If you happen to live in Denver, you could celebrate pot’s unofficial birthday (4/20) by grabbing a CBD burger at Carl’s Jr. They’re the first national food chain to offer cannabis-infused food, after all. But that’s probably not the best way to go (more on that in a minute).
The burger, fittingly called Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight, will be offered at a single Denver location and only on April 20th, as a one-day test to see how the burger sells.
Made with two beef patties, Pepper Jack cheese, fries, pickled jalapeños and CBD-infused Santa Fe Sauce, the burger costs… wait for it… $4.20.
For those unfamiliar with CBD, no, this burger won’t get you high. CBD (or cannabidiol) is completely non-psychoactive. You can read all about CBD here.
CBD oil is one of the buzziest wellness trends this year, and food companies are adding it to everything right now. So it only makes sense that Carl’s Jr. would get in on the game. While their heart is in the right place, there are more effective ways to hop on the CBD train (assuming you want to take that ride).
What’s wrong with a fast-food CBD burger?
If you really want to reap the benefits of CBD, like increased alertness, and fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, a fast-food rendition probably isn’t the way to go.
Why?
Fast food is made from highly processed, industrialized ingredients, and loaded with added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats that keep them shelf-stable. Cook them at extremely high temperatures, and you’ve got the makings of an inflammation-causing meal that also elevates blood pressure.
Just one fast-food meal wreaks havoc on your metabolism and circulatory system, leaving you bloated, tired, anxious, and cranky[ref url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/sneaking-a-little-junk-food-doesnt-mean-all-is-lost/2018/02/26/828b75fa-1b36-11e8-9de1-147dd2df3829_story.html”] – not exactly the calm and cool state you’re looking for with your CBD fix.
The best ways to consume CBD oil on 4/20
For a better way to celebrate 4/20 and satisfy your munchies, check out these sweet and savory CBD oil recipes that will actually help you chill. They include tea and coffee lattes, CBD gummies, brownies, and even guacamole, all made with clean ingredients.
A few favorite Bulletproof MCT recipes:
Keep in mind when cooking that CBD oil should never be put over direct heat, or cooked at a high heat. According to personal chef and Epicurious editor Joe Sevier, warming the oil will increase its effectiveness, but overheating it will make it 1) taste “absolutely foul,” and 2) lose terpenes, compounds that magnify the plant’s therapeutic effects.
If all this talk of burgers has you craving a Rocky Mountain High CheeseBurger Delight right now, who can blame you? You can make your own version at home with this Bacon-Wrapped Burger recipe. Then whisk CBD oil into an aioli to drizzle over your burger.
Or, you can vaporize pure CBD oil to increase its bioavailability from 6 percent to 31 percent.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2937482/”]Just know that it’s harder to control dosage this way and instead of feeling more alert, you might knock yourself out, since higher doses lead to sleepiness.
And that could make you miss your 4/20 celebration altogether.
Disclaimer: Federally, CBD is a Schedule I drug in the U.S., regardless of state laws, and a Schedule II drug in Canada.
