“Weed salad, anyone?” Talk about a memorable one-liner at the Thanksgiving dinner table!
Did you know that you can eat raw cannabis leaves like spinach, kale, arugula or any other leafy green? Toss a handful of freshly picked cannabis leaves into the salad you’re bringing to dinner, and you’ll actually be making it a healthier option – without getting grandma high though, don’t worry. And that’s not the only way to consume raw cannabis, either.
Why doesn’t eating raw cannabis get you high? And why would you even want to eat raw cannabis in the first place? And how can you show up to the Thanksgiving dinner table with a sober-friendly, healthful cannabis-infused side dish or beverage that everyone will remember for years to come?
Read on to find out!
Photo by Kindel Media/ pexels.com
Eating raw cannabis won’t get you high – and here’s why.
What exactly is “raw cannabis”?
First, let’s define “raw cannabis.” This refers to cannabis seeds (aka hemp seeds) and cannabis leaves and buds (flowers) that have not been dried, cooked, steamed, vaped or smoked. Basically, it’s cannabis with its natural, untampered biochemistry.
For the purposes of this article – namely, consumer safety – we’re adding three criteria: not grown with manure, not treated with chemical pesticides, and not procured from a retailer or dispensary. Although the last one might seem odd, it’s a necessary precaution to ensure that the cannabis is indeed raw and has not undergone even the slightest bit of curing or drying.
What’s missing in raw cannabis?
As you likely know, the high you get from consuming cannabis comes from the cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive compound in cannabis. It’s what binds with the CB1 receptors in your endocannabinoid system to unlock the psychoactive effect on your nervous system. When cannabis sprouts from the ground, however, it doesn’t contain THC; it contains THC’s precursor.
All of cannabis’s phytocannabinoids, whether THC, cannabidiol (CBD) or any other, develop naturally as inactive monocarboxylic acids. So, when the plant sprouts, it contains THC acid (THCA), not THC (without the acid). In like manner, instead of CBD, the plant has CBD acid (CBDA). And so forth for every phytocannabinoid.
To get the THC you need to get high, you have to remove the cannabinoid’s acid by applying heat. (The fancy word for that process is “decarboxylation,” if you want to impress your friends.) When you dry cannabis leaves, the heat involved in dehydrating them converts the THCA into THC, CBDA into CBD, and so on.
Cannabis can’t get you high unless you alter the chemical structure of its natural form by applying heat to convert its THCA into THC. Image by Renegade98 /CC BY-SA 2.0
Cannabis is a “superfood” because it’s a one-stop shop for tons of high-value nutrients.
To survive, the human body needs nutrients, which are what promote growth and provide nourishment while maintaining life. Those that need to be consumed in greater quantities (e.g., fat, protein, carbohydrates) are labeled macronutrients, and those that need to be consumed in smaller quantities (e.g., calcium, zinc) are labeled micronutrients. Raw cannabis, especially its seeds, contains numerous nutrients in both categories. Thus, cannabis is the complete package – a superfood. If you apply heat though, most of these nutrients burn up right along with the acid, so keep it raw for the following benefits.
Protein
The protein in cannabis lies in its seeds. In only 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of cannabis seeds, you can consume 9.2 grams of protein. Of note, the protein is of exceptionally high quality, containing edestin and albumin. And because the seeds contain all nine amino acids, they offer a complete source of protein.
Fiber and Carbohydrates
Cannabis’s greatest fiber content lies in its stalks, but those are hard to digest when eaten raw, even when mixed into something. So, the buds are a more practical way of consuming the plant’s dietary fiber, particularly since they contain antioxidant compounds that boost digestion indirectly. Seeds contain fiber as well: 2 grams of fiber per 2-tablespoon serving, along with 3.3 grams of carbohydrates.
Although you could eat the cannabis stalks and get tons of great dietary fiber, you’d need a really strong stomach to digest them, so stick with the leaves and raw buds for your cannabis fiber. Photo by Craik Sustainable Living Project/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Fat
Here again, the seeds are the greatest source of nutrients. The 12.3 grams of fat per 2-tablespoon serving contain healthy lipids with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Of note, the omega-3-to-omega-6 PUFA ratio is favorable and boosts the nutritional value overall.
Vitamins and Minerals
Cannabis leaves contain iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, selenium, carotenoids, folate and vitamins K and C. Hemp seeds are rich in phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and vitamins E, D, B and A. Vitamin K is essential for blood health, and Vitamin C and zinc are vital for the immune system. Iron, folate and calcium are also important for blood health, but they support DNA repair and bone strength as well. Potassium maintains blood pressure and muscle health, selenium is an antioxidant tha- t supports metabolism, and carotenoids are an antioxidant that encourages cell growth.
Not bad for one plant, right?!
Raw cannabis seeds and leaves contain vitamins and minerals fresh out of the ground, adding no chemicals or additional substances that go into producing supplements.
Photo by Shannon Kringen/CC BY-SA 2.0
Antioxidants
These are the only nutrients that stay in cannabis even if you apply heat to it (think brownies though, not bongs). Antioxidants protect us from blood vessel disease, cancer and numerous other serious ailments, and they’re our body’s only defense against free radicals. The antioxidants of cannabis, such as polyphenols, help with anxiety, oxidative stress and the risk of chronic illnesses, including cancer, neurological disorders, digestive problems and skin diseases.
Flavonoids
Sister superfoods kale and broccoli have flavonoids in common with cannabis. These are phytochemicals that deliver pigment to plant tissue to attract a pollinating species and protect the plant from UV rays and pathogens. The flavonoids in cannabis are cannflavins A and B, kaempferol, quercetin and anthocyanins. In addition to providing antioxidant effects, these flavonoids support the heart and can help clean arteries. Anthocyanins in particular, which are what give cannabis buds their purple hues, fight diabetes and cancer, have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and boost immune system function and overall vision.
Nutritionally, raw cannabis is in the same category as kale and broccoli.
Here are some ways to include raw cannabis in your diet.
Salads
Royal Queen Seeds suggests sprinkling thinly chopped, fresh cannabis leaves into a bowl loaded with spinach, onions, radishes, olives, peppers and sunflower seeds. Alternatively, you could sprinkle bits of tender, young leaves into salad dressing.
Salsa
NuggMD came up with the idea of mixing raw cannabis in with the other vegetables put into homemade salsa. That’s a clever yet subtle way to get all of the above nutrients.
Smoothies
Adding raw cannabis flowers and leaves to your fruit smoothies will give you the cannabinoid acids and terpenes that pack added nutrients into your tasty beverage. Royal Queen Seeds even has a recipe you can try here.
Juices
If you’ve got a juicer, put it to work with some fresh raw cannabis. This is a good way of getting the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids without any of the fiber, which is ideal for sensitive tummies. Juicing also takes care of the problem of stickiness that comes from the resin on flowering tips.
Leafly has a recipe you can try here, and here’s one from The Cannabis Industry: Add 2-to-4-inch buds and 15 large fan leaves into the juicer when juicing raw cannabis. (Note: To verify that the buds or nuggets and leaves have not been cured for smoking, make sure that the buds are amber colored and the flowers have sticky crystals.) Then, combine 1 part cannabis juice to 10 parts carrot juice to tone down cannabis’s bitterness for your final product.
Photo by freestocks.org/pexels.com
Dinner is served!
It’s hard to imagine that a plant with such a bad reputation can have so many health benefits, but there you have it. And if you mix it into a salad, salsa, smoothies or juice for Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll be serving extra vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and flavonoids – at a minimum. Granted, you might need to encourage people to be open-minded, given that cannabis’s nutrients when consumed raw aren’t as mainstream as CBD oil or CBN tinctures. But now you can explain the science behind why they can be assured of not getting high, so that’s a great start.
From Head Magazine to you and your loved ones, have a safe, fun and nutritious Thanksgiving!
Kathleen Hearons is a writer, editor, linguist and voice over actor from Los Angeles. She specializes in creative writing and research-intensive analysis and reporting.
The information in this article and any included images are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations or your health, you should always consult an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.
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