What Does CBD Taste Like?

 

This is a common question for people new to CBD.

 

The expectations are pretty funny (in hindsight).

 

"Will it taste like weed?" is a common query.

 

It can. Just a hint...depending.

 

Think of wine where they say "a note of berry and oak".

 

What most people don't realize is that the taste of CBD can be quite different depending on the type of CBD you're using.

 

There are other big differences besides just taste which we'll get into.

 

A good 90% of the CBD available online is full-spectrum CBD which will have a very different taste.

 

This makes sense since much more of the hemp plant material in full-spectrum.

We'll discuss why this has huge ramifications for people with histamine and allergy issues.

 

You know...just up to 40% of the population and 60% of women.

 

So that's important.

 

Back to taste.

 

Let's look at what you can expect.

 

We'll also look at an interesting little "burn" in the back of the throat like you get from good olive oil.

 

 

First...what about the taste?

CBD taste - full spectrum versus CBD isolate

We have to distinguish between the two basic types of CBD.

 

Full Spectrum CBD

 

Full-spectrum has a lot of hemp plant material in it.

 

This will obviously have much more of a hemp taste and smell.

 

In fact, it's usually a green color.

 

It can be downright soupy green!

 

The full-spectrum taste can be very strong.

 

Some people have trouble with it.

 

It's akin to wheatgrass but with a cannabis vibe.

 

This may be a deal-breaker for many people with full-spectrum CBD oil.

CBD Isolate Taste

As for CBD isolate, the taste will be much more muted.

 

In fact, you're likely to pick up more of the base oil's taste:

• Coconut (MCT oil)
• Olive oil
• Hemp oil

 

The coconut oil has a hint of sweetness but is otherwise pretty devoid of taste.

Olive oil obviously has its own distinct taste.

 

Hemp oil tastes a lot like full-spectrum.

 

CBD itself (usually as a white crystal) has no real taste.

 

CBD isolate may have a slight note or hint of hemp.

 

It's very slight.

 

This option is much easier for people who have strong reactions to wheat-grassy flavors!

 

There's a host of other benefits for CBD isolate, especially for people with histamine and allergy issues.

 

Which is most of us!!

 

One other note...most people take the CBD with oil.

 

It may not be great in all situations to have a "hemp" smell on your breath.

 

For example, many people like to use CBD in a stressful situation such as a business meeting or first date.

 

You probably don't want to smell like hemp in those situations! 

Let's look at the burn.

The CBD burn in the back of the throat

Some people will try CBD oil and feel a slight burn back where the tonsils are.

 

Interestingly, they may have reported this when they feel like they're fighting something.

 

CBD is antibacterial and antiviral by itself.

 

You may have a low-level infection or inflammation around the tonsil area (prone to dealing with such microbes...hence the number of tonsillectomies).

 

These same people report that the burn eventually goes away after using CBD for a while.

 

Olive oil, if very high quality, has the same effect.

 

Bad olive oil won't do this by the way.

 

Good olive oil will have this slight burn in the back of the throat all the time!

 

Very interesting.

 

More importantly, mouth health and bacteria are being tied to many health issues including arteriosclerosis and heart disease.

 

We recommend keeping the CBD oil under the tongue for 30-60 seconds when taking CBD anyway.

 

The same antibacterial and antiviral effect would occur in the mouth as well.

 

As long as it doesn't taste so bad that we spit it out!

 

That's why we focus on CBD isolate.

 

You can check out how CBD works with histamines and allergies here.

 

One final note…

CBD flavors

You will find CBD brands where they add in flavors and/or scents.

 

We want to avoid this.

 

They're usually trying to cover up the strong hemp taste and smell for full- spectrum!

 

The bigger issue is that most flavors and scents are crafted in New Jersey factories (seriously...there's a row of them there that dominate the industry).

 

They're generally not good for you.

 

The whole point of why we're taking CBD is to feel better!

 

It's best to avoid additives like flavors and scents.

 

That's why we have only CBD isolate and coconut oil extract in IndigoNaturals.

 

Just two ingredients in our oils.  

 

It tastes pretty good as is.

 

It feels even better!

 

Check out common questions like What does CBD smell Like or What does CBD Feel Like.

Always work with a doctor or naturopath with any supplement!

The information provided here is not intended to treat an illness or substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider.