Have you ever wondered what would happen if you sprinkle some of your ground cannabis on a salad, mixed it into a drink, or simply just ate it raw?
Well, you’re not alone. The difference between what you’ll feel if you eat dried cannabis flower versus the effect you’ll feel when you eat a homemade cannabis edible is night and day.
This post will explain the process of dried flower decarboxylation (or decarbing) and why it’s necessary to feel any effects from your cannabis.
What is Decarbing?
Decarbing refers to the process of heating your cannabis in a way that activates its potent components so that you’ll feel the effects when you ingest it. This could include ingesting in its raw form, or in forms such as smoking or vaporizing dried flower, oils, capsules, or edibles. Cannabis contains the popular cannabinoid known as THC, but it doesn’t start out that way. For it to become THC, the cannabinoid is known as THCA (or THC acid) needs to be heated/activated. This could mean simply lighting it with a lighter while you’re smoking or it could mean baking your dried flower in an oven to make your own edibles.
When it comes to decarbing your cannabis, it’s important to know the ideal temperature to heat your cannabis. This allows us to properly gauge just how much heat our cannabis needs to activate without burning away some of its components. Due to this, vaporizing and being able to choose the temperature your dried flower is heated at is the most effective and efficient method of immediately consuming dried flower. When it comes to smoking, although the THCA is being heated enough that it turns into THC, a lot of the beneficial medicinal effects are being lost because of the high temperatures.
Something else that’s beneficial to know about your cannabis before decarbing is how many milligrams of THC is in it before you heat. Each strain and THC amount has an ideal temperature to decarb based on how much THC is in it. Similar to baking any foods, the temperature that you have the item in the oven for varies depending on the specific recipe. This means that having it in the oven at a higher temperature will result in it decarbing more quickly and would require less time in the oven.
For example, if you’re cooking your whole bud strain that has 3 mg of THC per gram in it, then baking it at 145 degrees Celsius would require baking it for 7 minutes, whereas baking it at 106 degrees would require it to bake much longer for 51 minutes. What’s also good to know is that the terpenes in your cannabis will start to burn away at 154 degrees Celsius.
Here is a great dosage calculator: https://wakeandbake.co/thc-dosage-calculator/
Heres a great decarb time and heat calculator
How to Decarb Your Cannabis:
What You Will Need:
- Cannabis
- Pan
- Parchment paper
- Oven
- Thermometer
Steps:
1) Heat your oven to 121 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit). Its a good idea to use a thermometer to test the internal temperature of your oven to ensure it’s accurate. Make sure the oven is fully preheated before putting your cannabis in it.
2) Break up your flower and buds into smaller pieces using your hands or a grinder, while removing the stems.
3) Spread those pieces onto a baking sheet, on a strip of oven-safe paper (such as parchment paper). One with a rim would work best to prevent spillage. Make sure the pieces are spread out well and that there isn’t any overlapping.
4) Bake your cannabis for about 25 to 30 minutes. It should be a golden brown or dark green colour and very dry. If it’s not, you can put it back in for an extra five minutes, while keeping an eye on it to prevent it from over-cooking.
5) When you’ve determined that it’s finished, remove from the oven and let it cool for a while. Be sure not to touch it, as it would easily crumble with the pressure while it’s freshly baked.
6) Voila! Your cannabis is activated!
If you or anyone you know is seeking a cannabis prescription, feel free to reach out via phone (1-844-312-5143) or email (WCCmedical@gmail.ca)! Happy Decarbing!
When it comes to smoking, although the THCA is being heated enough that it turns into THC, a lot of the beneficial medicinal effects are being lost because of the high temperatures.
By: Bryar
