With many of us working, living, crafting, and even exercising at home these days, you might be itching for a new hobby to uncover. Have you thought about making your own cannabis infusions? Or does it seem overly complicated? Though it might sound like a fair amount of work, it’s actually not that challenging to make your own infusions at home after you do a bit of leg work mentally. The most difficult part of the entire process is figuring out how your body will react to the cannabis infusion that you plan to make.
Eating versus smoking cannabis
There is a fairly common misconception out there that consuming cannabis by eating it will have the same, or very similar, effects to smoking or vaping it. That is simply not true. When cannabis is eaten, it enters the body via the stomach, after which it gets metabolized within the liver. During this process, THC gets converted into 11-hydroxy-THC, which is a different chemical altogether than the one produced by cannabis being smoked or vaped.
When cannabis gets processed in the liver, as it does when that cannabis is eaten, the effects of cannabis that are psychoactive can be up to ten times greater than when cannabis is inhaled–yes, TEN times.
And, its effects usually take much longer to make themselves known–as long as one to two hours. This time frame can vary, depending on each individual’s metabolism and other things that they have consumed, so it is of utmost importance that cannabis users who plan to make their own cannabis infusions have patience. Consuming a large amount of edible cannabis can have effects that last upwards of eight hours.
Starting slow
Because the experience of consuming edible cannabis is so vastly different from that of vaping or smoking it, it is highly recommended that those who are new to the process take it very slow and start with small dosages. Overeating cannabis is not a pleasant experience, which is why it is important to plan ahead to find the cannabis infusion that is right for you. Here are some of the most important things to consider when figuring out your best cannabis infusion:
Be mindful of your metabolism
As mentioned, edible cannabis can have vastly different effects on two people who consume the same amount, simply due to the differences in the ways that our bodies metabolize. It’s much better to start slow and gradually add more cannabis into your infusion than the other way around. It is advised that those who are new to cannabis start with an amount ranging between one and five milligrams, and gradually work their way up with subsequent cannabis infusions.
Put some thought into the strain
Don’t just throw the first cannabis you see into your cannabutter. You can make or break a cannabis infusion by the thought that you put into how you want the infusion to make you feel! Growers Choice Seeds is a great place to start to learn more about the different types of cannabis and to find the strain that is ideal for your concoction.
Consider the THC level
Another aspect of choosing the best strain for your cannabis infusion is how much THC is in the cannabis that you select. It might be wise to find an online calculator that can tell you exactly how much THC you can expect in each serving of your infusion, which is definitely important knowledge to have on hand before you consume (or share) your cannabis infusion.
Prepping the cannabis for cooking
Make sure to take the time to properly clean your cannabis buds before adding them to your mixing bowl. It’s best to boil the dry flowers for about five minutes in water, then quickly submerge them in ice water, effectively blanching the cannabis flowers. This process will also do wonders for the taste of your cannabis.
Activate the cannabinoids
In order to activate the cannabinoids in the cannabis, you plan to infuse with, you’ll need to decarboxylate it by heating it at around 250-300 degrees Fahrenheit (depending on the strain). You’ll want to complete this step prior to adding the cannabis in with your other ingredients.
Infuse with purpose
You don’t need any fancy equipment to make an effective and tasty cannabis infusion. If you have a slow cooker in your kitchen, you can quickly and easily whip up a cannabis-infused oil or butter. Some people even use French press coffee makers to whip up cannabis infusions. And, once you’ve infused butter or oil with cannabis, you can go beyond spreading cannabutter on toast by incorporating these items into other recipes.
Once you’ve figured out the basics of how to make effective, safe, and tasty cannabis infusions, the possibilities of how to use that infusion are almost endless! For more information on what cannabis strains might work best in your personal perfect infusion, or for access to a huge range of high-quality feminized cannabis seeds, be sure to check out Growers Choice Seeds.
