explored how a daily tea ritual at home can reduce stress and elevate your mood and you have treated your body to the wide range of benefits it can gain from Cannabis and CBD.
A Bit About What To Expect After Drinking Your Tea
If you’re used to fast-acting edibles or tinctures this may be a gentler experience. You will feel the effects, but not as instantly. Our advice: start with one cup and give yourself a nice long wait before evaluating your response or going back for another dose. If you’d like to read up on eating cannabis before you try.
If you enjoyed this cannabis tea recipe and would like to read another.
Check out DIY Recipe: Full-Spectrum Tea Made With Cannabis Rosin. It’s a different approach with different benefits and is definitely worth a read.
