Beginner’s 101

How to make CBD oil taste better

Woody, earthy, nutty, and a bit bitter. While some might not mind the natural taste of CBD oil, others find it unpalatable. It’s what can be described as an acquired taste, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to write CBD oil off if you don’t like the taste of hemp.

When people try CBD oil for the first time they either love or hate it. Some CBD newbies find this to be a deal-breaker if their taste buds aren’t used to it.

Whether you love the taste or you feel it leaves something left to be desired. This post will go through some of the ways you can make CBD oil taste better. We will cover:

• What does CBD oil taste like?
• Why does CBD oil taste weird? 
• Ways to make CBD oil taste better
• How to avoid the taste of hemp all together 

What does CBD oil taste like?

How does CBD oil taste? Unflavoured CBD oil has an earthy, woody, and sometimes bitter taste. Full-spectrum CBD oils are made directly from the natural hemp plant material and have very little processing to keep all the plant properties intact.

The taste depends on various factors, such as if it’s full-spectrum, MCT oil, the strength of the concentration, the carrier oil it’s mixed with, or if it’s made with CBD isolate.

Not all CBD oils taste the same, as every CBD brand’s oil range will taste different depending on how the oil is made and what other ingredients it’s mixed with.

Full-spectrum oils are most comparable to the raw hemp plant itself and the way the plant smells is also similar to how it tastes. 

So, why does CBD oil taste weird? 

The distinctive smell and taste of hemp is down to its terpenes and flavonoids. These aromatic molecules are present in all plants and are what gives them their unique smell, color, and taste. 

Terpenes and flavonoids are responsible for your sensory experience when it comes to plants. The way you perceive taste and smell go hand in hand, as one enhances the other. Hemp is rich in both smell and flavor which is down to its broad profile of terpenes and flavonoids. 

Hemp’s color and aroma are attributed to flavonoids, which help attract insects for pollination and protect the plant against diseases and UV rays during cultivation.

While terpenes are also known for their aromatic and taste properties and are responsible for fighting off bugs and attracting pollinators. Hemp terpenes include myrcene, borneol, limonene, and delta 3 carene which give off earthy, sweet, and fruity smells. These molecules are the reason full and broad spectrum oils tend to have the most pungent flavors.

So why do CBD oils contain terpenes and flavonoids if they make it taste bad? There are hundreds of these molecules in the plant that are not only beneficial during the growth period but are also known to have antioxidant properties. 

They also contribute to the ‘entourage effect’ and work in synergy with cannabinoids such as CBD. These molecules are not only unique to hemp but are what give plants their unique properties.

So, while they might not taste the best to everyone, there are benefits to keeping these flavor makers in.

4 ways to make CBD oil taste better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j_c_dbOsN8

Here are a few tips if you’re thinking of trying to mask the taste of CBD oil, but maintain all the plant goodness. 

1 Honey 

Mix your CBD oil drops with organic honey for a sweet way to mask the hemp taste of CBD oil. Add a few drops of oil to a spoonful of honey and place it under your tongue. The sublingual method absorbs quickly into your bloodstream for fast results. 

2 Essential oils 

Typically essential oils also have a bitter taste, but if you choose natural food flavoring and suitable human consumption, you can improve the taste of your CBD oil.

Citrus and mint flavor oils such as lemon oil, peppermint, and orange oil work well at covering up the taste of hemp. Essential oils also contain terpenes which give them their aroma.

Your taste and smell senses use the same type of receptors. So the essential oil smell will help your taste buds perceive a better taste. 

3 Chocolate

CBD and chocolate are a match made in heaven, it’s no wonder you can already find CBD oils with this flavor on the market. The bitterness of hemp actually compliments the taste of chocolate.

While you might not want to use this method every day to take your CBD dose. You’ll find that adding a piece of chocolate under your tongue and then adding your CBD drops afterward is the best way to try this method. This works best if the chocolate is at room temperature, so it melts in with the oil.

If you want to give your chocolate a little more flavor you can also try adding flavored CBD drops like these ones. 

4 Make your own capsules 

Capsules are one of the best tasteless options. But they do come in set doses. So if your daily dose is 15 mg but your favorite CBD brand only makes 10mg capsules. This is your chance to customize your dose and bypass the hemp taste.

You can find empty capsules at your local pharmacy. Open the capsule and add the number of drops you need, close the cap and swallow like any other capsule.

This is a no hemp taste option, however, if you’re used a sublingual method of taking CBD, swallowing your dose will mean the effects take longer to take hold. 

How to avoid the taste of hemp all together 

If you would still prefer a CBD oil that tastes good to begin with, there are a few other ways you can bypass the taste. Earlier on we talked about how what CBD oil is made from can affect the way the oil tastes. There are some oils that have no taste, that are made from CBD isolate. These oils have had all the terpenes, flavonoids and plant extracts removed and are made from a pure CBD powder mixed with a carrier oil like coconut oil or olive oil. They’re not full-spectrum and lack a broad profile of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that create the entourage effect. 

The final note 

While the taste of CBD oil might not be your favorite, there are ways to improve the taste. Enhancing your oil drops with sweet flavors such as honey and chocolate can help considerably to mask the taste.

The distinctive flavor of hemp is attributed to the presence of terpenes and flavonoids, found naturally in hemp which also have antioxidant benefits.

Full-spectrum CBD oils tend to have the strongest hemp flavors, as they contain more of the original plant properties. You can find flavored CBD oils on the market that are either made from CBD isolate that have no hemp taste or oils that have flavors added. 

Either way, always check the ingredients to see if the additional flavorings are natural, as some brands may use artificial flavors, always read the label.

We enjoy the taste of hemp as we know the natural plant contains all the plant goodness, but if you find it unpalatable, adding something sweet can make it easier to swallow.