How to use loose leaf CBD and dried hemp in the UK

Hemp CBD Tea in the UK

CBD oil has taken the UK and much of Europe by storm. People from all ages and walks of life share a common interest to find therapeutic alleviation without the risk of negative side effects and dependency. Over the past 2 years the hemp and CBD market has grown quickly, and now consumers have an array of choice for products. One particular product that we see is getting more attention is Loose-leaf CBD and dried hemp - let's get into how to use it!

1. Find yourself the right dried hemp

Before getting into the process it's important to start off with high-quality starting material. These quick points will help you find the best quality hemp: 

• Make sure your hemp is grown with organic practices. 
• Buy the highest % CBD - this means you'll require less material.
• Check terpene analysis or give it a smell - the stronger the terpenes the better.
• Try to buy a product with minimal seeds - seeds have a very low cannabinoid count. 
• Do some research on the reliability of your seller - make sure they responsibly trade, don't risk buying a dodgy product!

2. Best way to consume loose leaf CBD and dried hemp

Tea! For thousands of years humans have been brewing teas out of herbs to enjoy the therapeutic benefits that they hold within. The CBD in hemp decarboxylates at approximately 220°F - this converts CBDA into CBD - a crucial step required to turn hemp into a useable supplement. 

Pour boiling water over the dried hemp and allow it to steep for up to 4 mins. We advise against over-steeping to avoid an unpleasant taste. 

3. Add healthy fat to increase the bioavailability

Cannabis is naturally fat-soluble - this means that it can be broken down and absorbed better when carried through a fat. Fat can be found in many foods, here's a quick list of healthy fats suitable for cannabis and hemp:

• Milk
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Bacon fat
• Avocado oil
• MCT oil

At Hemp Elf, we love to add Coconut milk to our hemp tea. Coconut milk is very rich in fat - therefore it foes a brilliant job at increasing our bioavailability - and we all absorb a lot more CBD than without. It also doesn't contain dairy so we don't have to worry about allergies. 

To go into more detail, CBD oil on its own is not binding to water. Hemp is "hydrophobic" - which means non-binding. This means that hemp infused into hot water doesn't really give you it's the full effect. CBD does, however, bind to fat! So with two steps - adding boiled water to decarboxylate CBD, and adding fat to provide a binding agent - we have a delicious, fast and efficient way to use loose-leaf CBD and dried hemp.