Should You Buy CBD Coffee? We Can Answer That

CBD and coffee. Both delightful but entirely different. CBD chills; Coffee thrills. Go mild or go wild.

Fans of CBD Coffee say that’s nonsense. Rather the accept the reality of choice, they have opted to have everything at once. The question remains (and we intend to answer it), Can you simultaneously take the edge off and put the edge on?

Recent History

The two-in-one of CBD coffee craze was brewing all the way back in 2017. Only recently has it picked up steam and boiled over. Finally, canned CBD coffee beverages have filtered down into the mainstream. Some coffee shops have started to sell their own drinks.

Why take them together? Some people have reported that by taking them at the same time, they get a pleasant caffeine buzz without the associated side effects, like jitters or anxiousness.

We question this. The answer is complicated.

How to Make CBD Coffee

There are a few different ways to get CBD coffee:

• Brewing with CBD-infused coffee beans — Available in whole bean or ground for filter brewing. K-Cups, as wel.
• Buying Canned, Cold Brew CBD Coffee
• Adding CBD oil to brewed coffee

In terms of which method is best, that depends on what you’re looking for. If you want a fun experiment with coffee and CBD and you’re not as concerned with getting a consistent dose of cannabinoids, then infused beans or a pre-packaged drink could work for you.

If you want an inexpensive way to get your daily CBD and caffeine in at the same time, then that last method — adding tincture to coffee — is probably best, although down below we’ll get into why that might not be a great option either.

In terms of preparation, they’re all fairly simple. If you’re making coffee from CBD-infused beans or trying a pre-packaged drink, there are no extra steps needed. If you’re putting tincture to coffee, just take one full dropper of your CBD tincture of choice, say Green Lotus Natural Hemp Oil CBD Tincture, and add it to an 8 oz. cup of coffee.

Make Sure to Finish Your Mug

CBD oil and water don’t mix too well. Water is lighter, so it’ll go to the top. If you leave any coffee at the bottom of the mug, that’s going to have all the CBD in it. Finish your drink to be sure you get the full dose.

CBD Coffee Benefits: Word of Mouth + Science

The idea behind CBD coffee is simple: CBD attenuates the negative effects of caffeine consumption—phenomena known as “the jitters” and “crashing.”

There aren’t a ton of studies to back this idea up; but the people’s laboratory has been hard at work, and they have a lot of findings to share.

Reportedly, CBD Coffee (different than CBD with Coffee) provides the usual alertness and heightened acuity from caffeine, minus fidgeting, racing thoughts, and hyperactivity. Also notable: CBD is said to lessen the “crash.” This is feeling some experience when they consume lots of caffeine, then abstain. The result is a kind of “sustainable” caffeine high that tapers off gently. Lovely.

CBD Can Help Manage Cortisol

Too much caffeine can result in your body releasing extra cortisol, which is a hormone that regulates a few different processes in the body, including metabolism and immune response. The release of too much cortisol can leave you feeling stressed out.

Some studies have found that CBD can help decrease excess cortisol levels, counteracting caffeine’s effects. So that’s another point for CBD coffee. But the healthiest way to avoid excess cortisol is by not drinking too much coffee in the first place. Doctors typically recommend no more than four cups a day.

Quick and Convenient

For folks who already take CBD and coffee daily, CBD coffee is easy — it’s something you can fit into your morning routine. It may not be the best way to consume either one, but that’s not always the priority.

If you have a can of cold brew CBD coffee or a similar product, and you trust the brand, then go for it. That’s going to be more expensive than making your own, but for some people, the ease and convenience are more important than a consistent dose of quality CBD.

The Cons: It Adds Extra Variables and Makes for a Worse CBD Experience

If you care about CBD and it’s a big part of your daily wellness routine, CBD coffee probably isn’t for you. That little move adds a lot of extra complications that can be avoided by taking them separately.

Heat May Cause CBD to Lose its Potency

Overheating full-spectrum hemp oil can destroy many of its properties, including terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids. That poses a problem for certain CBD coffee products like infused coffees. If you add a dropper just a few moments before you drink your coffee, that might not be as big of an issue, but it’s still a risk.

Inconsistent Dose

Besides the risk of heat-related damage to your CBD, it’s a tough way to get a consistent dose. That’s particularly true when you’re dealing with something like CBD-infused coffee beans or a k-cup. There’s just no way to drink them and reliably get, say, 100mg of CBD.

Also, be sure to take your CBD sublingually. That way it hits relatively fast, peaking around 90 minutes after consumption. You need to get a head start on your coffee since caffeine works faster, usually taking only a few minutes to kick in and hitting its peak 30 to 60 minutes later. With coffee, you’re getting the fast effect of it sublingually, and you’re getting it in your digestive system, which means it’s going to be a long experience too.

You may need to experiment with the timing to get everything lined up. On the other hand, you may also find that the CBD and coffee experience isn’t for you, and they’re best taken further apart. Give it a try, and let us know what you think.

Your friends,

Green Lotus