CBD drinks are beverages that are infused with cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive ingredient extracted from the hemp plant. After infusing CBD in oils, gummies, topical creams, salves, or soft gels, the CBD market is slowly opening its door to the beverage industry. This has led the popularity of CBD drinks to skyrocket and allowed the incorporation of CBD extracts into drinks such as coffee, tea, seltzers, sodas, and smooth cold brews among others.
But are CBD drinks the easiest way to consume CBD? How do they work? Do they have any potential side effects? Let's find out.
CBD-infused drinks: What are they anyway?
The addition of CBD into beverages is the latest trend that has garnered a lot of boost in the cannabis industry. Drinks such as coffee, tea, or sodas which were earlier consumed as is, are now being infused with CBD, which is making CBD more accessible to a larger percentage of people.
Firstly, we need to remember that CBD which is extracted from the hemp plant does not give you a high. The element responsible for giving you the feeling of high and euphoria is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is present in an extremely small amount in the CBD drink and therefore doesn’t produce a psychoactive high.
CBD drinks come with a predetermined amount of CBD, making it easier for you to see the quantity of CBD you are consuming. Lately, the most consumed drink in the world, Coffee, has been infused with CBD without sacrificing the true flavor of the coffee beans. Brands have also started experimenting with fizzy sodas, colas, teas, and more to make CBD available to all.
Even though gummies and oils have dominated the CBD market, CBD-infused drinks are picking up pace and are on course to become one of the most popular methods of consuming CBD.
Types Of CBD Drinks
From the time of their introduction into the market, CBD drinks have flown off the shelves of supermarkets. They are available in a range of flavors and formats and serve different purposes. But if you are looking to enjoy a cold one with your friends and family, the brands have found a way and provided many options for you to choose from.
Let’s say you are bored with your go-to energy drink after a hard workout and on the lookout for something new, you can try a CBD-infused energy drink or if you are in the mood to relax on a scorching afternoon, you can cool off with a CBD cold brew coffee.
There are also flavored CBD drinks available in the market. Cherry, orange, lime and strawberry are only some of the few flavors sold by popular brands, among other more exotic and interesting flavor combinations. They can be fizzy sodas or purely water-based drinks with CBD-infused extracts.
What makes CBD drinks interesting is their ability to blend in different ways. For those who are looking to experiment, CBD drinks can also be mixed into a cocktail or a fruit punch to enhance the taste. It’s always better to try the options available and decide which works for your taste buds.
How Do CBD Drinks Work?
CBD drinks work in the same way as any other beverage. When you consume the CBD drink, it will rush down to your stomach where the CBD extracts present in the drink will break into small particles and will be absorbed by your body and enter your bloodstream. Once CBD enters the blood, it will rush to the brain. The CBD will then interact with the endocannabinoid system that works to maintain a state of balance in your body and produce the desired effects. Since THC is not significantly present in the CBD drink, you will not experience any psychoactive effects.
Although CBD drinks are an easy way to consume CBD, they may reduce the true efficacy of cannabinoid. When taken in a liquid (non-oil) form, the body may not absorb all the extracts of CBD and flush it through without getting as much from it as you would with a different delivery method, Therefore, if you are truly looking to consume CBD most effectively, oils or gummies will be more helpful.
What To Look for When Buying CBD Drinks?
It’s always wise to research a new product that you are interested in buying. For CBD drinks, you need to ensure that you are always purchasing high-quality products from reputed brands. There are many inferior quality CBD drinks floating in the market that add huge amounts of unnecessary substances and make the experience worse for you.
When buying a CBD drink, look for the cannabinoids present in the drink. It is always advised that before consuming a CBD drink, you should know the specific cannabinoids in the drink.
You should check the bottle or the can of the CBD drink for the quantity of CBD. If you are looking to follow through and do a thorough check, you can research about the brand and where they source their CBD from. You can also look for safety standards and the reputation of the brand in the market. This will steer you clear to a CBD drink that is enjoyable and leaves more than just an enjoyable taste.
Will CBD Drinks Make You Sleepy or High?
Cannabidiol is one of the non-psychoactive components extracted from the hemp plant. When it is infused with a drink, there’s hardly any chance for you to feel a high or a sense of euphoria after consuming the CBD drink. The overall THC levels are extremely low in the hemp plant and do not make their way to the CBD drink. So the question of CBD drinks making you feel sleepy or high falls flat on its face.
Are there any potential side effects of CBD Drinks?
Even though it’s rare for people to experience side effects from CBD drinks, there are some commonly reported ones for CBD in general.
- Diarrhea
- Tiredness
- Sleepiness
- Nausea
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in weight
- Low blood pressure
- Dry mouth
While everything depends on the amount of CBD you are ingesting into, when it comes to CBD drinks, the level of CBD in every drink is per the standard limits.
Final Thoughts
CBD drinks are still an upcoming trend in the CBD space. Although the brands are scrambling for opportunities to sink their teeth in the CBD drinks segment at the earliest, it will be wise for you to stick to oil, gummies, tinctures, topical creams, soft gels, or salves to get the most out of your CBD. Fortunately, CBD drinks have provided another easy option for you to take CBD, but it will be a while until CBD drinks become the preferred option for CBD ingestion.
Once you are comfortable with the already available mediums, you can go for CBD drinks and enjoy the effects of CBD. Experimentation with CBD should only be done by industry experts, and if you are thinking of brewing a CBD drink in your home, then you might just want to press pause on that. Meanwhile, it’s always good to be on the lookout for the latest developments in the CBD space and explore all the mediums available for CBD’s effects to reach your body.
