Article was originally published on MadeByHemp.
Everyone reacts to hemp’s unique flavor a little differently; some say it’s shockingly unpleasant while others love it. In this blog, you’ll learn why hemp tastes the way it does, what you can do to improve the taste, and what products are flavored to taste great.
Different Flavors for Different Brands
When you swap between different brands of hemp oil, don’t expect the flavor to be the same. Not only does hemp’s taste differ between harvests, but you can also bet it will differ between farms.
Hemp oil is commonly sourced from farms in Europe and the United States. As you can imagine from the sheer span of these locations, farmers are bound to use different seeds and methods.
Hemp Flavor = Terpenes
When you taste a new food for the first time, naturally you connect that taste to the food.
If you bite into an orange and it tastes like an apple, you’d be pretty confused, right?
With hemp, our general recommendation is to go in not expecting the flavor to be a certain way. Here’s why.
In general, hemp tastes like a handful of grass and dirt and is often described as “earthy.” However, hemp’s flavor is not as straightforward or predictable as other foods, because a significant part of the flavor (and aroma) comes from terpenes.
Terpenes are a large, diverse class of organic compounds produced in plants. Essential oils are, essentially, terpenes. That’s where the therapeutic properties, strong aroma and flavors come from. You can rest assure that every bottle of peppermint oil will be nearly identical in flavor and smell, but with hemp, there are more terpenes at play. You can’t plan for them.
Whatever terpenes develop in the plant will determine how the extracted oil tastes and smells. This is why a lot of hemp oil product manufacturers choose to add in natural terpene flavor profiles so the oil is as consistent as possible, without tossing in added flavoring. Terpenes are touted for their many therapeutic uses and are said to enhance the overall benefit of cannabinoids, an effect known as the entourage effect.
Even with added terpenes, depending on your unique taste buds, you may still find the flavor to be unpleasant.
How to Make Your Hemp Taste Better
Over the years, we’ve learned a few tricks to make your daily hemp oil regimen more pleasant. If you’re sensitive to earthy flavors, pay close attention to our recommendations below.
First, assure that you’re taking the hemp oil supplement correctly. All oils and tinctures should be taken sublingually, meaning you place it under your tongue, hold it for about a minute, then swallow.
[Related Article: How to Take CBD Hemp Oil]
Coconut Oil
Hemp oil is, well, an oil. It doesn’t play well with water, so mixing it into your favorite drink may not work the way you’d expect. It’s best to play along with hemp’s oily texture by mixing it with another great-tasting oil.
The best one we’ve found? Coconut oil.
There are a few ways to go about mixing them, but here’s our most common suggestion.
- Grab a spoon
- Scoop coconut oil into the spoon — the quantity is really up to you
- Dispense your hemp oil into the center of the coconut oil
- (Optional) Add another thin layer of coconut oil on top of the hemp oil, making a little coconut-hemp sandwich.
- Place the spoon’s contents under your tongue
- Keep the oil there for 60-90 seconds (the longer, the better)
- Swallow any remaining oil
Juice
Another, simpler way to hide hemp flavor is with your favorite juice. You may want to try a few different ones until you find the best concoction for you. Personally, I prefer apple cider if the season is right.
- Dispense your hemp oil underneath your tongue.
- Wait 60-90 seconds.
- Drink juice as you swallow the oil. If you do this quickly, it’s even more
painlessflavorless.
Do you have a different secret for making hemp oil taste better? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear it. Your suggestions could help others!
CBD Hemp Products that Taste Good
There’s no shortage of flavored hemp oil products, but do any of them actually taste good?
Arguably the most delicious way to take CBD hemp oil is with edibles, like gummies and chocolate. They’re packed with savory ingredients and come in just about any potency, low to very high.
When people who care about flavor don’t choose edibles, it’s usually for one of two reasons. Either they want to avoid certain ingredients, or they find edibles are more pricey than other options.
If edibles aren’t right for you, consider a CBD tincture. These cost-effective liquid drops use only a couple ingredients to add a kick of flavoring. The best tasting CBD hemp oil tincture is hands down the Hemp Extract drops from Made by Hemp.
Now that you know what makes a CBD hemp oil taste good, and what varieties are the most delicious, finding the right product for you just got a little easier.
Leave a comment below if any of your flavor related questions are still unanswered.
READ MORE: A Complete Guide To CBD Oil
