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Unlike alcohol, which slows down your metabolism, weakens your immune system and has dozens of other disastrous effects on your health and wellness, cannabis can actually contribute positively to your fitness journey. Studies have found that regular cannabis users often gain fat at a lower rate than their peers, likely because several compounds within weed help kick the metabolism into high gear.
For those who live in Canada, online dispensaries have become a common place to buy your edibles. A popular marijuana store is: https://online-dispensary.co/
Still, it is possible for cannabis to have a negative impact on your health — especially if you prefer to consume edibles or tend to succumb to the munchies. Here are a few recipes to help you keep your diet and training regimen on track while enjoying the occasional stoner session:
Healthy At-home Edibles
The key to making at-home edibles is infusing cannabis in something that can be mixed into other recipes. Most often, edible chefs make canna-butter, which is cannabis-infused butter — but butter isn’t usually high on most people’s list of healthy foods. Fortunately, there are alternatives, such as:
Canna-coconut Oil
Ingredients and supplies:
- 1 cup coarsely ground cannabis flower
- 1 cup coconut oil (can be virgin, refined or MCT oil)
- Cheesecloth
- Slow cooker or double boiler
- Cooking thermometer
Directions:
Combine the cannabis and oil in the slow cooker or double boiler. Heat on low, for 4-6 hours if using a slow cooker or for 6-8 hours if using a double boiler. Stir occasionally, to ensure cannabis is evenly dispersed. The temperature of the oil should never exceed 245 degrees Fahrenheit. After adequate time has elapsed, strain the oil through the cheesecloth to remove plant material. Avoid excessive squeezing during straining, as this will cause the plant fiber to release chlorophyll, turning the oil green and creating a bad flavor. Discard the plant material.
You can use canna-coconut oil as you would any other cooking oil, but you should try to avoid reheating it at high temperatures or for long periods of time. Doing so will cook out the THC, making edibles that are less potent than you might like them to be.
Cannabis Tincture
Ingredients and supplies:
- 1 ounce decarboxylated, finely ground cannabis flower
- 3 fluid ounces of high-proof drinkable alcohol (can be flavorless, like vodka or moonshine, or have flavor, like whiskey)
- Glass jar with lid
- Coffee filter
Directions:
Mix the flower and alcohol in the glass jar and close with the lid. Place the jar in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks, shaking the contents once per day. After adequate time has elapsed, strain the alcohol through a coffee filter, discarding the plant material.
Cannabis tinctures are easy to mix into beverages, like tea or juice, but they can also be consumed on their own. If you want to experiment with microdosing THC, homemade tinctures are a good way to start.
Tips for Healthier Munchies
If you already made your cannabis purchases from a quality D.C. dispensary, you might be more interested in munchie recipes than help with edibles. The munchies come on fast and strong, especially with high-THC strains, because THC helps jump start the metabolism and facilitates digestion. If you are on a diet or otherwise want to avoid indulging in junk food to curb your stoned hunger, you need to plan and prepare for the inevitability of the munchies. Here are some tips:
Prepare healthy snacks ahead of time. Just before you nibble your edible or roll your joint, you should put together a plate of healthy snacks, like veggie spears with hummus or cheese and whole-grain crackers. Then, you should keep this plate close by as you descend into your high. You will be more likely to chow down on the healthy snack nearby than try to scrounge up something else to eat when your munchies kick in.
Don’t have junk foods in the house. This is a good general rule of thumb if you are on a diet or looking to boost your health and fitness — but it is especially important if you often find yourself binge eating while high. Junk foods are any foods that are high in calories but low in nutrition; chips and sodas qualify, but so do pizzas, cookies, sugary cereals and ice cream. If you want to keep these indulgent snacks around but not eat them during a stoner session, you should have a way to hide them from yourself — perhaps with a cabinet lock or a roommate who can keep you accountable.
Don’t use food delivery apps. You want to make it as inconvenient as possible for your high self to get their hands on unhealthy foods, which means you need to get out of the habit of ordering food delivery from your phone. Services like UberEats, DoorDash and Postmates can connect you to healthy prepared meals from local restaurants — but they also connect you to fast food, which you shouldn’t have during your stoner session. The best course of action is to uninstall food delivery apps from your phone altogether.
It is easier than you think to use cannabis and maintain a healthy, fitness-focused lifestyle. These tips for healthy edibles and munchies should help you achieve a satisfying high that doesn’t ruin your progress.
