My personal trial with CBD and coffee
Whether it is a relaxing morning or a hectic scramble to get the kids to the bus, many of us like to begin our mornings with a cup of coffee. The only problem is that sometimes your favorite warm beverage will leave you feeling a little jittery and increase symptoms of anxiety especially if you’re like me and have 2-3 cups a day. This is especially true for those 2 o’clock cups I sometimes enjoy on a cold wet Oregon day. To reduce those unwanted side effects, I looked to CBD. As someone who has anxiety and loves coffee (it is a complicated relationship) CBD in coffee intrigued me. So, I tested it on myself and researched it a bit.
Here is what we found
These observations are based on my experiences with adding 33mg of CBD via our Able Hemp extract to one cup of my morning French-press coffee. I usually have 2-3 cups per day, so I added our extract to the last cup. I know, I drink a lot of coffee. What I found was that CBD does curb the jitteriness of coffee, but there is a point of diminishing return. For instance, If I had a fourth cup of coffee later in the day the jitters would show up. But if I moderated my coffee intake to a reasonable 3 cups and the last one being my CBD cup, I felt great. The last cup left me alert and energized but also calm and euphoric without the jitters. It’s almost like the two work together to help each other out or CBD gently curbs the negative side effects of caffeine. Why this happens is beyond me. I do not claim to be a doctor and I am not going to pretend. There are, however, some interesting studies happening.
Check out the clinical trial linked below for a look at the metabolites created by drinking coffee alone and you will notice that endocannabinoids are mentioned. This reinforced to me that cannabinoids are being produced in our bodies organically so why not add a few more through phytocannabinoids AKA plant based cannabinoids? CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety, lower inflammation and relax sore muscles. All of this sounds perfect with a nice hot cup of coffee.
If you want to nerd out then read this scientific article about coffee metabolites.
So how much CBD should I put in my coffee?
There is no one size fits all for dosage because it depends on how you as a person react to CBD, what dose you give yourself, the quality of the CBD oil used to create your product and also how you react to coffee. I think it is wise to start with how much CBD you are already taking. If you are not already taking CBD, try 10-20mg and adjust from there. I would also recommend that you try it on a non-work day first like a Saturday morning when all you have to do is enjoy the fresh air and relax with a good book and see how you react. If you are looking to let loose at a friendly brunch get together and want to try a more recreational dose, I would start with 40mg and even go up to 80mg CBD. In comparison one Able Hemp Smoke has 65mg of CBD if you smoked the whole thing. It’s important to remember that everyone is going to react to CBD and caffeine differently. Know your limits and expand your horizons at your pace.
CBD coffee recipes
So, you have some options here as there are dozens of ways people prefer their coffee. But here is what I’ve been enjoying and some of my reasoning as to why I like it this way.
Classic French press. All I do here is make my French press as I normally would and then add my 1.5-2 ml of Able Hemp extract (45-66mg CBD) to the bottom of my cup. I then pour my coffee over the top and enjoy! It’s that simple. I like this method because it’s fast and easy and I don’t mind the little oil beads that form at the top of the cup. It kind of adds another layer of taste to the coffee that is almost nutty. Now, this is a pretty good dose of CBD, but for me it works because of my tolerance level. Remember to start low (20mg) unless you know your tolerance level better.
The quick and dirty CBD latte. For this drink, you do not need an expensive espresso machine. But it doesn’t hurt either. Here is what I do. I take the French press coffee or Turkish espresso maker coffee and I put that into my cup. Then, I take about a quarter cup of two percent milk and I heat it up slowly and then I use my little stir stick to whisk the milk into foam. Add your 1ml (33mg CBD) Able Hemp extract on top of the coffee and then add your foamy hot milk on top. The milk and CBD extract will bond together and you really will not have any additional taste left in the drink or floating oil droplets on the top. For taste, this is my preferred method, but it does take longer. Usually I reserve this for more of a Saturday thing or a quarenteam brunch small get-together. Either way though it’s amazing and tastes great! If you had a Nespresso machine too this process could be greatly sped up.
If you would like to try what the pros make, check out Tried and True Coffee Shops for a professional take on CBD coffee drinks. Two locations in Corvallis, OR serving up coffee drinks with our own Able Hemp Extract!
