Is Decarboxylation Necessary for Edibles?

Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that removes the carboxylic compounds from a substance. In the cannabis world, decarboxylation refers to the process of heating the plant to change its molecular structure. But is decarboxylation necessary for edibles?

When preparing cannabis edibles, you must understand that decarboxylation plays a huge role if you want to unlock the full potential of the plant. As experts in the industry, we will reveal the importance of decarboxylation so that you might have an elevated experience.

Source: shutterstock.com/ Photo Contributor: Kemedo

Is Decarboxylation Necessary for Edibles?

When you are not smoking cannabis, decarboxylation is one of the most important processes. Freshly harvested cannabis contains only cannabinoid acids. The CBD and THC content in plants are inactive, and you will barely feel any effects.

Hence, we use the decarboxylation process to change the molecular structure of the plant. The decarb process is done by heating the plant to a specific temperature to activate the cannabinoids. 

The heat causes a chemical reaction that converts THCA into its active form, THC, and the CDBA into CBD. They are activated as the cannabinoid acids lose one carboxyl group, but at the same time retain one hydrogen atom. 

But why is decarboxylation necessary for edibles? If you are making edibles at home and have raw cannabis, chances are you won’t feel the full effects of the cannabis plant. 

So, before putting it in an edible, you must check whether it has already been decarbed, or you should do it yourself. When cannabis goes through the process of decarboxylation, it may allow you to feel the psychoactive effects.

Decarboxylation in edibles

The decarboxylation process is important for every cannabis product that is not consumed with the help of heat, or in other words, light up. That includes edibles, tinctures and other forms of cannabis consumption. Proper decarbing is crucial for unlocking the full potential of the cannabinoids in edibles.

One expert tip we have for you is that there is a slight difference between CBD and THC when you are doing decarboxylation. Before you start the process, ask yourself whether you like a higher CBD or THC ratio. So, when decarbing, consider the following considerations:

• Baking at 240 ºF for 30 minutes will result in favoring the THC quantity of the plant.

• Baking the strain at a lower temperature but longer will result in a higher CBD ratio.

How to Decarb Cannabis

The decarbing concept is straightforward, meaning you can do it at home. You will need your cannabis plant, baking sheet, paper, and an oven. The temperature and time you should bake the cannabis depends on the result you want to achieve.

So, getting the right temperature and baking time is vital. As experienced in the cannabis industry, we will reveal to you the golden rules for decarbing cannabis by yourself:

• If you use less heat, you will need more time and vice versa.

• Cooking it too much will degrade the cannabinoids. Never bake cannabis in an oven above 300 ºF.

• Underbaking won’t activate the THCA and CBDA enough.

While it might seem complicated, we are here to reveal the best decarboxylation temperatures and times:

• If you want to preserve the terpenes, bake the cannabis at 240 ºF for 30 minutes.

• If you prefer complete conversion of THCA to THC, bake at 240 ºF for 60 minutes.

• Bake at 240 ºF for 90 minutes if you aim for maximum CBD.

• For increased potency, oven-bake for 30 minutes at 250 ºF.

Grinding, baking, and cooling down the cannabis

Before putting the cannabis in the oven, it's best to grind it. By grinding your plant, you will get a more consistent taste. After it is ground, line a baking sheet with cooking paper and spread the cannabis on it.

Preheat the oven according to your preferences, and place the cooking tray in the middle position of the oven. When the cannabis turns into a brown or golden brown color, you can take it out and let it cool down.

Also, you may grind the decarb cannabis again before storing it or utilizing it to prepare edibles.

Source: shutterstock.com/ Photo Contributor: Victor Moussa

Alternative methods of decarboxylation

Besides the most popular oven decarboxylation process, we find the following methods best, such as:

• Mason jar decarboxylation: Place the ground cannabis into a mason jar and seal it. Fill up half a pot with water and put the jar inside. Use low to medium heat to decarb the cannabis for roughly 90 minutes.

• Sous Vide decarboxylation: Put the cannabis in a vacuum-sealed bag and use a Sous Vide machine or immersion circulator to decarb it. Leave it in the water bath for approximately 90 minutes before taking it out to cool down.

• Toaster oven: Similar to the standard oven method, you should place the toaster to 220 ºF and bake the cannabis for 60 minutes.

Effects of Skipping Decarboxylation

The decarboxylation makes the cannabis bioavailable so that your body can absorb it. If the plant is not decarbed in edibles before use, the THCA and CBDA compounds won’t pass the blood-brain barrier. That means the cannabinoid receptors won’t be activated, and you may feel little to no psychoactive effects.

Wondering how can you get a little high if the plant hasn’t gone through decarboxylation? The answer lies in the partially decarb process that may happen over time as the plant dries.

However, in most cases, without decarboxylation, the cannabinoids remain in their inactive forms. Consequently, the potency and effectiveness of the edibles might be reduced. Plus, you may not get most of the other body effects, such as immune response, mood, appetite, pain and sleep.

Before decarb your cannabis, you should be aware of the effects of un-decarboxylated THCA and CBDA. So, if you want to get the possible health benefits instead of the psychoactive effects or get high, you don’t need to decarb the cannabis.

Effects of un-decarboxylated THCA

THCA might come with various health benefits. The most important ones may be:

• Anti-inflammatory features

• Anti-nausea

• Bronchodilator

• Calming effects and stress reduction

• Neuroprotective effects

• Metabolic regulating effects

Effects of un-decarboxylated CBDA

Inactive CBDA can also be used in various situations and for several health benefits. They might include:

• Anti-anxiety

• Anti-inflammatory

• Anti-nausea

• Anti-convulsant

• Pair reduction

Debunking Myths Surrounding Decarboxylation

Now that you know whether decarboxylation is necessary for edibles, it’s time we debunk some of the most common myths about the process. We will start with the classic one: different decarboxylation methods should be used for fresh and cured plants. Both fresh and cured cannabis can be easily decarbed. 

No matter the type of cannabis you are using, you must decarb it before putting it into your edibles so that they can be activated and bioavailable. You can use the same process for both fresh and well-cured cannabis.

Another popular myth we always hear is that obtaining 70% decarb will not eliminate the THC. Luckily for the whole cannabis community, if you know how to do it properly, you can even get a full decarb without losing the potential of the flower.

Next comes the need to use different decarboxylation processes for concentrate and flower. In other words, concentrates and flowers undergo the same chemical process when decarboxylation occurs.

Lastly, many believe that the decarb process requires fats and alcohol. As we have explained the steps above on how you can decarb cannabis, you can see that it doesn’t require fats or alcohol. However, mixing the activated cannabinoids with fats and alcohol might help with absorption if you consume them orally.

Source: shutterstock.com/ Photo Contributor: Spender1

Conclusion

Why is decarboxylation necessary for edibles? First and foremost, without it, the plant is not bioavailable. 

The THCA and CBDA can be activated only by decarboxylation so that you may get the plant's psychoactive effects. It is a chemical reaction that makes the edibles more potent, which induces the desired effects when you are consuming them. 

So, follow our tips on how to decarb and unlock the full potential of cannabis, and you can make edibles that will enhance your experience. Also, don’t hesitate to contact us if you require any high-tech solutions!