So, you stumbled across the wonderful world of CBD. Now what?
If you’re anything like we were, you’re probably pretty confused with all the terminology and misleading information around CBD and Hemp Tea.
If you want to start with something that will ensure a positive CBD experience, you can start with tea.
A nice cuppa is perfect on a cold, rainy winter’s day. Choosing a tea can be overwhelming due to the sheer amount of new vocabulary you have likely found when researching CBD and hemp products.
Cannabinoids, terpenes, plant medicine and huh? It might leave you scratching your head and asking, “What is the difference between hemp and CBD tea?” or “which one is best for me?”
For starters, it is important to say that we were just as confused as you when we began our CBD journey.
The hemp plant is quite inspiring, so we thought we could share some insight so you can understand this amazing plant a bit more and begin to see why it is all the rage right now.
So, let’s jump in so you can see the difference between Hemp and CBD.
Hemp and cannabis are different, so how do we get hemp Tea?
Before you can begin to understand how we get CBD tea, you must first understand what hemp and cannabis are. These plants look like the marijuana plant, and most people will not tell them apart by looking at them.
Cannabis is the same thing as marijuana. There are a variety of cannabis plants, including Indica, Sativa and hybrid strains. Indica strains will usually cause you to feel deeply relaxed.
Meanwhile, Sativa strains can lift your mood and increase concentration. Cannabis usually contains high amounts of THC – the psychoactive compound that makes you high and stoned.
Hemp is classified as cannabis because they are from the same plant species, but hemp is legal because it has nearly non-existent levels. Instead, it has a high concentration of cannabinoids (CBD) which do not get you high but could help with anxiety, pain management and even seizures.
Cannabinoids are compounds that naturally occur in the cannabis sativa plant.
These bond with receptors in your brain to benefit you without the psychoactive effects from the THC you find in cannabis.
People use hemp for many reasons, not just pain management and anxiety. Since it has many uses, people cultivate two different types of Hemp – industrial and medicinal.
What type of Hemp is used to make Hemp Tea?
For CBD, tea companies will use medicinal hemp. However, industrial hemp has many great uses, and it can help us protect the planet through biodegradable materials.
The uses of industrial hemp vary from making rope, paper, clothes and even plastic.
If we use industrial hemp, it can help us slow down the negative effects of global warming. As a result, people are drawn to organic hemp products.
People are also very inclined to use medicinal hemp. Medicinal hemp may look like marijuana, but as mentioned above, they are very different because of their make-up. People will still smoke, vape and eat hemp like they would cannabis, but not get high.
If you’re new to hemp and CBD, you’re probably less interested in these consumption methods, which is another reason CBD tea is a great entry-level product. So, how do we go from a plant from the same species as cannabis plants and end up with a tea with many therapeutic benefits?
Well, most of it comes from extracting the CBD from the hemp plant so we can harvest its wonderful benefits.
The CBD Tea extraction process
Hemp tea and CBD tea are essentially the same as they come from the hemp plant. The difference in how they are marketed will come from the active compounds left in the product after a company has processed the hemp flower.
If a product is marketed as a hemp flower, it will produce CBD as it sits in hot water and the tea brews. Any hemp variety of tea will undergo the same process because parts of the hemp flower are put into the tea bags or loose leaves.
The high temperature that the hemp flower is submerged in effectively draws out the CBD from the hemp flower in the tea because of decarboxylation.
Decarboxylation is a huge word for saying that you need heat to activate the CBD in hemp tea. So, if you’re trying to make a cold brew with CBD tea, you will not have luck experiencing the potential health benefits of hemp tea.
So, if a product is sold as hemp tea, it means you will activate the CBD using hot water in your cuppa.
On the other hand, if tea is marketed as CBD tea, it does not need to be decarboxylated. But, why? Some holistic health companies that sell hemp-derived CBD products extract cannabinoids using alternative processes. There are benefits to both types of tea leaves for a CBD experience, such as natural absorption after drinking the tea.
Hemp Tea, CBD leaves, and Isolates
Sometimes, a company grows and produces natural CBD-rich hemp plants. They will then create a CBD powder. There is more than one type of tea you can purchase if you buy CBD tea bags instead of hemp. You can choose full-spectrum, broad-spectrum or isolate.
If you purchase a tea that expressly states CBD tea, you will be purchasing either full spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD or hemp leaves. We have covered the differences in another post, but in a nutshell, broad-spectrum is completely void of THC.
Full-spectrum will have extremely low quantities of THC – and you will not get high from these.
Nonetheless, some people prefer not to have any THC in their system – in which case you should buy broad spectrum tea. The last option is to purchase regular tea, and a CBD isolate. An isolate is a powder that is odourless and flavourless. You add the powder to your tea – but it is a single isolated compound in the hemp plant.
As you are not getting all of the compounds in the hemp flower, some people prefer not to use isolates. Many people prefer to use broad or full-spectrum CBD as a therapeutic constituent.
Get a Taste of Hemp Tea
So, now we know the difference between hemp, cannabis and how CBD tea is made. Any product you choose to buy will have positive benefits and not get you high. What you purchase ultimately depends on your personal preference.
For us, the perfect blend of tea may not be a tea blend suitable for you.
When making a decision, it is most important to think about the information being given to you at the time of purchase.
If a company is a light on reading materials, we recommend staying clear of purchasing with them. Reputable companies outline their products, extraction processes and recommend products for people new to CBD.
So, you should not settle for less when buying a CBD product.