Why Cannabis Coconut Oil Is So Great
by David Wolfe
Cannabis is no medical slouch. Strains heavy in THC have been proven to effectively treat pain, PTSD, nausea, eating disorders, asthma and insomnia. Strains high in CBD, on the other hand, are effective at fighting psychosis, anxiety, tumors and seizures.
But smoking anything isn’t exactly good for your lungs – even smoke from the healthiest of herbs like cannabis will deposit a good amount of carcinogenic tar in your lungs.
That’s where coconut oil comes in. The fatty acids in it bind very easily to cannabis, creating a smooth oil that can be consumed absolutely smoke-free.
You can also use the oil as a topical cream to treat everything from joint pain to sunburns and dry skin.
But don’t be mistaken; coconut oil is much more than a mere binding ingredient. Its health benefits such as memory enhancement, anti-inflammation and increased energy combine with the benefits of cannabis to produce an absolutely epic list of goodness.
How To Make Cannabis Coconut Oil
First, as I alluded to before, you need to pick a strain of cannabis that will provide help in the area you need it. I recommend taking a look at SOMA Colorado’s ‘strain selector’ tool.
Next, assuming you’ve bought fresh cannabis, you’ll need to decarb it. This is the process that releases the medically potent compounds.
How to Decarb Cannabis
Preheat your oven to 240ºF. Then, break up roughly an ounce of cannabis into smaller pieces with your hands. Prepare a pan with a baking sheet and place the cannabis on it. Make sure there are no empty spaces on the pan.
Next, bake the cannabis for roughly 40 minutes. Stir it occasionally to ensure it bakes evenly. When you notice that the cannabis has lightly browned, remove the baking sheet and let it cool.
Making the Oil
Toss your decarb cannabis into a food processor and grind it until it’s a coarse powder. Next, get your virgin coconut oil and dish out one gram of cannabis for every ounce of oil you plan to use.
Place both ingredients in a glass jar and then cover it. Place the jar in a pan filled with water just below boiling level. Leave it there for 60 minutes. Then, strain the mixture with a cheesecloth.
And there you have it – cannabis coconut oil! You can now toss a spoon or two of this into smoothies, brownies, you name it. You can also cook with the oil but be sure to only use it in recipes that call for temperatures below 315ºF; otherwise, the active benefits of the cannabis will be lost.
