Hemp Tea – How to Make It and Why You Might Take It

Hemp is a variety of Cannabis Sativa L, a plant in the Cannabaceae family. It also goes by the name of Industrial hemp and has its origins in Asia, most specifically India. However, today, growers cultivate it across Asia, Europe, and the Americas do its wide variety of effects.

For more than a couple of thousand years, mankind has been using hemp for more than a couple of different purposes. The plant not only works phenomenally as medicine, but it’s also great as a material and, of course, as a recreational substance. Unlike other varieties of cannabis, almost all parts of the hemp plant have their own practical uses. For example, you can produce fibers using the stem, eat the seed for protein, or make some oils or, even, tea from the leaves and flowers.

Hemp And Marijuana – Are They The Same? No!

To this day, many people still tend to confuse the hemp and marijuana plants. That’s understandable since both of these plants come from the same Cannabaceae family. They, however, are each distinct varieties of the species Cannabis Sativa with a key difference between them.

The main distinction between hemp and the other varieties of Cannabis Sativa lies in the chemical composition of the plant. The hemp plant contains huge amounts of cannabidiol (CBD) – A compound hinted to have many therapeutic benefits, according to scientific research.

The hemp plant, particularly, has very low levels of the compound tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC for short. THC is the psychoactive compound found in much abundance within the marijuana plant. In fact, legally speaking, most countries differentiate hemp from other Cannabis Sativa strains based on the THC within it. In the US, the plant should have less than 0.3% THC to meet the legal definition of hemp.

All cannabis, hemp included, contain high levels of cannabinoids, particularly interesting compounds it produces. Both CBD and THC are the most abundant cannabinoids cannabis has.

Hemp, particularly, has much CBD but only traces of THC, marijuana being the reverse case. CBD might, according to research, particularly afford the human body some health benefits once consumed. However, unlike THC, CBD does not get you high in any way. Thus, making it a viable alternative for those turned-off at the idea of being stoned or impaired. You can ingest cannabinoids in many different ways; one of the most common is by drinking hemp tea. Just like any herb nature gave us, you too can take hemp and make a cup of hemp tea out of it. It will not only taste great; it will also give you the therapeutic effects of hemp’s cannabinoids after drinking. How’s that compared to your regular cup o’ tea?

What Is Hemp Tea?

Hemp tea is simply tea made by infusing the crushed leaves, flowers, seeds, and, sometimes, even the root of the hemp plant with hot water. Once steeped like any other herbal tea, the concoction has a brown or greenish color depending on the parts of the hemp plant used.

What Are the Main Types of Hemp Tea?

There are two main types of hemp tea. The difference between these two types of hemp tea lies in the type of cuttings for crushing made before dropping it to the hot water.

1. Young Hemp Tea

As the name suggests, this is the type of tea made by crushing the dried clippings from a young hemp plant. This tea usually has a low level of CBD since the plant used to produce it is not mature.

2. Mature Hemp Tea

This tea usually comes from the crushed leaves and flowers of a mature hemp plant. It usually contains more CBD content as well as vitamins since it comes from a fully grown plant.

How Do You Take Hemp Tea?

Once steeped, the ingredients begin releasing a wide range of cannabinoids like CBD and other chemicals like terpenes into the hot water. The resulting beverage tends to have a bit of a bitter taste.

If you want to get even more potential benefits from hemp’s cannabinoids, add an oil-based additive to the tea like almond milk. Since CBD is oil-soluble, the endocannabinoid system in your body will better absorb it if ingested with a mixture of fat.

You can also make your hemp tea tastier by adding flavorings and sweeteners such as cinnamon or cocoa.

Can Hemp Tea Make You High?

You cannot get high by drinking hemp tea since the hemp plant contains very little THC, 0.3% or less, to be precise.

Top Benefits of Drinking Hemp Tea

As there are potential benefits to ingesting cannabinoid products, there also may be benefits to drinking hemp-based tea.

1. It Helps Control Anxiety

Once ingested, the CBD found in hemp tea interacts with the cannabinoid receptors found in the brain to increase serotonin’s production. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in stabilizing mood and minimizing anxiety. Drinking hemp tea, therefore, might help lower your stress levels.

2. It Fosters Better Heart Health

Research suggests CBD’s anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Thus, upon consuming hemp tea, it will deliver those very same effects to your arteries. Thus, it may increase the blood flow throughout your body. More than that, though, research also theorizes that regular consumption of CBD might help prevent the onset of heart disease.

3. It Helps to Manage Pain

Your endocannabinoid system influences your body’s pain response, and hemp’s cannabinoids can give it a boost. The anti-inflammatory effects of cannabinoids, along with their anti-anxiety, calming effects together may make for a good pain management agent. So good, in fact, that, slowly, researchers are proposing cannabinoids like CBD as alternatives to medical marijuana for patients with chronic pain from arthritis. Also, the best thing about drinking cannabinoids as hemp tea is that it takes longer to dissipate in the body. Once taken, you might experience pain relief for more than a short while.

4. It Helps Control Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a chronic disease characterized by bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pains. CBD has anti-inflammatory properties; thus, it may help in relaxing the intestines, which is great for people with this condition. If you or someone you know suffers from IBS, maybe it’s time to go for a cup of hemp tea.

5. It Helps Control Insomnia

A lack of sleep or abnormal sleep patterns due to insomnia can badly hurt your quality of life and overall health. Luckily, hemp tea and the CBD within it may interact with brain receptors that control sleep cycle patterns and anxiety. Thus, it may be easier to fall asleep after a cup.

6. It Helps Fight Inflammation

Inflammations tend to occur when your body is fighting harmful stimuli to prevent you from getting sick. The natural anti-inflammatory properties of the CBD inside your hemp tea may give you some relief from it.

7. It Helps Improve Lung Health

Ongoing research hints that CBD tends to act as a bronchodilator if inhaled. This essentially means that it dilates the airways in the lungs and enhances your breathing. Drinking hot hemp tea might therefore combat symptoms associated with chronic respiratory ailments like asthma.

8. It Helps Curb Nausea

In most cases, nausea occurs as a result of a gastrointestinal problem. Well, your hemp’s CBD tea can foster the production of serotonin, which in turn does alleviate gastrointestinal pain. Thus, it might end up being able to prevent nausea altogether.

9. Hemp Tea Improves Gut Health

Research hints at CBD’s health benefits for people suffering from intestinal complications like Crohn’s disease and bowel inflammations. Drinking hemp tea, thus, might help alleviate intestinal problems by relieving gut issues. The tea might even help with diarrhea, constipation, cramps, and general stomach discomfort.

10. It Makes You Feel Great!

Using hemp to make hemp tea means you will be drinking tea made from most, if not all, parts of the plant. Thus, unlike with CBD isolates, which require the removal of any other compounds, you get to drink all of the cannabinoids from hemp. As a result, you will experience the entourage effect. During it, all the compounds of hemp work synergistically to give out an even greater effect than what a sole cannabinoid alone would.

Tips on How to Choose the Best Hemp Tea

Cannabis Sativa L, the Cannabaceae species that produces the hemp plant, is a well-known accumulator of bio-products. That essentially means that it can absorb pesticides, heavy metals, and toxins found in the soil. When the roots of a plant absorb toxins, they begin distributing throughout the entire plant.

If you are looking to enjoy the true benefits of hemp tea, go for tea sourced from organically grown hemp. That means hemp certified to not have come into contact with toxins, pesticides, or any other bio-products.

The best way to do so it’s to check the website of the manufacturer of your hemp tea. See, manufacturers of hemp regularly send their batches of the plant to 3rd party labs for testing. That as a way of certifying its chemical content, especially its THC content, is correct and within legal limits. It can also tell you if any undesirable additives are present as well.  High-quality manufacturers post their test results on their labels and websites. If you cannot find them, that’s a red flag, better look for another manufacturer.

Hemp Tea – The Takeaway

If you happen to enjoy drinking tea, hemp tea offers the same experience plus the cannabinoid’s benefits. It’s your regular cup of tea only made better through cannabis.