Things move fast in modern society. How often has lunch rolled around before you’ve even thought about breakfast? Or perhaps you’re getting ready for bed when you realize you forgot to eat dinner. Or maybe the stressors of modern-day life leave you feeling less enthusiastic about food in general.
If you’re looking for a solution concerning changes in your appetite, look no further. This article addresses potential reasons for a decreased appetite and how to adjust your routine to foster hunger with the helping hand of CBD (and a few CBD recipes, too).
...CBD can interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system, which helps to regulate homeostasis within various body systems, including your nervous and digestive systems.
What effect can CBD have on the human body? How does CBD improve appetite? Can using CBD lead the “munchies” or weight gain? Read on to learn more.
Why Is Your Appetite Low?
Myriad causes can lead to a lost appetite. Many people notice a decrease in their appetite in conjunction with psychological triggers, such as:
- Grief and sadness – Low moods can lead to a loss of interest in everything, including food, and lower your energy levels, making it more challenging to shop and cook for yourself.
- Stress – The fight-or-flight response triggers hormones that interact with the digestive system. This can lead to stomach discomfort, diarrhea and constipation, which can cause appetite suppression.
- Boredom – A lack of inspiration in the kitchen may cause you to be disinterested in eating, even when you’re hungry.
A temporarily decreased appetite is normal and shouldn’t cause alarm. However, the long-term effects of a low appetite can be serious, and may include malnutrition and weight loss. If your low appetite occurs in tandem with other concerning symptoms, it may be due to a more serious problem. That said, always consult with your doctor about new symptoms.
In any regard, you can take steps to address your decreased appetite before you experience serious health risks.
CBD For Appetite
Does CBD increase appetite? CBD comes from the same cannabis plant as THC, which is famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective) for giving users the “munchies.” While CBD does not produce psychoactive effects like THC, it may increase your appetite.
But why can CBD stimulate appetite?
First, let’s look at the differences between CBD and THC, and how they each affect appetite: THC and CBD are both cannabinoids, meaning they’re compounds found in cannabis. While THC is found in the leaves and flowers of a cannabis plant, CBD is only found in the flowers.
That said, CBD Isolate products contain no THC, meaning they’re not necessarily a stimulant. However, per federal regulations, broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD may contain no more than 0.3% THC.
How THC Affects Appetite
Often, those who consume or inhale cannabis containing THC may experience increased levels of hunger. That said, it’s believed that THC can affect your appetite in three ways:
- Stimulates hunger hormones – THC is an appetite stimulant and may increase hunger hormones known as ghrelin. These chemicals tell the brain that the stomach is empty and needs to be filled. THC encourages their production, even when the stomach is at capacity.
- Interacts with endocannabinoid receptors – The endocannabinoid system’s CB1 receptors can interact with THC, and they reside in the same part of the brain that stimulates appetite. When THC lights up these receptors, your appetite can increase.
- Increases dopamine – In addition to influencing ghrelin production, THC may increase dopamine, a “pleasure” hormone. That’s why someone who uses THC may find their favorite foods are even more delicious when they’re high and that foods they don’t care for when they’re not high are suddenly appealing.
How CBD Affects Appetite
CBD, on the other hand, affects appetite by mediating other physical and mental experiences. Like THC, CBD can interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system, which helps to regulate homeostasis within various body systems, including your nervous and digestive systems.
That said, those who experience appetite loss due to stomach discomfort — stress-induced or otherwise — can benefit from CBD since it may help relieve feelings of dizziness, queasiness and nervousness. CBD is also commonly used to support healthy moods, which may also help support a healthy appetite. This same mood-supporting benefit is why some use CBD for hangover cures and combine CBD and melatonin for better sleep quality.
Introducing CBD products into your pantry and your cooking routines can also bring some excitement into the kitchen. With a renewed enthusiasm for the joys of cooking, your hunger may return as well
How to Incorporate CBD Into Your Routine For an Increased Appetite
When it comes to introducing CBD into your routine and for diet and appetite stimulation, you have plenty of options. You may want to try chewable tablets, CBD capsules, a CBD tincture, a CBD gummy or even use CBD oil in your favorite and new recipes.
Check out these ways to incorporate CBD into your routine:
- Full-Spectrum CBD Oils – Distilled in MCT derived from coconut oil and available in two flavors (natural and mint), this is a flexible and ideal way to incorporate CBD into your daily routine. You can drop the oil directly under your tongue or get creative and experiment with it in the kitchen. Keep reading for our favorite CBD recipes.
- CBD Gummies – Each 25mg CBD gummy is vegan and comes in one of three delicious flavors: cherry lime, watermelon lemonade and lemon. These gummies are designed to deliver a range of CBD benefits, including healthy sleep cycles and daily stress management.
- CBD Tension & Stress Tablets – These flavorless tablets are chewable. In addition to 25mg of CBD, they include GABA, L-theanine and magnesium — all helpful for easing stress and tension.
- CBD Mood & Calm Gummies – These vegan gummies also contain 25mg of CBD in each black raspberry lemonade-flavored serving. In addition, they’re formulated with mood-improving supplements like L-theanine and Lemon Balm.
- CBD Mood & Calm Tablets – With the addition of St. John’s Wort and Lemon Balm, these 25mg CBD chewable tablets are an easy way to incorporate CBD and other mood-lifting supplements into your routine.
- CBD Peppermint Mints – For a smaller, refreshing dose of CBD, try these mints, each containing 20 mg of CBD.
How Much CBD Should You Use?
Are you asking yourself, how many milligrams of CBD should I take? The ideal amount of CBD differs for everyone, depending on many factors. Not only do age, weight and medical history affect your personal CBD dose, but you also want to take into account what you are using it for.
To improve your mood or reduce stomach discomfort, start with a lower dose and titrate (gradually increase your dose over days or weeks) until you achieve the desired results. A good rule of thumb for titrating from lower doses is to start with one mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight.
So, a person weighing 200 pounds would begin by incorporating 20mg of CBD into their daily routine.
To combat daily stress and uncertainty with CBD, try a slightly higher starting dose and slowly titrate until you experience a positive change. Start with three mg of CBD per 10 pounds of body weight. A person weighing 200 pounds who wants to address their stress-related appetite loss with CBD would start with a daily dose of 60mg.
The effects of CBD can last between two and six hours. To maintain a healthy appetite for all the day’s meals, you may want to schedule two or more doses of CBD.
The best time to take CBD oil can definitely be when you are cooking. CBD should be taken with fat (like butter, oil or the cream in your coffee) in order to get the maximum benefits. Luckily, we have a whole stock of CBD oil recipes for you to choose from.
All-Time Favorite CBD Oil Recipes
Does CBD stimulate appetite? It can! And cooking with CBD is easy: You can incorporate CBD into almost any recipe that includes an element of fat (like butter, oil or cream), particularly ones that don’t require cooking at a high heat (high temperatures can alter some of the compounds in CBD).
Experiment with your CBD dose when preparing these recipes to determine what works for you. The amount of CBD called for in the recipes is a starting suggestion. If you know what dose works for you, have no fear about the flavor integrity of the recipe. Zebra CBD is distilled with just the right amount of distillate, so that higher doses of CBD won’t leave your recipes tasting grassy.
These recipes are versatile so you can modify them to fit your dietary needs and preferences.
#1 Green CBD Smoothie
This energizing and nutritious treat is a delicious way to start your day with CBD and wake up your appetite.
Simply blend the following ingredients together:
- One cup water
- One cup spinach
- ½ cup frozen pineapple
- ½ cup frozen mango
- One banana
- One tbsp peanut butter
- One dropper of Zebra CBD oil
Enjoy your smoothie with a handful of granola, a fresh citrus or stone fruit or a slice of toasted bread. The options are endless, and hopefully mouthwatering.
#2 Cinnamon Waffles With CBD Syrup
What could stimulate your appetite more than the sweet scent of fresh waffles in the morning? This recipe is the perfect morning pick-me-up for someone who’s looking to start their morning with a delicious breakfast.
To prepare the 4-waffle mix, combine:
- ½ stick of unsalted butter
- One cup all-purpose flour
- One tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tbsp cinnamon powder
- One tsp baking powder
- One tsp vanilla extract
- One egg
- ¾ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Once the mix is well-stirred, add it to a waffle maker until crisp and brown. Then, remove them from the iron to cool. When you’re ready to eat, mix maple syrup and butter with two droppers of Zebra CBD oil and pour to your liking.
#3 CBD Barbecue Sauce
A smoky barbecue sauce is an essential component of any backyard picnic. This tangy homemade dressing is the perfect addition to baby back ribs, chicken or salmon — and it's easy to make too!
Gather the following ingredients:
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ½ cup vinegar
- Two tsp paprika
- One tsp cumin
- One tsp salt
- One tsp black pepper
- One tbsp dry mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
To thicken the sauce, bring the mixture to a boil for about one to two minutes. Once the sauce has cooled, add two to three droppers of Zebra CBD oil to tempt your taste buds.
#4 Minty CBD Whipped Cream
For a sweet showstopper that might get your stomach grumbling, try this simple whipped cream recipe.
Use a stand mixer (or a hand mixer and a large bowl that you’ve let chill in the freezer for at least 45 minutes), gradually increasing the speed from low to medium to whip together:
- One pint of cold heavy whipping cream
- Half a cup of powdered sugar
- Three droppers (approximately one teaspoon) of mint-flavored Zebra CBD oil
When the cream forms stiff peaks, stop whipping. Serve this recipe with your favorite desserts, like chocolate brownies or pie, hot chocolate or mochas or even at breakfast with fresh fruit and pancakes or waffles. In fact, this recipe is so delicious that you might find yourself eating it straight from the bowl.
This recipe will make four cups of whipped cream. If the CBD dosage is more than you need, reduce the CBD oil to your preferred dosage. Replace the remainder of the oil that the recipe calls for with peppermint oil or vanilla extract for a less-minty whipped cream.
Other Ways To Support a Healthy Appetite
Sometimes a delicious CBD-packed treat just doesn’t do the trick. That said, if your decreased appetite is caused by stress or low moods, you can incorporate the following lifestyle changes into your daily routine:
- Pay attention to your emotions – Keeping a journal may help you notice when and how your feelings affect your appetite. This knowledge can empower you to address the things that bring you grief or stress. And CBD can help you address them with clear-headed confidence.
- Practice mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing to reduce stress – By calming your nervous system, you may find you are more aware of when your body is telling you you’re hungry.
- Eat nutrient-rich foods that are easy on your stomach – Try smoothies, soups and meal-replacement shakes. These are easy to eat and can help with an upset stomach. You can even add CBD to them.
- Eat at regular times, even if you’re not hungry – Developing this habit can help increase appetite stimulation over time.
When Your Appetite For Quality CBD Increases, Turn to Zebra CBD
Mental or emotional distress can often cause your appetite to wane. Fortunately, CBD may help to support relaxation and ease mental stress.
Zebra CBD is your trusted source of plant-based CBD extracts, with the most effective CBD formulas on the market. As the leader in hemp science research, we’re proud that our products are herbicide, pesticide and heavy-metal free. Plus, there is no prescription required to try our hemp products.
Whether you are seeking to mediate the effects of a stressful lifestyle, relieve joint and stiffness from an active lifestyle, support healthy circadian rhythms or simply promote overall wellness, Zebra CBD has a formula for you.
CBD may even help you when you’re under the weather. Is CBD oil good for colds? From CBD topicals to CBD oil products, CBD’s mood-supporting benefits can help to calm and relax you when you have an itch in your throat or the mild beginnings of a cold.
Source:
Healthline. What Causes Loss of Appetite? https://www.healthline.com/health/appetite-decreased#causes
Very Well Mind. What Causes Lack of Appetite? https://www.verywellmind.com/what-to-do-when-you-have-no-appetite-4799769
Washington Post. Marijuana gives you the munchies. What about CBD? https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/marijuana-gives-you-the-munchies-what-about-cbd/2019/01/07/7a793076-0ebc-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html
