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Part of what makes CBD so appealing is its adaptability. Purists may swear by CBD oil, but that’s only one of many options available to consumers. Increasingly, people are embracing the idea of CBD infused foods and beverages.
Enter CBD hemp flower tea—a modern spin on one of the world's oldest and most popular drinks. As with traditional and herbal teas, CBD tea is known for relieving stress and promoting relaxation, among other desirable effects.
Keep reading to find out how to make CBD tea and why you owe it to yourself to give it a try.
What is CBD tea?
As the name suggests, CBD tea is tea made by steeping dried CBD flower or hemp tea bags in hot water. For those needing a brief refresher course, CBD is one of the principal constituents of the cannabis plant. Studies show that it has a range of therapeutic properties.
Unlike its fellow cannabinoid THC, CBD is non-intoxicating, meaning it will not make you high. It’s well-tolerated and causes minimal side effects, if any.
Hemp Hash sells CBD in the common forms of oil, capsules, gummies, creams, and balms. We also provide more specialist products like CBD Hash, and this article’s focus: CBD flower tea.
When it comes to CBD tea, many varieties exist, both in terms of flavours and active ingredients. Notably, CBD tea is naturally caffeine-free, which is good news for people who want to enjoy the benefits of a cup of tea without the associated jitters.
CBD tea vs hemp tea vs cannabis tea
It’s necessary to distinguish between CBD tea, hemp tea, and cannabis tea. They’re similar but not identical. Some products may not contain any CBD at all, while others might contain CBD plus THC at a level exceeding the limit set by the British government.
Only CBD products derived from approved hemp strains are legal in the UK. CBD derived from marijuana is illegal to produce and purchase.
Hemp and marijuana are both varieties of the Cannabis Sativa plant. So what’s the difference? It comes down to THC content.
Hemp contains trace amounts of THC—no more than 0.2%. On the other hand, THC levels in marijuana often exceed 20%. In other words, marijuana is intoxicating, and hemp is not. That explains the legal discrepancy.
Here’s how CBD, hemp, and cannabis teas differ.
Cannabis tea
Cannabis tea, also called weed tea, is made from marijuana as opposed to hemp. It, therefore, contains relatively high levels of THC and may cause intoxication. As we noted earlier, CBD products derived from marijuana are illegal in the UK.
The exception is if you have a prescription for medicinal cannabis, in which case you may be able to find cannabis tea in an authorised marijuana dispensary.
Hemp tea
Hemp tea is made from dried hemp leaves. The terms ‘CBD tea’ and ‘hemp tea’ are sometimes used interchangeably. But they’re not always the same thing. Just because a product is made from hemp doesn’t mean it has significant CBD content—or any CBD content, for that matter.
Before buying a product advertised as hemp tea, confirm that it does in fact contain CBD. You can do this by contacting the company and asking to see third party lab results showing the precise quantity of each ingredient.
CBD tea
CBD tea is what we described above: tea made by steeping CBD flower in hot water. (You can also use CBD oil, which we’ll discuss later.) The result is a refreshing, relaxing, and not to mention delicious beverage—perfect for decompressing at the end of a long day.
The CBD teas sold by HempHash are made using the finest CBD flower sourced from premium industrial hemp plants. They contain anywhere from 11% to 22% CBD and less than 0.2% THC. You can rest assured that all our CBD tea products are certified by independent labs and 100% legal.
Effects and health benefits of a CBD brew
The benefits of CBD tea are consistent with those of other forms of CBD. Namely:
Pain relief
Several studies have found that CBD has the potential to significantly reduce chronic pain caused by inflammation.
Anxiety and stress relief
CBD has considerable anti-anxiety properties. In one study, large doses of CBD were given to participants before a public speaking test; others were given a placebo. Compared to the placebo group, the CBD group experienced less anxiety during the speech.
Improved sleep
Research indicates that CBD is an effective natural sleep aid. A 2019 study looked at the effects of CBD on insomnia patients. Two-thirds of participants said their sleep had substantially improved after a month of treatment.
Making CBD tea with a teabag
The process for making CBD tea with a tea bag is simple. (Note that we’re talking about tea bags that already contain CBD.) Pour hot water over the tea bag and let it steep for three or so minutes, leaving the bag in longer for a stronger brew. Sweeten with sugar or your favourite sugar substitute to taste.
Making CBD tea with flower
For an authentic CBD tea experience, we recommend using dried hemp flowers—the equivalent of loose tea leaves. For this, you’ll need a tea strainer. The process, again, is quite simple:
Place the strainer in a cup and add about 1g of loose hemp flower. Fill the cup with hot water, making sure the leaves are fully submerged. Steep for 3-5 minutes or until the tea reaches your desired strength. Remove the strainer, stir in your preferred sweetener, and enjoy.
Take care not to over-steep, as doing so can blunt the flavours and create an unpleasantly bitter taste.
Loose hemp tea delivers a fresher, more flavorful brew with greater nuance and complexity than tea bags. See HempHash’s selection of CBD hemp flower teas here.
Other ways to infuse CBD products into tea
An alternative method of making CBD tea involves adding a few drops of CBD oil to a cup of traditional or herbal tea. You can do this while it steeps or immediately afterwards.
Infusing tea this way enables you to precisely control the amount of CBD you’re ingesting along with your tea. The drawback is that the flavours may not mix as seamlessly as you would like. You’ll likely have to experiment with various teas and CBD oils to achieve the perfect blend.
Bottom line
Hemp tea is yet another way to avail yourself of the many benefits of CBD. Rookie and veteran tea drinkers alike will appreciate the new dimension CBD lends to this age-old beverage.
