Delta-8 edibles are being sold everywhere at the moment, with a wide variety of options to choose from.
However, since delta-8 edibles are still a pretty new product, there is a lot of confusion surrounding how to use them.
One of the most confusing instructions for D8 edibles is the strange requirement to take them on a full stomach.
But why is that important? Why should delta-8 edibles be taken on a full stomach? What does it matter?
What Are Delta-8 Edibles?
Delta-8 edibles are a simple, easy-to-use form of delta-8, designed to be eaten.
Delta-8 itself is an exciting example of an alternative to regular THC. While most people are familiar with THC and even CBD, not many people know much about delta-8.
Like the others, delta-8 is a cannabinoid, but it has a few significant distinctions. It is basically like a cousin of THC in that it is a structurally similar compound. However, the double carbon bond in D8 is found on the eighth carbon, not the ninth. This subtle structural difference is what causes delta-8 to have different effects.
Delta-8 is well known for its slightly weaker, less intense effects, producing a similar sensation as regular THC, albeit much calmer and less intrusive.
Delta-8 is also, perhaps most importantly, not illegal! At least in the USA and many other places as well, delta-8 edibles are currently legal and safe to buy in stores and online.
This is one of the reasons why delta-8 products have been making the rounds recently – people can enjoy them safely without legal intervention.
Delta-8 edibles are a simple form edible that has been made using D8. They can be made in all kinds of ways, from baked goods to gummies and everything in between.
While delta-8 baked goods come in all forms from brownies to cookies, the more popular options are gummies.
Made from nothing more than gelatin, a little bit of flavoring, and some sugar, delta-8 gummies allow the user to quickly and easily swallow their delta-8 whenever and wherever they want.
But why do you need to eat something else first?
Why Does Having a Full Stomach Help When Imbibing Delta-8 Edibles?
Pretty much all delta-8 edible packages come with the explicit instruction to ingest them after a full meal. It will either say that the user should eat something just before taking the edibles or to take them on a full stomach.
The main reason for this is because cannabinoids bind well with fats.
When we ingest and attempt to break down cannabinoids, they need to latch onto something in the body to help them assimilate and become useful.
The rate of assimilation of a particular substance is known as its bioavailability. The rate of bioavailability increases when the compounds can be used better by the body.
Delta-8 – just like CBD, THC and all other cannabinoids – have a very high affinity for fatty tissue. In fact, the connectors that help the small molecules of cannabinoids bind to receptors in the body can only work with fat, not water.
By eating a full meal prior to imbibing delta-8 edibles, the user can line their stomach with plenty of fat. This fat will provide an avenue for the cannabinoids to walk along in the body, eventually becoming useable.
It is sort of like giving every molecule of cannabinoid a fast car, rather than letting them walk alongside the road. It gets the cannabinoids where they need to go faster, more efficiently, and with fewer wasted cannabinoids.
Final Thoughts: Why It’s Best to Consume Delta-8 Edibles on a Full Stomach
Cannabinoids are always more noticeable and effective when consumed alongside fats, no matter what they are.
However, they will still work without having consumed any fat, especially if they already come with their own fat source; for example, delta-8 oils.
So, if there are no fatty foods on hand, you can still enjoy delta-8 edibles without fear of missing out. It just won’t be quite as effective without eating a little bit of fat first.
