Have you ever eaten raw cannabis?
Why would anyone do that, you ask? Well, some people mistakenly think you can get high, while others intentionally eat it for its health benefits.
You’re probably familiar with the cannabinoids THC and CBD but raw cannabis has high levels of THCa and CBDa, not to mention many others. Did you know there are over 100 cannabinoids? There’s also terpenoids and flavonoids, oh my! There is so much phytonutrient goodness in raw cannabis. And you can’t get more of an entourage (or orchestral) effect than with a full-spectrum raw product. It truly is a superfood.
The “a” stands for acid, and in biochemistry terms, these cannabinoids are the non-psychotropic acidic precursors to THC and CBD. THCa converts to THC when it is decarboxylated (heated or smoked) and CBDa converts to CBD.
According to my handy @Goldleaf Cooking Journal, THCa converts to THC at 220 F or 104 C and CBDa converts to CBD at 248 F or 120 C.
What I’ve heard a lot in the industry (and I’m seeing it on labels as well) is the word “activated” being used as a synonym for decarboxylated but that by no means implies that the acidic cannabinoids are INactive.
THCa has shown to have very different properties from THC. Such as:
🌳Analgesic – Relieves pain.
🌳Anti-Emetic – Reduces vomiting and nausea.
🌳Anti-Inflammatory – Reduces inflammation.
🌳Anti-Insomnia – Aids with sleep.
🌳Anti-Proliferative – Inhibits cancer cell growth.
🌳Antispasmodic – Suppresses muscle spasms.
🌳Modulates Immune System – THCa has been shown to both improve and potentially suppress the immune system functions.
🌳Neuroprotective – Slows damage to the nervous system and brain.
Studies show that CBDa has both high therapeutic value and superior bioavailability when compared to CBD. Yeah, I said it.
How do you get the benefits of THCa and CBDa? You can always grow cannabis yourself and juice the leaves, eat the buds or make your own topicals and tinctures. Or you may purchase ready-made products.
There are two major categories of products available in dispensaries, Raw and Decarboxylated (also called “Decarbed” or “Activated”).
How do you get the benefits of THCa and CBDa? You can always grow cannabis yourself and juice the leaves, eat the buds or make your own topicals and tinctures. Or you may purchase ready-made products. Below are my highest recommendations.
There’s only a few players in the raw game. The OGs are @AwakendTopicals, Founded by Levi Strom, who’s like a brother to me. I’ve been using Awakened since 2014 and have enjoyed watching the company grow. In addition to the @theemeraldocup award winning raw cannabis balm, they offer 3 sublinguals, THCa, 1:1 and a 3:1. These are typically administered sublingually (under the tongue) and are diffused into the blood by tissues under the tongue. You may also use this product externally. We’ve even used the sublingual to create a full-spectrum cannabinoid salad dressing for the @highdining.club Moonlit Moveable Feast.
Another brand I love is @fiddlers.greens who also has a raw cannabis balm and several raw tinctures as well as decarbed tinctures with their “Rogue” line.
I also love @EvaCBD, Founded by Dane Kemp and Nicole Davidsohn, and just like Levi, Nichole is a walking encyclopedia on raw cannabis and hemp. Eva has a great line of capsules targeted towards brain function, energy, mood, sleep and pain relief. They also have packets of raw hemp powder called Flower Powder which we’ve also used for a @highdining.club private experience. AND they’ve made it even easier to incorporate raw hemp into your meals by creating seasoning packets such as Garlic & Herb, BBQ and Creole. They also offer fresh and frozen hemp juice. AND they have a pet-specific product too!
Lastly, there’s @drinklumen raw hemp wellness shots. There are 4 different formulas: Immune, Gut Well and Vitamin D & Zinc.
If you’re not in CA, I recommend trying the Awakened Topicals Raw Hemp Line, “Everyday Awakened”. @EvaCBD and @DrinkLumen are shippable across state lines.
I hope you enjoy the immense benefits of raw cannabis and hemp and remember, it’s not always about the high, it’s also about health.
#faeriejane #rawcannabis #awakenedtopicals #fiddersgreens #evacbd #lumen #drinklumen #everydayawakened #CBDa #THCa
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