By Amanda Froelich | True Activist
Did you know? In addition to providing valuable medicinal and stress-relieving benefits when ingested and smoked, the marijuana plant can be used for everything from making clothing and fireproof construction materials to paper, biofuel, and plastic that decomposes in a timely manner. There’s one application of cannabis few know about or use, however, and that’s juicing the green leaves.
The notion might sound weird or gross at first, but we assure you that there are a number of benefits to juicing cannabis leaves you won’t want to miss out on. Five of the best follow:
1) You won’t get high from juicing and drinking the leaves
Let’s face it, smoking cannabis isn’t for everyone. However, even those that don’t want to toke can agree on the fact that there are numerous medicinal compounds provided by the plant. For this reason, juicing cannabis leaves might be deemed an excellent idea.
Reportedly, juicing raw cannabis provides one with a bounty of chlorophyll, bone-building minerals, terpenes, CBD (medicinal component proven to “cure” cancer), and other cannabinoids) – all without a strong psychoactive effect. Leaf Science elaborates,
“Since heat is required to convert the THCA [THC-acid] in raw cannabis into THC, its psychoactive form, juicing provides a way of obtaining many of the benefits of cannabis without getting high.”
If you prefer smoothies, check out the following recipe:
2) Patients can consume higher doses
Those who are battling cancer or seek relief from seizures and/or conditions such as Parkinson’s are likely to benefit from introducing cannabis oil into their regime. Another method of ingesting compounds of the plant, however, is juicing the leaves and this can be just as – or even more – beneficial to the patient.
According to Dr. William Courtney, the founder of Cannabis International Foundation,
“THC can be taken in doses of hundreds of milligrams when in its acid form (juiced). However, once heated, the tolerable dose drops to 10 mg a day.”
In summary, one can consume more of the plant when it’s ingested in a juiced form.
3) Juicing a cannabis bud WILL make someone high
If someone desires to get high but does not smoke or prefers to avoid smelling like the herb, they can juice the flower of the plant to experience a psychoactive trip. One might choose to do this because they have respiratory issues (there are presently no adverse health effects associated with smoking marijuana) or because they prefer to ingest it in a least-harmful method.
As David Wolfe points out, consuming a cannabis flower in juiced form will get someone high, as the two major cannabinoids in the plant exist almost entirely in an acid form. These are known as Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid (THC-A) and Cannabidiolic Acid (CBD-A) or “THC-acid” and “CBD-acid.”
“When these acidic cannabinoids are heated, they are decarboxylated which means they lose their carbon dioxide molecule and become more active. During that process, the cannabinoids change from the acid form to the activated form. This happens automatically when cannabis flower buds are smoked or vaporized. This also occurs when the cannabis is cooked in coconut oil, olive oil, or ghee even over low heat.”
THC is the component that may result in the user feeling “high” and experiencing episodes of euphoria. CBD is the non-psychoactive acid that will not get one “high” but will help to counteract the effects of THC, such as paranoia.
4) It’s incredibly versatile
On its own, cannabis leaf juice may not taste the best. Fortunately, it’s incredibly versatile and easy to work with. One might add it to a beet-carrot-apple-ginger juice or pour freshly-juiced cannabis leaves into a morning orange juice.
Additionally, because juicing the cannabis leaves will not get one high, they can consume it on-the-go, which means in the car, at the gym or while picking their kids up from school.
5) There are massive health benefits
The cannabis plant is full of cannabidiol (CBD), which is anti-inflammatory, provides antioxidant protection and offers neuroprotective properties. All in all, it promotes good health and does not deserve to be classified as a Schedule I drug.
Not only has the U.S. Cancer Institute labeled cannabis to be a potential ‘cure’ for cancer on its website, there are numerous anecdotes of individuals who have healed themselves or helped their children heal from serious illnesses, such as cancer, by utilizing components of the plant, primarily CBD.
Some of the conditions benefited by ingesting CBD include Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disorders, cellular dysfunction, chronic inflammation, cancer, Parkinson’s, and seizures. It’s also worth noting that smoking marijuana has decreased the population’s reliance on opioids and pharmaceutical drugs which kill nearly 40,000 people each year. In contrast, marijuana kills 0.
In summary, there are numerous benefits to juicing cannabis leaves – many of which you probably didn’t know about. Please share this article to raise awareness about the importance of decriminalizing the herb and comment your thoughts below!
