If you’re an everyday coffee drinker like me, then a great way to build a CBD habit is to combine it with your morning caffeine fix.
More and more coffee bars are introducing CBD add-ons with their drinks, but – as we all know – you pay a steep markup at coffee shops. In this article, we’ll look at four ways you can infuse your coffee with CBD at home.
- Buy CBD-infused coffee beans
- Add water-soluble CBD isolate to your coffee
- Add CBD oil or tincture to your coffee
- Add a CBD-infused sweetener to your coffee
Before we go into detail, here’s a quick look at the pros and cons of each method:
Method | Pros | Cons |
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Buy CBD-infused coffee beans (recommended) |
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Add water-soluble CBD isolate to your coffee |
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Add CBD oil or tincture to your coffee |
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Add a CBD-infused sweetener to your coffee |
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What’s So Difficult About Infusing CBD with Coffee?
Nobody is stopping you from adding a few drops of CBD oil to your morning cup of joe. But, you might want to consider the challenges of infusing CBD with coffee:
- CBD is naturally hydrophobic (or, water-insoluble). This means that it doesn’t mix or dissolve into beverages, like coffee, easily
- A lot of CBD products, like oils and tinctures, have that hemp-y taste that’s bound to sully the flavor of any great-tasting coffee
So, if you try to stir some CBD into a cup of coffee, you’re likely to end up with a poor-tasting, unmixed mess.
But, perhaps the biggest challenge is that drinking CBD has poor bioavailability. Meaning that when you ingest CBD orally, your body only absorbs very little of it. A frequently-cited study from 2009 found that when you eat or drink CBD you only absorb 4-20% of it into your bloodstream.
![cbd coffee](https://fettlist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cbd-coffee.jpeg)
Beverage companies are spending big money on nanoemulsion technologies to solve all of the challenges mentioned above. There’s a huge market for CBD-infused drinks, but the reality is that many of them do a poor job of actually delivering CBD into your system.
So, if you’re not buying coffee beans that have already been infused with CBD by professionals, know that any other at-home methods are likely to be less optimal. But, why not give it a try? You can always return to the tried and true methods of using CBD, like smoking or sublingual consumption, if CBD-infused coffee is less effective for you.
If you’d like to dive further into this topic before infusing your own CBD coffee, check out our article exploring the benefits of CBD coffee.
4 Ways to Infuse CBD with Coffee
1. Buy CBD-Infused Coffee Beans
However you make coffee at home today, you’re likely to find a solid substitute that comes already infused with CBD. Of the ways we discuss how to make CBD coffee in this article, buying infused coffee is definitely the best route. Why?
![cbd-infused coffee beans](https://fettlist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/strava-500px.png)
Most CBD coffee companies use advanced extraction or emulsion technologies to infuse their products. This helps to achieve a better infusion and higher bioavailability without sacrificing the taste of the coffee. You probably don’t have access to these technologies at home, so it’s a good idea to leave infusing CBD to the professionals.
Pros:
- You’re likely to experience more benefits from CBD that has been infused using advanced extraction or emulsion techniques that are not readily available at home
- You won’t compromise on the great taste of coffee (assuming you buy from a high-quality CBD coffee company)
- Less work and less mess for you! Just find a product you like and make it to your preferences
Cons:
- CBD-infused coffees are often quite expensive (which makes sense since you’re buying two products in one)
- You’re locked in to the CBD dosage of the manufacturer unless your willing to drink a higher or lower volume of coffee than you’re used to
The market of CBD coffees is growing so you’re bound to find one that’s a good fit for you. Light roast, dark roast, decaf… Whole bean, ground, or ready-made coffee… These options are all available from high-quality coffee companies.
Check out our reviews of the best CBD coffees as a starting point for your search.
2. Add Water-Soluble CBD Isolate to Your Coffee
If buying ready-made CBD coffee isn’t for you, then using a water-soluble CBD isolate is the best at-home option for most people.
![hemp barn cbd isolate for coffee infusion](https://fettlist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/The_Hemp_Barn_CBD_Isolate_.png)
CBD isolate is odorless, tasteless, and doesn’t contain THC or any other cannabinoids. If you’re new to this type of product, we’ve got a guide covering everything you need to know about CBD isolate.
The biggest downside of CBD isolate is that you won’t experience what’s called the “entourage effect”. This is one of the biggest differences between CBD isolate and full-spectrum CBD. In short, studies have shown that when a variety of cannabinoids and terpenes are present, it can amplify the effects of CBD.
Pros:
- CBD isolate is odorless and tasteless, so it’s not likely to negatively affect the flavor of your coffee
- You can precisely control the CBD dosage
Cons:
- You won’t enjoy the “entourage effect” that you get from full- or broad-spectrum CBD
- You may find it difficult to blend the CBD isolate evenly into the coffee and some may wind up on the bottom of your cup
I recommend going with a powdered, water-soluble CBD isolate like The Hemp Barn CBD Powder. We feature that product along with some other options on our round-up of the best CBD isolates.
How to make CBD-infused coffee using CBD isolate:
- Buy a powdered, water-soluble CBD isolate product and measure out your desired dosage
- Make your favorite coffee at home and pour it into a cup
- Mix your dosage of CBD into the coffee cup
- You may need to occasionally stir your coffee as you drink it to ensure that the CBD is dissolving as best it can
- Monitor the effects and adjust your dosage accordingly
3. Add CBD Oil or Tincture to Your Coffee
CBD oils and tinctures are the most popular form of CBD out there. Chances are that you already own one of these products and are looking for a more palatable way to consume it.
![infuse your coffee with cbd](https://fettlist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cbd-infused-coffee.jpeg)
This method of infusing CBD oil with your coffee isn’t complicated. Just drop in your dosage to your already-prepared cup of coffee. But, this isn’t without drawbacks. Oil and water don’t mix, so the CBD won’t dissolve into the coffee. Also, it may affect the flavor of the coffee.
A better option is to simply take CBD oil normally (under the tongue) while you’re drinking your morning coffee. Not only will this protect the flavor of your coffee, but you’ll actually experience greater benefits from the CBD because your body absorbs far more of it when taken sublingually.
Pros:
- You likely already own CBD oil/tincture and coffee, so you don’t need to buy anything else
- You can add it to whatever brand of coffee you’d like
- You can precisely control the dosage
Cons:
- Oil and water don’t mix – the CBD won’t blend evenly and some might not leave your cup
- You may ruin the taste of your coffee
I don’t want to scare you away from trying this method. Plenty of people have found this to be a budget-friendly way to mix CBD with coffee without experiencing notable drawbacks. So, give it a try and let us know how it works in the comments below.
How to make CBD-infused coffee using CBD oil or tincture:
- Buy CBD oil or tincture and measure out your desired dosage
- Make your favorite coffee at home and pour it into a cup
- Mix your dosage of CBD into the coffee cup
- Oil-based CBD products are bound to separate from the coffee, so
- Monitor the effects and adjust your dosage accordingly
4. Add a CBD Sweetener to Your Coffee
I drink my coffee black so I haven’t actually tested this method out. But, from what I’ve read, it might be the best way to infuse coffee with CBD at home (other than buying coffee beans that have already been infused).
![add cbd sweetener to coffee](https://fettlist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/coffee-sweetener.jpeg)
You can find a variety of CBD sweeteners out there. Here are a couple to check out:
Pros:
- This can be more budget-friendly than buying CBD-infused coffee beans
- You can add it to whatever brand of coffee you’d like (or any other beverages or food that you like to sweeten)
- You can precisely control the dosage
Cons:
- Not an option for those of us who like to drink our coffee black
- You might need to experiment with several different sweeteners to find the right mix of taste and dosage
How to make CBD-infused coffee using CBD oil or tincture:
- Buy a CBD sweetener and measure out your desired dosage
- Make your favorite coffee at home and pour it into a cup
- Mix your dosage of CBD into the coffee cup
- You may need to regular stir your coffee to ensure that the CBD sweetener stays evenly blended into your coffee
- Monitor the effects and adjust your dosage accordingly
What’s the Best Way to Infuse CBD with Coffee?
For our money, it’s buying coffee beans that have already been infused with CBD. Look for companies that use a nanoemulsion method for infusing their coffee beans with CBD. This will provide you with the best delivery method for absorbing the CBD and it won’t affect the flavor of the coffee.
Our round-up of the best CBD coffees will point you towards coffee beans or prepared coffee products that are high quality. Check it out.
If you need a more budget-friendly option, try any of the other three methods above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
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