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CBD oils are by far the most popular way of consuming CBD. But many people struggle with the earthy, often pungent, taste. Personally I like the taste, although tastes vary considerably from brand to brand. But if you find your CBD oil too much to stomach, please don’t give up on CBD altogether. There are many ways to disguise the taste, and there are also other CBD choices available which may be more favourable.

What does CBD oil taste like?

Firstly, I don’t want to put people off who haven’t yet tried CBD oil – not all CBD oils have a strong, pungent taste. And the benefits of CBD far outweigh the sometimes challenging taste.

How a CBD oil tastes will be influenced by the extraction method used and also the carrier oil the CBD extract is suspended in. I find CBD oils with olive oil as the carrier, less appealing than those that use MCT oil, but people’s tastes vary.

Some CBD oils have a mild, earthy taste, while others have a taste which some have described as “like Iicking an ashtray”. But please remember that you only have to hold the CBD oil under your tongue for a couple minutes before swallowing, and there are no taste buds under the tongue.

Why do some CBD oils taste so pungent?

I would like to briefly mention the different types of CBD oils you can buy, as it can really affect the taste.

“Full spectrum” CBD oils fall into two main categories which are commonly called: “Golden” oils and “Black” oils.

Black oils are made by simply mixing whole plant extract (hemp extract, although this is sometimes called paste) with a carrier oil. Whereas golden oils go through an additional extraction process known as winterisation. Winterisation takes out all the unwanted “debris” from the oil; plant matter, waxes and lipids, leaving the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids. This unsurprising, leads to a milder, cleaner taste, and a lighter coloured oil.

People often wrongly assume that lighter coloured CBD oils are inferior in quality. This myth was started because many scammers were just mixing small amounts of CBD isolate with MCT oil, which was very light in colour. But as CBD isolate is now banned in “foods” e.g. oils and edibles, theoretically, this should no longer be a problem.

But I will also add, both black oils and golden oils, if produced properly, are just as effective.

How to disguise the taste of your current CBD oil

I know a lot of people struggle with the taste of some CBD oils. Here are some simple, and cheap tips on how to disguise the taste of your current CBD oil:

  1. Brush your teeth before taking the oil – it helps mask the taste.
  2. Place the oil onto a piece of chocolate before placing it under your tongue. A great excuse, if you need one, to eat your favourite chocolate.
  3. Or have a mint ready for when you swallow the oil.
  4. Add a few drops of peppermint oil into your CBD oil bottle.
  5. If you really can’t stomach the taste you could make your own capsules using the CBD oil or paste. The absorption rate is lower with capsules, but if you also add some coconut oil, it aids absorption.

But don’t worry if you are still struggling. You get used to the taste, I promise, so don’t give up.

Here are a few more options if you struggle with the taste of CBD oil

  1. Buy a flavoured CBD oil. Companies have cottoned on to how “challenging” some consumers find the taste of CBD oils, and many now offer flavoured option
  2. Buy an oil with a milder taste.I have tried a lot of CBD oils now and they vary quite considerably in taste. “Golden” oils have a much milder and more pleasant taste. Also, the carrier oil will contribute to the taste. I find CBD oils that use MCT oil as their carrier are much more palatable than ones that use olive oil or hemp oil.
  3. Buy a water soluble CBD oil spray. These sprays are becoming more popular and can be added to any drinks or food to disguise the taste, without reducing bioavailability.
  4. Edibles. Whether you make your own or buy them already made, edibles are a great way to disguise the taste of CBD oil. The absorption rate is lower so you may need to increase your dose. You can also now buy CBD beverages, but the CBD concentrations tend to be quite low.
  5. Buy CBD capsules. If you don’t fancy making your own capsules, there are many options available on the market at varying strengths. They do work out more expensive than CBD oils, and the absorption rate is lower. But they are a very convenient, tasteless and easy-to-dose way of consuming CBD.

I hope some of these suggestions help. But I would like to end this post by stating; Please don’t base your product decision solely on taste. Quality and effectiveness are far more important. How effective a product is for you will largely be determined by the cannabinoid and terpene profile.

If you would like to find out more about the beneficial properties of different cannabinoids please read my article: The Main Cannabinoids and Their Therapeutic Properties.

You may also find my Comprehensive beginners guide to buying CBD products useful.

Thanks for reading.

If you would like to find out more about CBD, or you have any specific questions you need answering, please head over to my Facebook page CBD Resource Centre