Surely, as a kid and probably even as an adult you have snacked on gummy bears and gummy worms. There is just something about the chewy-goodness that is irresistible to the human palate. This is why multi-vitamins and other medicines come in chewable gummy tablets; consuming your daily vitamins becomes a treat. CBD gummies are no exception. As an alternative to the more common CBD oil, CBD gummies offer an edible delight that comes with all the benefits of cannabidiol.
What Are CBD Gummies?
CBD gummies are exactly what their name suggests, CBD-infused gummy candy. Unless you have been living under a rock, just about everyone at one point or another have consumed regular gummy bears or gummies in some other animal shape.
With CBD gummies come the same potent CBD found in CBD oil and dabs. Many people, in fact, prefer CBD gummies over oil because, well…gummy bears?
Like CBD oil, the gummies are usually infused with hemp-derived cannabidiol. The candy may be available as CBD isolate or as a full-spectrum product with other cannabinoids. In any case, as long as you buy from a reputable cannabis supplier, you don’t need to worry about the candy containing traces of THC.
How Are CBD Gummies Made?
CBD gummies are made the same way as ordinary gummy bears. The only difference is that it contains CBD and/or other cannabinoids as a main ingredient.
The primary ingredient is gelatin, which gives the gummies their rubbery texture. Gelatin is very rough in its natural state and has to be heated to make it softer and easier to eat. Makers dissolve the gelatin along with additional ingredients for flavoring. This includes the sweeteners, artificial fruit flavors, and food dyes. Cornstarch is another mainstay ingredient to further solidify its hardened form by sucking the moisture out of the gelatin. The final and most important ingredient of all is, of course, the CBD.
The liquid of gelatinous sugar is placed into pre-formed animal-shaped trays to give the candy its final shape once the gelatin cools down.
Making gummy bears at home is actually fairly easy. Some people elect to make their own and add some CBD oil into the mixture. The cannabis site Leafly provides a good tutorial for DIY CBD gummy bears.
Do CBD Gummies Contain Sugar?
We just mentioned that sugar and other sweeteners are a primary ingredient in gummy bears. We realize this is a concern for some folks who may be diabetic or are just trying to stick to a sugar-free diet. Fortunately, just as there are sugar-free gummy candies, there are also sugar-free CBD gummies.
At the end of this post, we provide a list of trustworthy CBD suppliers that carry gummy candy in their inventory. Some provide sugar-free varieties or stick to natural sweeteners like cane sugar. Some also fulfill other dietary preferences, such as gluten-free and vegan-friendly ingredients.
Even in most CBD gummies with sugar, the serving size is only one or two gummies. The sugar content, therefore, is negligible.
Do CBD Gummies Make You High?
The short answer is no, at least definitely not if you buy from a reputable supplier. Cannabis products of any kind only make you high if they contain the psychoactive compound THC. With a few medical exceptions in some states, a THC content over 0.3% is federally illegal. This is why 95% of CBD products are derived from THC-free hemp. CBD gummies are no exception.
Again, we must emphasize the importance of buying from a certified seller to ensure zero THC. Buying from the black market or trying a friend’s homemade brew may be a different story altogether.
Do CBD Gummies Have a Laxative Effect?
According to the rumor mill, gummy candies have a laxative effect. Some gummy bear labels even warn that consumption in excess can cause intestinal distress.
Is there any truth to this? Some sugar-free varieties contain sugar alcohol as a substitute. Sugar alcohol, in fact, does not affect blood sugar levels as much as regular sugar. This is why they’re a popular alternative sweetener and especially marketed towards diabetics. The problem, though, is that sugar alcohol comes from ingredients like lacticol, xylitol, or lycasin, all of which can produce watery stools, flatulence, or borborygmus (gurgling of the intestines).
Is this a concern for CBD gummy users? We don’t believe so. First of all, only the most sensitive users experience the intestinal sensations. Even then, you should not experience any problems as long as you stick to the recommended dose. In most cases, that’s just one or two gummies and not half the bottle.
Can CBD Gummies Cause a Failed Drug Test?
The short answer, once again, is no. However, we can’t just say you’ll be hunky dory for every blood, pee, and hair test and leave it at that.
With respects to cannabis, tests do NOT look for CBD. Only THC is a banned substance in most drug tests. However, over the years, several people have reported failed drug tests despite using supposedly THC-free products. This is the case regardless of whether its CBD gummies, oil, or dabs. What gives?
Full spectrum CBD products are actually not entirely 100% THC-free. Even hemp contains THC, just very minute traces and well below the 0.3% legal limit. However, some products may end up containing more THC than the manufacturer intended due to cross-contamination.
We must add, though, that contamination rarely occurs in CBD products purchased online. More often, this occurs when users buy CBD products directly from a dispensary in a cannabis-legalized state. Dispensaries may acquire CBD extracts from the female marijuana plants’ flowering buds rather than from hemp. The former contains THC. Even if careful measures were taken to ensure a CBD-only extract, just enough THC may remain to show up in a pee or blood sample.
Can I Give CBD Gummies to My Children?
Can you legally give your child CBD gummies or any CBD product? If so, is it safe and effective? So many parents have asked these questions. Children would certainly enjoy CBD gummies just like they enjoy their Flintstone vitamins.
First, let’s tackle the question of whether it’s effective. In past posts, we have discussed the effectiveness of CBD for treating pain and included the independent research. All the studies, though, involved human adults or rats. To date, there are no studies involving children in this treatment area.
One study, though, does show that CBD was effective for lessening the severity of both Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Both are forms of childhood-onset epilepsy.
Furthermore, in one Israeli study, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder were given CBD oil. 80% of the subjects saw improvements in their condition and behavior. Some of the children did not respond to conventional medicine. Furthermore, 40% reported a significant drop in their anxiety levels.
The children did not show adverse reactions in either study.
CBD is safe and effective for children, at least for treating certain conditions as far as current available studies show us.
But is it legal to give to kids? You can legally give your child CBD gummies or oil if you live in a state where CBD use is legal. If the state only permits medical CBD use, then go through the proper channels to obtain a doctor’s prescription. To avoid legal liability, some parents have travelled out of state to legally acquire and administer CBD to their child.
How Many Gummies Should I Take?
It’s hard to specify an exact dosage since everyone responds to CBD differently. A rule of thumb is 1 to 6 mg for every 10-pounds of bodyweight. The higher end of the spectrum is a bit extreme in our opinion. The average person should be able to feel results at the lower end of the range.
The CBD content in gummies vary depending on brand. Expect between 5 mg to 30 mg of CBD per gummy. For comparison’s sake, four drops from a 30mL CBD oil tincture containing 500 mg of CBD contains about 2 mg.
Where Can I Buy CBD Gummies?
We must say this again at the risk of sounding like a broken record: only buy from a reputable seller. We have done our own studies in order to filter out the trustworthy sites from the borderline shady ones. Some sites also only carry CBD oil or have a very limited number of edibles. We included only the sites that carry CBD gummies.
- Hemp Bombs – This site’s CBD gummies is a CBD isolate product containing 15 mg of CBD per gummy.
- CBD Distillery – its gummy products is more potent with 30 mg CBD per gummy. It’s a CBD isolate with vegan ingredients.
- CBD FX – This is a full-spectrum CBD product with 10 mg CBD and 20 mg hemp extract containing additional cannabinoids per two-gummy serving.
CBD Gummies: A Delicious Way to Heal Your Body
You can’t go wrong with CBD gummies if you have a sweet tooth. You can consume gummies in place of CBD oil or alternate as you please. In any case, you’ll derive the documented benefits of CBD – all from eating the same chewy gummies you’ve always enjoyed!
