The Potential Benefit of Cannabis Nut Butter

The purported benefits of cannabis range from easing anxiety to decreasing pain to squashing seizures. So for the health- conscious, the plant seems like an obvious alternative to Western medicine for many maladies. However, sometimes cannabis users don’t enjoy smoking but still want the benefits cannabis offers. That’s why cannabis-infused edibles are a popular option.

One type of edible that’s trending right now is nut butter, a protein-packed version of your typical “cannabutter,” which is made with regular butter. The long shelf life of nut butter, the ease of transport and the fact that basically no one can turn down a big spoonful of peanut butter all make this potent food a popular option. But before you go crazy whipping up batches of cannabis-infused nut
butter, there are a few guidelines you should follow.

Choose the Right Strain of Cannabis

When it comes to cannabis, not all strains are created equally. Whereas some perk you up, others calm you down, and some simply make you appreciate the little things in life — like the suddenly fascinating shape of your hands. When creating infused nut butter, pick an appropriate cannabis strain for your purposes.

For someone who wants to unwind with a few PB crackers, an indica strain of cannabis ought to do the trick. If you want energy and focus, on the other hand, a sativa variety is a better option. Ask your provider for more guidance if you have another specific usage in mind.

Get Creative With Your Nut Choices

Now that you’ve selected the most important ingredient for your butter, it’s time to decide on the second-most important: the nut. A perk of incorporating cannabis into nut butter is that the strong taste of peanuts, cashews or other nuts tend to mask any hint of the special ingredient. In fact, purveyors of medicinal cannabis often recommend taking cannabis oil with peanut butter for that very reason.

So it really just depends on your preference in terms of nutrition and taste. Standard peanuts offer healthy fats and fiber, but you might want to opt for almonds instead. Almonds offer similar health benefits, plus vitamin E. This fat-soluble vitamin helps fight
inflammation, which could boost your heart health. Sunflower seeds are also rife with vitamin E and bold in taste. Consider the larger picture, including your taste buds and your health, when you select a nut or seed.

Cook It First

Don’t make the mistake of tossing your cannabis directly into your peanut butter. In order to be effective when eaten, cannabis must first undergo decarboxylation. This is just a fancy word for baking. This step is as simple as tearing your cannabis into smaller
pieces, placing it in a pan and cooking it for 30 or 40 minutes at 240 degrees.

Pay Careful Attention to Dosage

Now that your cannabis is ready to be incorporated into an edible, it’s time to decide exactly how much of it you’ll need for an effective PB and J. If this is your first time creating your own edibles, a good rule of thumb is to go with one milligram of cannabis per serving of nut butter. This may require a bit of math on your end, depending on how much nut butter you intend to whip up. It’s important to perform these calculations diligently, or you risk creating a concoction that’s too potent for you.

Another word of caution: Cannabis-infused nut butter is tricky to use as an ingredient in other recipes. In order to avoid overdoing it when you bake with your special nut butter, use a ratio of 1:1, cannabis-infused nut butter to normal nut butter, so that half of your nut butter contains no THC.

Pick the Simplest Prep Option

From the microwave to the stovetop, there are several different ways to craft a fresh batch of peanut-cannabutter. However, one preparation method ensures a relatively smooth and painless cooking session, and that’s simply combining your decarboxylated cannabis and a container of store-bought nut butter on the stovetop. Allow the nut butter to melt and make sure you mix in the cannabis thoroughly, then allow the combination to cool and treat yourself to a special banana-and-peanut butter sandwich.

If you want to make things even easier for yourself, you can skip several steps. Instead of buying your cannabis raw and going through the process of cooking it in the oven, purchase a cannabis-infused oil to begin with. Coconut oil is a popular option when it comes to making a cannabis-infused nut butter because the high fat content and creamy texture blend well with your peanut butter or cashew butter.

Then, all you have to do is simply crack open your favorite container of peanut butter from the store — you may want a dark chocolate or honey-laced variety if you’re feeling fancy — and stir in an appropriate amount of oil, about eight teaspoons per cup of nut butter. This simple two-step infusion process will have you enjoying an adult version of ants on a log in no time.

Enjoy Responsibly

As with any time you choose to enjoy cannabis for medical or recreational purposes, you should indulge in your cannabis-infused nut butter responsibly. If you’re relatively new to the world of edibles, take it slowly when you start slathering your nut butter on different foods. Edibles are more potent than joints, and it can be difficult to ascertain exactly how much cannabis is in each bite,
so it’s better to approach your infused nut butter with caution than to accidentally overdo it. And please remember to keep it out of reach of children.

Now that you’ve completed your crash course in creating cannabis-infused nut butter, it’s time to head to the kitchen and put your new knowledge into practice. When you craft your nut butter carefully according to these helpful guidelines, you will end up with a treat that not only eases your mind or boosts your energy, but also provides some nutrition. So get ready to impress with your taste buds with a new-and-improved version of the PB and J sandwich!