How to Flavor CBD Oil: Simple Ways Make CBD Oil Taste Better

While many people enjoy the natural taste of CBD oil, there are plenty of options for those who want some additional flavor. Whether you prefer smooth fruity notes or a delicious sour kick, you can customize your own flavor profile. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at tincture, how to flavor CBD oil, and some more facts about CBD.

What is CBD Oil?

Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, also known as tincture, is a liquid CBD solution. CBD is the active ingredient in oil, though it does not work alone. CBD oil contains other hemp-derived compounds, like flavonoids, terpenes, and THC. Terpenes, in particular, give the oil its distinct flavor and aroma.

CBD oil is popular because there are many ways to take it. You can drop it under your tongue, put it in food, or mix it into beverages. Depending on how you use the oil, you can feel the effects in anywhere between 15 minutes and one hour.

Once CBD reaches your bloodstream, it promotes soothing feelings and homeostasis, which is our body’s internal balance. CBD helps our body achieve this by interacting with our endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is present in nearly all mammals, and it regulates essential body functions like mood, appetite, and pain response.

It’s essential to note that CBD can relax you without producing any “high” or disorienting feelings. All legal CBD products contain very little amounts of THC (0.3% or less), if they have any THC at all. This small concentration isn’t enough to intoxicate you, although taking CBD with THC boosts the product’s effects.

What Does CBD Oil Taste Like?

CBD oil carries a nutty, grassy, and earthy taste. While top-shelf CBD oils are smooth and go down easy, some find the taste undesirable. Additionally, some products are made with higher standards than others, and poor-quality or fake CBD oil may have bitter or harsh tastes.

CBD has a naturally bitter taste, but how the hemp extract is filtered and purified can make the flavor more palatable. The better a manufacturer processes their extract, the less chlorophyll (a substance from plants) will be present, and the product will taste.

Industry-leading CBD products often try to bring out hemp’s natural properties. While vape cartridges and other products are usually flavored, good CBD oil is made to be simple. This makes it versatile, allowing you to add flavors if you’re not a fan of its all-natural taste.

What Are Terpenes & How Do They Impact CBD?

Terpenes are are another component extracted from hemp. These compounds affect the taste and aroma of a plant. Terpenes help plants survive by attracting pollinators and warding off predators. There are roughly 20,000 terpenes in the plant kingdom, each with its own unique tastes and scents.

Earlier, we mentioned that CBD is a cannabinoid. Terpenes are not cannabinoids. However, since cannabis plants contain high concentrations of terpenes, they end up in CBD products.

So if terpenes do not act like CBD, why are they important? Terpenes can affect the experience of CBD products. Some terpenes can help you feel calm or refreshed, but they mainly influence flavor.

Cannabis strains contain different combinations of terpenes, resulting in their iconic tastes. Since terpenes are both natural and scrumptious, they are ideal for flavoring CBD products. This is how vape cartridges can have strain-specific tastes, such as Pineapple Express and Sour Diesel. The terpenes that make up those hemp flowers are added to the vape juice, replicating the taste.

Terpenes are a great way to make a product taste better without resorting to potentially harmful additives. Synthetic flavoring substances are occasionally pulled from production if they are found to be dangerous. Organic is always better, and terpenes have the added benefit of strengthening the entourage effect!

RELATED: CBD TERPENES

Can You Change the Flavor of CBD Oil?

Definitely! Flavored CBD oil is available, but such products don’t allow you to control the flavor profile. You can mask and change the taste of CBD oil using terpenes. Another option for flavoring your tincture is food-grade essential oils, which are also plant-derived. Or, you can take the oil with other foods to mask the flavor.

Let’s go over how you can use each option to get the flavor you crave:

• Terpenes – Let’s say you want a CBD oil taste that’s bursting with lemon, features hints of lavender, and is rounded out with a spicy kick. Terpenes let you flex your creativity and make this flavor a possibility!
• Essential oils – You could also enhance the taste of your CBD oil using essential oils. Since essential oils can contain various constituents, some carry their own beneficial properties. Mix and match your favorite essential oils and terpenes together until you find that perfect taste!
• Food and Beverages – If you are a culinary enthusiast, you can have fun adding CBD oil to baked goods, smoothies, and other tasty creations. This masks the flavor of the oil. Adding tincture to other edible products is a versatile, delicious way to consume CBD and let your imagination run wild!

If you use terpenes to flavor your oil, you can even mimic the taste of your favorite hemp flower strain. Simply head over to our CBD Flower page and select the bud you think would make a mouth-watering oil. We include our flowers’ terpene profiles, so all you have to do is choose those same terpenes for your oil.

Does Flavor Impact the Effects of CBD Oil?

The taste of your CBD oil does not affect the feelings it promotes. But, if you cook or bake the oil, the components inside might break down. If you want to mask the taste of CBD oil by cooking or baking with it, consider the fact that some of the CBD will be destroyed in the process.

You might wonder how hot your CBD oil can get before it starts to break down. CBD’s boiling point is between 320-356˚F. We recommend measuring the internal temperature of your baked or cooked goods since that is often lower than the cooking temperature. For example, cookies baked at 400˚F usually only reach an internal temperature of about 245˚F, so no CBD would be lost.

But if you’re baking some sweet-tasting CBD cookies at 450˚F, some of the oil will be lost in the process. You can correct this by simply adding more CBD oil to the recipe. The more CBD breaks down or evaporates, the less potent the effects will be.

Monitor the temperatures and adjust the amount of oil to ensure you get the results you want while tasting delectable cannabidiol. If heat is not involved, the CBD’s strength will not be affected. This means that if you simply put terpenes or essential oils into ready-made snacks or tincture, the flavor won’t diminish the CBD.

In fact, certain terpenes and essential oils might even add to CBD’s benefits! Peppermint can boost energy, and vanilla can put racing thoughts at ease. So, while baking with CBD and hemp oil is an excellent way to mask the earthy taste of cannabis, it can be tricky. Adding flavor without doesn’t reduce CBD potency. Let’s take a look at how to add flavor to oil so that your taste buds are as satisfied as your ECS!

How to Flavor CBD Oil

If you want to adjust the CBD oil taste with terpenes, we recommend buying terpene isolates. A terpene blend comes with additives, but for our purposes, we want only terpenes. To determine how much of the terpene concentrate to add, multiply the amount of oil in the container (in milliliters) by 2% (0.02). When using essential oils, we advise 0.6 ml (roughly 12 drops) of essential oils per 30 ml of CBD.

Make sure the product is food-grade because some essential oils can be toxic to consume. Some of the most popular edible essential oils are spearmint, peppermint, lemon, and cinnamon bark oil. Whether you add terpenes, essential oils, or both to mask the taste of hemp oil, simply shake the bottle to combine. If you’d like to bake with CBD, try adding the oil after you’ve practiced the recipe. This will give you a chance to measure the internal temperature of the treats.

If you think CBD cookies sound tasty, but you’re not interested in baking, you can always add CBD isolate or oil to ready-made baked goods. CBD isolate is flavorless, causing it to blend well with any dish. Isolate doesn’t contain the earthy, plant-like taste of oil.

CBD oils aren’t only meant for munching. You can also put a few drops (or more than a few) into your favorite drink. Enhance your smoothie or protein shake with CBD’s rejuvenating qualities!

Final Thoughts

CBD oil is a convenient and adaptable product that can help you in countless ways, but what if you don’t like the taste of hemp? By using terpenes, essential oils, and perhaps even some kitchen know-how, you can mask the taste of CBD oil with any flavors that you enjoy!