What Is Cannabutter? Benefits, Recipes, and Side Effects

Cannabis, also known as marijuana or weed, is a mind-altering drug that comes from either the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant.

These plants have been widely used for centuries for both medicinal and recreational use.

While many people choose to smoke or vape cannabis, edibles have grown in popularity. These edibles often contain cannabutter — a cannabis-infused butter that can be purchased at a local cannabis dispensary or made at home.

Still, keep in mind that cannabis is illegal in many states and countries, so always check with your local government before using it or related products.

This article reviews cannabutter, including its main uses, how to make it, and common side effects.

What is cannabutter?

As the name implies, cannabutter is a combination of cannabis and butter.

It’s most commonly used to make cannabis edibles, particularly baked goods like cookies and brownies.

Before buying or making cannabutter, you should decide what effects you’re hoping to experience.

Cannabis contains two main compounds known as cannabinoids — tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is a psychoactive compound that leads to a high, while CBD is not mind-altering.

Depending on its intended use, cannabutter may contain only CBD or both CBD and THC.

Nutritional Content of the Cannabis Plant

The leafy green raw Cannabis plant and its seeds are very nutrient dense, even considered a “superfood” by some.

It has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant, and possibly even anti-aging power. Plus, it’s high in fiber and essential vitamins & minerals such as:

 Vitamin K (essential for blood clotting)

 Vitamin C (immune system)

 Iron (blood oxygenation)

 Calcium (bones)

 Folate (DNA repair)

 Magnesium (nerve & muscle function)

 Phosphorus (energy & bones)

 Essential oils (stress relieving & up-lifting)

Pretty impressive, right? Juicing or consuming the raw plant is the best way to reap the full nutritional benefits of Cannabis while receiving a concentrated dose of cannabinoids, without getting high.

Wait, no high? Yup. Cannabis actually has to go through a process called decarboxylation in order to have psychoactive effects on us. This process changes the composition of certain cannabinoids through heat, like when you spark a bowl or slow simmer it in a crockpot with oil.

So, fear not. If you do want the high, you can definitely have it! You’ll just have to make sure you heat it for the correct amount of time and at the right temperature when cooking, or buy edible products with the proper amount of THC content.

Type of Edibles

There are 3 basic types of edibles based on where the cannabinoids are absorbed.

The first type is geared towards gastrointestinal uptake, or those digested through the stomach, like brownies, pill capsules, and other Cannabis-infused foods. Even though the effects might be more delayed with this type, they usually last the longest.

The second type is absorbed orally and digested by saliva, like lollipops, lozenges, and tinctures. This type can affect the patient almost immediately, but usually wears off within a few hours.

The third type is a hybrid category designed to be absorbed in both the mouth and stomach, like infused drinks and chocolate bars. These provide both fast relief and long-lasting effects.

You may also opt to eat edibles that only contain CBD or have a very low THC content to enjoy the incredible health benefits without feeling high.

Common Recipes: Cannabutter

Cannabis-infused butter, or cannabutter, is a great place to start cooking with Cannabis. This versatile ingredient can be added to almost anything for a Cannabis-kick that’ll taste great and give you lasting relief from pain or other symptoms.

You can use regular butter, olive oil, coconut oil, or any other fatty oil for this recipe. But make sure you keep a close eye, because butter burns easily!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of butter or oil
• 1 cup (7-10 grams) of ground Cannabis, decarboxylated
• 1 cup water

Process

1. Decarb the Cannabis –
   • Step 1: Preheat oven to 240°F
   • Step 2: Break apart large buds with your hands
   • Step 3: Spread the Cannabis on a baking sheet with sides
   • Step 4: Let bake for 40-45 minutes until lightly browned and decarboxylated. Gently shake the tray every 10 minutes to expose the surface area of the buds equally and make sure it isn’t burning.
2. Grind – Grind the decarboxylated Cannabis coarsely with a grinder.
3. Melt the butter – Add water and butter into a medium saucepan and simmer on low until butter melts. The water will regulate the temperature and prevent scorching.
4. Add the Cannabis – As the butter melts, throw in the plant medicine.
5. Simmer – Simmer the mixture on low heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Make sure it doesn’t come to a full boil.
6. Strain the Cannabutter – Set a funnel on top of a mason jar or container and line it with cheesecloth. Once the Cannabutter cools to room temperature, pour it into the cheesecloth funnel and allow it to strain.
7. Refrigerate – Keep the Cannabutter refrigerated. Tip: After about an hour, you can remove any excess water that forms at the bottom of the container.

Dosing

The potency of your Cannabutter depends on many factors, like for how long and at what temperature it cooked.

Before going all in, test the potency of your finished product by spreading ¼ to ½ teaspoon on a snack and see how you feel after an hour. Increase or decrease the dose as desired and use it as a baseline for your recipes.

Cannabutter can be drizzled over popcorn, spread on toast, or used as an essential ingredient in recipes like mac ‘n’ cheese. The possibilities are pretty much endless with this feel-good fat.

There you have it: Cooking with Cannabis can be a simple, creative, and delicious way to medicate. We hope you enjoyed this article, and stay tuned for more recipes!

Main uses

Cannabis offers many health benefits and is becoming more accepted as a natural treatment for various diseases and ailments.

Cannabutter is a versatile, smoke-free cannabis product that can be used in different edible cannabis products, to improve sleep quality and help manage nausea, vomiting, and pain, making it a popular choice.

May alleviate cancer-related symptoms

Cannabis is widely prescribed to help treat cancer-related pain.

Many cancer treatments lead to undesired symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and pain, and a lot of research focuses on natural remedies to relieve them.

Cannabis has been used as a natural treatment for nausea and vomiting throughout history. In fact, its anti-nausea properties were one of its first discovered medical benefits.

Cannabis contains compounds called cannabinoids. They affect your body’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates various bodily processes, including mood, memory, and appetite.

While THC has been most extensively studied, it appears that other cannabinoids, such as CBD, may also help treat nausea and vomiting. But excessive cannabis use can lead to the same symptoms.

Cannabutter can be incorporated into foods, making it a useful, smoke-free, edible option for people with cancer.

Sleep aid

Cannabis is commonly cited as an effective sleep aid. One review noted that THC alone or combined with CBD improved sleep.

While the underlying mechanism needs more research, it appears that these two cannabinoids affect your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle and decrease pain-associated insomnia.

These may help relieve cancer-related symptoms and improve sleep. However, cannabutter may contain inconsistent concentrations of THC, making it easy to overconsume.