One of the latest trends that we can see in the food and beverage industry is to add CBD into consumables. This trend was initiated by some of the leading food and drink companies. Along with that, we can see how the smaller players are trying to capture the market by coming up with innovative consumable products.

Why do food and beverage companies add CBD into their products? 

CBD is an all-natural compound, which has the potential to deliver a variety of benefits to people. Due to the same reason, there is going to be people are both sides arguing that there is not enough evidence that adding CBD into food and drinks will be beneficial. Although it’s true that numerous studies have been conducted in the past to check whether adding CBD to food and beverages can deliver better results to consumers or not, according to these studies, it was clear that CBD is popular for a reason.

A 2019 Gallup poll found that 14% of Americans use CBD products. Over 40% of the respondents said they use CBD products for pain relief, with another 13% using it for pain-related conditions such as arthritis and migraines/headaches.

People who consume foods and beverages infused with CBD hope to receive anxiety-relieving effects, better sleep at night and also overcome pain and inflammation. Even the FDA has approved a CBD product, a prescription drug product to treat seizures associated with Lennox Gastaut syndrome (LGS), Dravet syndrome (DS), or tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in people one year of age and older.

CBD is non-intoxicating

CBD is not the same as THC. Before any other point, it’s good to note that this cannabinoid will not make you high, nor can you overdose from it. Hemp-derived CBD has less than 0.3 percent THC. In contrast, marijuana causes users to become high because it can have up to 30 percent THC. Hemp-derived CBD is legal in several countries, including all US states, making it safe and easy to buy. For this reason, consumers can now find a range of CBD products.

CBD should be consumed with food

The food industry wants you to know that CBD is more effective when ingested with fatty foods, and the studies prove it. CBD can cause adverse side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting on an empty stomach, but the body absorbs more CBD when taken with food. One study showed that taking CBD with a high-fat meal, compared to a low-fat meal, led to a significant increase in CBD’s solubility in the bloodstream.

What type of CBD infused consumable products would come to the market? 

Most people are paying attention to CBD infused products. Hence, we can expect to see more CBD infused consumable products come to the market. For example, we will be able to see CBD infused chocolates and wine. We can already see CBD gummies and some other popular consumable products. 10 Second Shots has a variety of wellness shots that are building popularity in the market and can assist you in your day-to-day activities, everything from rehabbing, relaxing or recharging your body. The total number of CBD infused consumable products available for people to consume will increase in the future. This can be good news for all people who are looking to experience the benefits that CBD can offer. 

While offering such products to the market, the manufacturers will need to look for ways to gain and retain consumer trust as well. This is where the manufacturers are highly concerned about the formulations and purity of CBD products that they are offering to the market. This is why our farmers are held to strict guidelines to guarantee safe practices, high potency and consistency. This will provide an opportunity for people to consume CBD products while keeping peace of mind. 

Nanoencapsulation is paving the way for CBD-infused drinks

A quick browse online will confirm that most CBD products come in solid form. There are various CBD-infused solids like chocolate, soap, skincare products, and more, but it’s a different story with drinks. The lack of CBD-infused drinks is because, in its pure form, CBD is an oil. As an oil, it’s far trickier for manufacturers to blend it well with liquids such as water. Nanotechnology— the application “of tiny things”—has solved this problem.

Through nanoencapsulation, manufacturers work to blend CBD with liquids. As a result, CBD-infused drinks such as water and wine have already hit the market. Nano-sized microemulsion promises to increase the bioavailability of CBD to a 50 percent absorption rate. Currently, the highest bioavailability rate you can get from CBD is through vapors, with a 34-46 percent average. When you take CBD orally, such as through CBD oil, the absorption rate of the cannabinoid in the bloodstream is at 20 percent.

Not all CBD is the same

Although there are high-quality CBD brands on the market, there are also those selling low-quality CBD that can make you ill. So when you are purchasing CBD-infused products, conducting research is critical to ensure you invest in effective products without causing harm. The following is a list of checkpoints you should go through before purchasing CBD products:

• Go through the website: A professional and easy-to-navigate website is a good indicator of how professional the brand is.
  
  
• Check the reviews: Read what people say about the brand and their CBD experience.
  
  
• Find the extraction process: High-quality CBD products are extracted by CO2 so that manufacturers can avoid contamination of the product.
  
  
• Read the lab results: The best CBD brands will have third party lab results of the cannabinoid used. Ensure the test results aren’t fake by doing a quick Google search to check if the lab follows ISO standards. The results should not be over six months old.
  
  
• Note any false claims: High-quality CBD brands will never make false claims such as that the CBD product cures the flu, anxiety, or cancer.
  
  
• Find out if the product is organic: CBD will absorb anything found in the soil while it’s growing. For non-organic CBD, this means absorbing anything from harmful chemicals, toxins, and other pesticides used by the producer. So when buying CBD products, organic is best.

Should you buy CBD infused consumables? 

The food industry is continually striving to bring forth the new ‘it’ food that can lure more consumers into buying, which is the case with the CBD food trend. What’s remarkable about this trend is CBD’s health potential for various chronic and mental health issues. If researchers continue to uncover encouraging results regarding this natural compound, then the food industry will have more reason to infuse different food and drinks with this emerging cannabinoid.

If you are convinced by the benefits offered out of CBD infused consumables, you can go ahead and buy them for consumption. Due to the high demand available for CBD infused consumables, you will also have the chance to gain access to numerous products. It is up to you to do your research and go through the list of consumables available out there. On top of research, talk to a dietician or your family doctor to see if CBD can help you.

Does CBD Offer Relaxing Effects?

Among the known benefits of CBD, the ability to promote relaxation holds a prominent place. The ability of CBD to help people overcome stress and anxiety is well known. That's the main reason why almost 23 million Americans have consumed CBD and related products for overcoming anxiety and stress. Research also shows that it may suppress pain by interacting with neurological receptors or elevating the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) levels to reduce pain. 

How does CBD Help People Relax? 

Before you purchase CBD products, you will also need to understand how they affect your body. CBD can bind to the serotonin receptors that are located within the brain. Serotonin refers to the chemical, which will elevate your mood. CBD binds to the serotonin receptors and create the anti-anxiety effect.

CBD also has the ability to tell your brain to produce more serotonin. Serotonin is the hormone that can make you feel relaxed as well. On top of that, CBD can also create an impact on the adenosine receptors in your body. This will help you to experience the anti-anxiety effects offered out of CBD at the end of the day. Several studies point to the potential benefits of CBD for anxiety. For generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that CBD has been shown to reduce stress in animals such as rats.

Study subjects were observed as having lower behavioral signs of anxiety. Their physiological symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate, also improved. More research needs to be done, specifically on humans and GAD, but every day, the understanding of CBD and the benefits provided is growing. CBD may also benefit people with other forms of anxiety, such as social anxiety disorder (SAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It may help treat anxiety-induced insomnia as well.

In 2011, a study researched CBD’s effects on people with SAD. Participants were given an oral dose of 400 milligrams (mg) of CBD or a placebo. Those who received CBD experienced overall reduced anxiety levels. Multiple recent studies have shown that CBD can help with PTSD symptoms, such as having nightmares and replaying negative memories. These studies have looked at CBD as both a standalone PTSD treatment as well as a supplement to traditional treatments like medication and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

CBD has also been studied in other neurological disorders. A 2017 literature review on CBD and psychiatric disorders concluded that there isn’t enough evidence to tout CBD as an effective treatment for depression.

The authors did find some evidence to suggest that CBD could help with anxiety disorders. However, these studies were uncontrolled. This means that the participants weren’t compared to a separate group (or “control”) that might have received a different treatment — or no treatment at all.

Based on their review, more human tests are needed to better understand how CBD works, what the ideal dosages should be, and if there are potential side effects or hazards.

A 2016 studyTrusted Source found that CBD can have antipsychotic effects in people with schizophrenia. Moreover, CBD doesn’t cause the significant debilitating side effects associated with some antipsychotic drugs.

How are CBD Products Made? 

There are many different techniques for extracting CBD from the hemp plant. Generally speaking, any commercial CBD extraction technique will require the use of solvents. These solvents are important because they’re highly efficient in separating the CBD molecule from the other compounds found in the cannabis plant, and in purifying the solution. Afterwards, the solvent evaporates, leaving behind only pure CBD Oil.

Although it’s easy to solely focus on the specific type of process or solvent a product uses, this doesn’t tell the whole story about your CBD. Extraction is only the beginning. While solvents are used in the extraction process, all that’s left in the end is refined CBD. More importantly, the quality of our final product is dependent on our stringent manufacturing practices and standards, as well as the significant investment in testing.

At 10 Second Shots, we rigorously lab test all our products twice. Our laboratory is one of the only which offers an accredited method of testing. We are proud to be transparent about the full process and the results. We share the full data sheet on our website on the product pages of all of our CBD products.