If you’re a little CBD-curious and want to find a discreet alternative to smoking and vaping cannabis, a fruit-laced CBD-infused gummy can just be what you need to tap into marijuana’s therapeutic benefits. While you may have seen friends chewing on a Shango Apple 100 mg gummy for their mood-boosting and delicious flavors, it’s never been more popular with more people investing in their wellness and self-care using natural alternatives to alleviate stress, anxiety, and other health concerns. But what do CBD gummies do exactly, and do they live up to the hype?
In this blog, we’ll review what CBD gummies are, list its many uses, explain how your body processes cannabidiol in edibles, and provide some guidance on what to consider when choosing gummies. Read on!
What are gummies?
CBD gummies are edible candies that act as carriers to consume cannabidiol (CBD) oil and have become more popular for people looking for discreet alternatives to joints, dry herb vaporizers, and bubblers. Using gelatin or a vegan alternative like fruit pectin to suspend CBD and give you a chewy jelly consistency, they’re enriched with exciting flavors ranging from tart citrus to zesty berries, and they can be coated with sugar for a sweeter kick.
CBD gummies are best loved for having no skunky smell that can draw attention to you and fruity flavors with only a slightly herbaceous taste that makes them enjoyable to eat and savor. Long gone are the days of flower fans making their own loaded butter and baked goods, as commercially prepared varieties can provide you with definite doses of CBD, so you know how much you’re consuming and can be sure you’re not under or overdoing it.
While CBD gummies are some of the best-selling options you can shop for, THC and hybrid varieties are becoming increasingly common. Many people stick to cannabidiol as there is no cap on how big a dose it can contain, allowing you to enjoy its full effect. However, many brands will prepare their gummies with their own top limits.
On the other hand, districts and states allowing cannabis use have a regulated limit of THC. For example, the state of Connecticut has a maximum dose of 5 mg per serving, and packs with multiple servings are limited to a total of 100 mg. At the same time, Nevada allows up to 10 mg per serving. We recommend always checking the regulations of where you live and using a reputable dispensary to ensure you’re always covered.
How the body processes CBD in gummies and edibles
If you’ve previously tried an edible that had little effect and are stuck thinking, “What do CBD gummies do?” then you may have succumbed to a poorly made batch. Making any edible is a science requiring the producer to effectively extract resin and cannabidiol from the cannabis plant’s trichomes and blend it into gelatin. Here’s how CBD gummies are processed in the body:
- When you chew your CBD gummy, saliva starts to break it down in your mouth. It’s then released into your digestive system, where digestive enzymes and stomach acids break it down further.
- In its broken-down form, it moves into your small intestine and liver, where the majority of nutrient absorption takes place.
- After it has been absorbed, CBD enters your bloodstream, where it’s transported throughout your body and interacts with your endocannabinoid system. Here, it binds to your CB1 and CB2 receptors to regulate your mood and perception of pain and experience its other inherent benefits.
While smoking or vaping weed allows for a more direct route to enter the bloodstream and interact with your endocannabinoid receptors, resulting in a quicker ‘high,’ consuming gummies takes a little longer, requiring your body to metabolize and absorb it before it takes effect.
The time it takes for CBD to take effect can vary between people, depending on your metabolism and dosage. Its bioavailability (the amount that actually enters your bloodstream) can be lower as some CBD may be lost during digestion and metabolism. This is why people often start with a lower dose of CBD when using gummies and gradually adjust it to find their optimal dosage.
The benefits of consuming a CBD gummy
Unlike THC, CBD offers no psychoactive effects, which gives its fans more freedom to regularly explore what CBD gummies do best — a therapeutic aid. Depending on whether you choose a CBD isolate that offers a pure concentration of CBD or a broad spectrum variety to give you an entourage effect from various cannabinoids and terpenes, you could enjoy the following potential benefits:
- Mood regulation and stress and anxiety relief — Many people choose to consume CBD gummies as they’re known to calm the mind and take the edge off stressful feelings. It can help change how your brain responds to serotonin, giving you a more balanced anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effect.
- Potential pain management — CBD gummies are an alternative to manage the feeling of pain from injury, arthritis, and other ailments, as it’s thought to create an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving response.
- Improved sleep — A study from The Sleep Foundation found that 70% of cannabis users utilized cannabis as a sleep remedy. One of the best things about what CBD gummies can do is offer a cumulative effect of calming your mind and regulating your mood. Additionally, terpenes like Myrcene have been known to shorten the time needed to fall asleep and prolong its duration.
Other pros of taking a CBD gummy
- Non-psychoactive — Pure CBD gummies are non-psychoactive, meaning they won’t produce the “high” associated with THC. This makes them suitable for people wanting to experience the potential therapeutic effects of CBD without altered consciousness.
- Discreet and convenient — CBD gummies are a discreet and portable way to consume CBD. They don’t require special equipment or preparation, making them suitable for on-the-go use.
- Precise dosage — Unlike homemade edibles, commercially prepared gummies come in pre-measured doses, making it easy to control and adjust your CBD intake.
- Tasty flavors — CBD gummies come in various flavors, mimicking fruit and candies. This makes them a more enjoyable and palatable option for those who dislike the herbal taste and smell of CBD oils and joints.
- No smoking or vaping — For individuals who prefer to avoid breathing in carbon from smoking or vaping, CBD gummies offer a smoke-free and lung-friendly option for experiencing the potential benefits of CBD.
The cons of consuming a CBD gummy
- Delayed onset of effects — CBD gummies need to be metabolized by your body first, which can take up to an hour or more for the CBD to be absorbed and take effect.
- Variable absorption — How much CBD gets processed in your body depends on your metabolism, digestive health, the strain’s potency, whether you’ve eaten recently, and your endocannabinoid system’s sensitivity.
- Lower bioavailability — A portion of the CBD may be lost during digestion and metabolism.
- Limited dosage control — While gummies provide pre-measured doses, it can be difficult to consume a smaller amount and know how much CBD you’re ingesting from biting off a small piece.
- Vegan-friendly — Some brands may use gelatin instead of fruit pectin and other vegan alternatives.
Enjoy the sweet therapeutic benefits of CBD gummies from Shango today
Whether you have an overly busy mind or are looking to boost your mental faculties without the skunky smell and taste of joints, CBD gummies are leading the way for an easy way to incorporate their therapeutic benefits into your lifestyle. Experience its advantages for yourself and explore the complete range at Shango to shop from an expansive range of flavors, ranging from blue raspberry to watermelon and so much more.
Or, if you want to learn more about what CBD gummies do, check out our marijuana guide and how cannabis can help with cramps and PMS.
