Is CBD Coffee Worth the Hype?

Whether you take it black, sweet, or over ice, even just the scent of freshly brewed coffee in the morning can instantly drown the urge to crawl back into bed. If you’re someone who can’t face the day without their morning cup of Joe, a new type of brew might be catching your interest: CBD coffee.

Is it worth the hype?

What is CBD Coffee?

From CBD K-cups and sugar syrup to CBD cold brew and lattes, CBD coffee is the trendiest thing to hit the market since those unicorn fraps went viral. CBD coffee is exactly what it sounds like: coffee spiked with the non-psychoactive cannabis compound Cannabidiol or CBD for short.

It can be brewed in a variety of ways – some coffee houses douse individual coffee beans in CBD oil before roasting, and others add a few drops of oil after the brewing process. You can purchase bagged CBD coffee beans, ground coffee, or ask the trendy coffee shop in town for a CBD latte.

The newest addition to the coffee family promises to keep everything you love about your daily caffeine fix while nixing negative side effects like anxiety and jitters. CBD oil can result in drowsiness, so fans of the product claim drinking it with your coffee will balance caffeine’s adrenaline shot to result in a peaceful state of alertness.

But, will that be the case for everyone?

Is Pairing Sleep-B-D with Java a Good Idea?

The reason we love coffee so much is that it fools our brains into staying awake. Caffeine molecules attach to receptors in the brain, which can’t tell the difference between those molecules and adenosine – the chemical that makes you feel tired. Thus, your brain is essentially tricked into remaining awake.

CBD, on the other hand, is believed to attach to the body’s cannabinoid receptors. Scientists have revealed dozens of potential benefits of consuming CBD, including alleviating inflammation and chronic pain, successfully treating epilepsy, and aiding in insomnia. Side effects are minimal, but among the most commonly reported is drowsiness.

On the flip side, smaller doses of CBD can act as a stimulating compound. For some, like those with anxiety, could the combination of CBD and caffeine-fueled coffee be overstimulating? And if larger doses of CBD can make you sleepy, could it merely contradict your caffeine intake and leave you groggy? Scientists – and baristas – don’t quite have an answer for that yet.

The Details in the Brew

While CBD affects everyone differently, something we can all agree on is the importance of dosage. A recent study displayed that temperature affects CBD content; meaning the desired milligram amount of CBD will not be consistent once delivered in a heated drink.

Those who want to use CBD for serious medical conditions, such as epilepsy, likely shouldn’t take CBD in this manner, as accurate CBD dosing is extremely important for efficacy in these types of illnesses.

Have you tried CBD coffee? Weigh in below.