The world of cannabis edibles can make adults feel like kids in a candy shop. From mouth-watering magic brownies to potent gummies, our beloved buds are in a golden age of delicious innovation. However, some people in the marijuana wellness community are ditching the sweets and instead prefer to eat raw weed.
If the idea of treating weed like a leafy green has ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone. That’s the beauty of stoners: we always think outside the box. With the trend gaining traction, old-school smokers and newcomers alike are wondering if you can eat raw weed.
We ditched our lighters for forks and traded our glass bowls for dinner plates to understand why people eat raw weed. Let’s turn the food pyramid on its ear and explore the effects and benefits of adding buds to your diet!
Can You Eat Raw Weed?
If you’re wondering whether you can eat raw weed, the short answer is yes. While it might constitute one of the least common ways of ingesting marijuana, it’s entirely possible to choose chewing a nug over inhaling smoke.
Although concentrates and vapes make it easy to forget this fact, at the end of the day, marijuana is a plant. That’s why some of the whackier slang for weed includes terms like “jazz cabbage” and “the devil’s lettuce.”
However, just because it’s possible to eat raw weed doesn’t mean that it offers the same experience as lighting a pre-roll. There are plenty of differences in its effects and benefits, and these will help you decide if it’s time to replace your broccoli with bud.
When You Eat Raw Weed, Do You Get High?
If you want to avoid the buzz associated with marijuana, you can eat raw weed. Your body processes the raw flower differently than when it’s heated, ensuring you’ll avoid the psychoactive effects.
When you eat raw weed, you still expose your body to cannabinoids. However, these differ slightly from those found in marijuana that you smoke or vape. This difference is due to decarboxylation, also known as “decarbing.”
What is Decarbing?
Decarbing is the process of activating the components in cannabis. These chemical compounds are called cannabinoids, and there are over 100 of them found in marijuana. The most well-known cannabinoid is THC, and it’s responsible for many of the “high” effects that users associate with weed.
However, THC isn’t found naturally in marijuana. When you eat raw weed, you’re actually consuming a different cannabinoid: THCA. It is heat or light that turns THCA into THC, which is why you can eat raw weed without getting a buzz.
THCA vs. THC
Scientifically speaking, the biggest difference between THCA and THC is the way it interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system helps regulate our pain, appetite, mood, and immune system.
THC always starts as THCA. Once heat decarbs the cannabinoid, it can bind to receptors in the ECS, which causes psychoactive effects associated with feeling high. When you eat raw weed, you skip adding any heat or light to THCA.
By skipping decarboxylation, you can eat raw weed and still enjoy many of its potential benefits while avoiding ingesting smoke or feeling intoxicated.
Why Should You Eat Raw Weed?
Adding leafy greens to your diet is never a bad idea, and raw weed is no exception. There’s a wealth of nutrients in cannabis.
In its raw form, weed is full of digestion-aiding fiber. It’s also packed with essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, which benefit heart health and inflammation. You’ll also get a dank dose of vitamins A, B, C, and E, along with magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron.
Benefits of Raw Bud
Besides the benefits of consuming the plant itself, there’s still the issue of what THCA can do for the body. While federal laws hampered research on cannabis for years, scientific research is coming to light that shows promising benefits from consuming THCA.
Anti-Inflammatory
Studies suggest you can eat raw weed and benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of THCA. Raw marijuana could help those suffering from joint pain who seek relief without intoxicating side effects.
Neuroprotective
It turns out that raw bud could also be good for your brain. Studies reveal both THC and THCA have neuroprotective qualities that could fight against brain cell dysfunction. This revelation makes raw weed an area of interest for those researching Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
Risks of Raw Weed
Mostly, you can eat raw weed without worrying about safety. There isn’t anything innately dangerous about consuming it. However, due to its fibrous quality, eating raw marijuana might carry digestive risks.
The tough cellulose of the plant can prove hard for some digestive systems to handle. After eating raw cannabis, some people may experience discomfort from bloating, gas, or constipation.
How to Eat Raw Weed
The most effective way to consume cannabis raw is by juicing. This method helps your body retrieve all the nutrients while bypassing the need to digest the fibrous parts of the plant. Juicing is especially helpful for those who already struggle with their digestive health.
To juice raw cannabis, all you need is the bud. Chop it up roughly and add it in small batches to your blender. Add the raw cannabis juice to a shake or smoothie packed with plants, veggies, and fruits for even more flavor and nutrients.
Yes, You Can Eat Raw Weed!
There was a time when we might have thought people asking if they could eat raw weed were maybe just a little too high. However, as we gain more scientific and anecdotal evidence, we’re beginning to see incredible benefits to consuming raw bud. The next time you load your bowl, save some for dinner!
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