A lot of people are consuming olive oil because of its numerous health benefits. But have you ever tried using cannabis oil? Generally, cannabis oil does not infer in people’s diets – specifically, not those who do not use cannabis, although this trend is gradually shifting.
Thanks to the new surge of legalizations of different states and the research being conducted, we are discovering more about the traits of cannabis as well as its incredible benefits if used properly. That is why we find it important to learn how to make cannabis oil.
What is Cannabis Oil?
Cannabis oil is formulated by gently heating cannabis through a “carrier oil”. Cannabinoids such as THC and CBD, the most intense compounds in cannabis, are hydrophobic. It simply tells that they do not do well with water, and fends off with water molecules. On the other side, THC and CBD are fat-dispersible. They want to stick with the fatty acid molecules like those seen in the oil. Once cannabis is soaked in oil, the CBD and THC molecules detach with the plant material or buds and rather turn with the oil.
A large assortment of oils may be utilized to create cannabis oil. Nevertheless, olive oil and coconut oil are the most common and prominent. Both the olive oil and coconut oil are tasty and very healthy to the skin, turning them adaptable alternatives for either topical applications of medicated edibles. Furthermore, both of them have strong, unrefined antimicrobial and antifungal characteristics. It works to inhibit mold and stretches the lifespan of cannabis oil.
Learning How to Make Cannabis Oil
Everyone should learn to maximize the amazing characteristics of cannabis without having to smoke it. You are about to learn how to make cannabis oil. Its characteristics may differ based on the kind of strain used to formulate it. You have the option to either use CBD or THC-dominant strain. Whichever strain you choose, you are about to make just the same recipe.
There are numerous ways to make your cannabis oil, but to give you an idea, here are the simple steps in making cannabis oil:
Step 1 – Boil the cannabis
Put the cannabis in a big pot and put just enough water to shroud the weed. If it starts to boil, reduce the setting of heat to the lowest one. Let it stay there for around 10 minutes, mixing once in a while.
The most important element to consider in formulating cannabis oil is to never overheat it. Some people decide to put decarb cannabis to oil and let it soak at room temperature for a few weeks, instead of heating it at all.
Step 2 – Seep the cannabis
After reaching 10 minutes, you should sift the cannabis. Pour the flowers into the strainer and wait for the water to strain out without exerting any pressure. Do the whole process for the second and third time – bringing the weed into a boil again, until such time that the water drains clean. Three repetitions of this process should already work.
Step 3 – No water
After straining the cannabis, you will have to make an effort and exhaust as much water as you could. To make sure that you keep the entire cannabinoids unscathed, it is suggested to cover an even surface with a non-scented kitchen paper and putting the cannabis over it. It lets the kitchen paper penetrate any excess water without having to squeeze the cannabis down.
Bear in mind that this is performed to completely clean the cannabis – getting rid of insects, specks of dust, any products, excess minerals, and chlorophyll. This step is entirely harmless, as cannabis does not soften or adhere to water, and there are no cannabinoids lost.
Step 4 – Incorporate your virgin olive oil
After getting the cannabis cleaned and all water was drawn out, you should put it in a little pot and put in your virgin olive oil.
Step 5 – Bain-Marie
To heat the cannabis the proper way in such a way that it softens its entire cannabinoids through the oil, you will have to first load the big pot with water and put the smaller pot. The smaller pot has the cannabis and oil, hovering in the water in the bigger pot. Bring the big pot to a boil.
Step 6 – Timing of Bain-Marie
After getting the water to a boil, the process of cannabinoid absorption has started. It can be a relatively slow process, commonly consuming several hours. To get the best feasible outputs, it is suggested to keep doing this process for 2 to 3 hours, stirring once in a while. To make sure you achieve the excellent results, consider using and keeping the temperature at constant 100 degrees Celsius. Get a kitchen thermometer to measure the temperature.
Step 7 – Bottling
Following the bain-marie, you should allow the liquid to cool down in the pot. After cooling it down, you must drain the mixture through the use of a coffee filter. Remember to carry it out with improbable care, ensuring that there are no pieces of cannabis pass through the strainer. You can finally expect cannabis oil to be ready!
Step 8 – Storing the cannabis oil
After formulating your cannabis oil, you should store it somewhere dark and cool. It will make the cannabinoids to keep 100 percent potent for a lot longer. We suggest storing the main container in a dark area and consuming a small bottle of oil as your food.
Ideally, you can use cannabis oil within 6 to 12 months. As long as you do not notice them molding, the oil will not go bad through time – although its potency can reduce as certain THC will instinctively transform to a sleepier cannabinoid known as CBN.
How to Enjoy Cannabis Oil?
Once it is done, you can enjoy your cannabis oil in numerous ways:
- Put your cannabis oil to any of your body care recipes that seek for cannabis-imbued oil. It can work to aid muscle pains, joints, psoriasis, eczema, inflammation, and even impede or inhibit the growth of skin cancer cells.
- Use cannabis oil in your medicated edibles. Consider using low heat to keep the terpenes and cannabinoids. Go for “no-bake” menus or those that you can gently reheat the oil in a double boiler. Another alternative is to utilize the coconut oil similar to butter on the roast or blend it into a sauce or cooked pasta.
- Please yourself with a little dosage in a hot cup of tea or other hot beverage, probably with a pinch of honey.
- Use a bit dosage of cannabis oil directly on its own. Consider holding a bit quantity of oil under your tongue or in the mouth. Sublingual dosing provides an immediate onset, quicker duration, and reduced intensity than conventional oral cannabis edibles.
- Use it directly on the skin.
Cautions with the Potency of Cannabis Oil
Cannabis edibles are deceptive since it is hard to identify their potency. Without a lab test, it is nearly not possible to compute the content of CBD and THC of the completed cannabis oil that you formulated.
Firstly, if you are utilizing home-grown cannabis, then most likely, you are not familiar with the power of the bud you initiated the procedure with. Whether the cannabis strain is sold to have a specific CBD and THC content, home-grown plants can recklessly differ based on the manner they were cultivated, collected, dried, and stored. Moreover, there are disparities within plants that bring them to have distinctions even among those of similar strain.
For instance, if you make edibles or oils with cannabis bought from a dispensary, and hence got an examined and determined content of THC and CBD. Despite that, the potency of the resulting product relies on a few variables that make it hard to compute: the age of the pot and the manner it was stored. Moreover, results can also vary depending on your answer to the following questions:
- What are the time and temperature used to decarb it?
- What is the process used to make cannabis oil?
All these aspects can either increase or decrease the active contents of THC and CBD.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, it is always exciting and fun to learn how to make cannabis oil. After knowing that this oil can provide you several benefits, all the efforts you exerted to come up with a perfect cannabis oil shall be rewarded.
However, you should still take it easy when using your cannabis oil, especially if you are not used to it yet. The last thing you will want to experience after using your cannabis oil is to feel sick or uncomfortable. Using it right, cannabis oils can be efficient and incredible treatment tools.
Also, bear in mind that children are particularly interested in things that are new to them, such as oils, so make sure to keep your cannabis oil away from them if you do not want to put yourself into trouble.
