CBD Coffee. What is it, and why is it getting so popular?
Over the past decade, CBD (Cannabidiol) has grown in use among Americans. About 1 in 3 people in the US have tried CBD, and about 1 in 4 people use it regularly. CBD is a type of Cannabinoid that comes form the Cannabis plant, otherwise known as hemp.
You may have heard of hemp or cannabis from THC, or the powerful compound in marijuana that gets people high. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is another type of Cannabinoid, which is the term used to describe a type of compound. Unlike THC, CBD is a Cannabinoid that does not get people "high" (most Cannabinoids don't).
Cannabinoids occur naturally in our bodies, in plants, and in animal tissues. We have a whole system in our body called the human endocannabinoid system that works to help our bodies and brains process these compounds.
Endocannabinoids: Cannabinoids found in people
Endocannabinoids are compounds made by your own body (endo = “within”), and bind to receptors in your endocannabinoid system. Our bodies create cannabinoids that stimulate different responses throughout our endocannabinoid system; these effects include anti-inflammatory responses, nausea relief and in the case of brain injury, a reparative and neuroprotective agent that improves motor function.
Phytocannabinoids
Phystocannabinoids are cannabinoids that are naturally occuring in plants ("phyto" = plant). Perhaps the most well-known plant that creates cannabinoids is hemp, which provides us with THC, CBD, and a plethora of others. But, other types of plants that make cannabinoids or cannabinoid-like compounds. Many plants in the human diet contain phytocannabinoids, including broccoli, carrots, grapes, sunflower seeds, basil, oregano, rosemary, and many more.
Because of it's success in the modern world, CBD has become very popular for people to use to help with anxiety, joint issues, muscle pain, and more. It's even been FDA-approved for use in a medicine called Epidiolex, which helps reduce seizures in infants and young children with Dravet syndrome.
The modern push for more holistic and effective treatments may help to understand why CBD is such a strong contender in modern medicine. A natural, accessible compound like this can be used in a wide variety of ways.
CBD has gained wide popularity in recent years, being used in oils and in consumable products such as lotions, foods, teas, and now, coffee. You can infuse it into foods and consumables in a variety of ways, such as oils or crystallization. We're excited about putting CBD in coffee because CBD is known for focus and clarity, and coffee is known for stimulation and comfort (that amazing taste!). We think the combo of focused stimulation with a soothing drink is perfect.