What are Delta 8 edibles like?

It’s never a good idea to simply dive into something headfirst without at least knowing something about it to begin with. When it comes to things like delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 8 or D8 THC) edibles, you definitely should know a thing or two about it. After all, it’s always smart to do some research about things that come from hemp because there’s so much misinformation surrounding that fascinating plant. And since Delta 8 is so new to the mainstream, there’s a lot of confusion surrounding it too.

We here at DharmaD8 are all about education, especially hemp-based education. So, we want to make sure you know all you can about Delta 8 products before you buy them. That’s why we want to go over what you can expect from D8 THC edibles. Let’s dive in.

What are Delta 8 edibles like?

To start with, let’s give a quick overview of what edibles are, just to make sure that we’re all on the same page. They are any food or drink that has been made with Delta 8 extract. Pretty simple, right? You can make them yourself or buy pre-made ones from your local dispensary (if D8 THC is legal where you live).

Delta 8 edibles tend to be a go-to option because they are straightforward to use and taste great. Not many people want that hemp flavor that often comes along with these edible products. Edibles usually only taste like whatever delicious food or drink they are designed to be. So, there’s very little, to no hemp flavor.

Additionally, D8 THC edibles are appealing because it’s simple to keep track of how much Delta 8 you have in your system. Pre-made edibles are designed to contain the same amount of D8 THC in each serving. That way, you know that if you eat half a gummy, you simply have to look at the packaging and do some quick, simple math to know how much Delta 8 you’ve eaten. If you’re eating edibles you’ve made yourself, you may not have the serving information. However, you do know how much D8 THC you’ve put into the food, so you can go from there.

This sounds great, doesn't it? But what kind of effects can you really expect from the Delta 8 in these edibles?

First of all, they will give you a feeling of euphoria, although, a slightly different one than you may already know. There is a compound that you may have heard of before that is also found in hemp along with D8 THC. It is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 9 THC, though you may know it as just THC). Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC are very similar to each other, but with a small difference in how they’re built. This difference alters the effect they provide. When Delta 9 THC interacts with the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), it binds with the receptors, nice and tight. This is what causes the psychoactive feeling of euphoria you may already be used to from cannabis. The slight difference in structure causes D8 THC’s bond with the ECS receptors to be tight, but not as tight as Delta 9 THC’s. This is why it causes a feeling of euphoria, but that feeling is often described as being less intense and much more bodily than Delta 9 THC’s.

An alternative effect you may experience is a soothing feeling that may help with anxiety. We briefly mentioned the ECS above, but it deserves a bit more attention because it has a hand in a lot of different areas. It is a group of receptors that help your body control things like mood and appetite. There are two main kinds of receptors in the ECS, they are CB1 and CB2. Research indicates that CB1 has a major hand in reducing anxiety. This also happens to be the ECS receptor that Delta 8 binds to the most. This means that D8 THC could help reduce anxiety.

Moreover, there is also a good chance that Delta 8 could provide pain-relieving effects. Just like with anxiety, there is research that indicates that the CB1 receptors in the ECS have a lot to do with how we perceive pain. One study looked at D8 THC and the effect on pain. This study found that D8 THC helped reduce inflammation and pain in the corneas of mice. There was another study that looked at how Delta 8 could affect mice with opioid dependencies, finding that D8 THC affected the ECS in a similar, but non-habit forming way. This means that Delta 8 could potentially provide relief to a lot of people.

But that’s more about Delta 8 in general than edibles, so let’s talk a little about how edibles will be different from most other D8 THC products. To start with, it will take longer for the Delta 8 in an edible to take effect. This is due to the fact that the food or drink needs to digest, at least a little before the D8 THC can be released. So, it can take up to a few hours for you to feel any effect from your edible. Due to this, you will need to take it slow. That is, don’t just start eating more if you don’t feel anything in half an hour. Wait at very least an hour before you take any more. That way, you don’t accidentally take too much.

Further, you should remember when taking edibles that the Delta 8 effect is much more drawn out. It will take a bit longer for all the D8 THC to get out of your system. This may mean that you’ll feel it for a while. This is important to remember because Delta 8 is likely to show up on most drug tests. Therefore, if you know that you will need to take a drug test in the not-too-distant future, it might be a good idea to stay away from the edibles for a while.

What kinds of Delta 8 edibles are out there?

Now that you have a more complete idea of the effects of D8 THC edibles, let’s take a look at some of the various kinds of edibles out there.

Gummies

Delta 8 gummies are often singled out because they are the most common kind of D8 THC edible out there. Moreover, they are also one of the popular, classic forms of Delta 8 edibles. After all, who doesn’t love the occasional gummy candy? You can find D8 THC gummies in just about any flavor you can think of. They tend to be a cheaper option and are usually vegan. What’s not to love?

Baked goods and other sweet treats

Baked goods are another relatively common Delta 8 edible that you can find. This includes pretty much any kind of dessert you can imagine. However, you’ll primarily find things like brownies, cookies, and crispy treats. Additionally, you can also find D8 THC treats like candy bars, caramels, tarts, and fudge. No matter what kind of sweet tooth you have, you can discover something to satiate it.

Savory snacks

If you’re not a sweets-lover, no worries. There’s still plenty of options for you! There are all kinds of savory options for edibles. They tend to include popcorn and chips. Basically, anything salty and delicious. These products are all packed with Delta 8 so that you can enjoy your D8 THC without any extra sugar in your diet.

Drinks

This is a particularly diverse group of Delta 8 edibles. Or should we call it D8 THC potables? There are a ton of different Delta 8 drinks out there. They are often sparkling waters and flavored seltzers, but you can also find teas and energy drinks. There are even some fruit juices that have D8 THC extract in them as well.

This is just a general list of what you may be able to find in the wide world of Delta 8 edibles. However, there’s a chance that none of these really spoke to you. That’s okay! You can always buy some D8 THC extract (like our water-soluble Delta 8 tincture) and make your own edibles. That way, you’ll always be able to find a flavor that you like in a concentration that works for you. Talk about a customized product!

How to figure out how much of a Delta 8 edible to take

If you’re an old hand at Delta 9 THC, you can probably skip this section. After all, Delta 8 THC and Delta 9 THC are so similar, you’ll likely be able to give one serving of an edible a try and wait a while to see how it sits with you. But if you’re new to the world of THC in general, you’ll probably want a little guidance. So, let’s get started.

The first thing to remember is, as we talked about above, Delta 8 edibles take their time to start working. The food or drink can’t release the D8 THC unless it’s digested a little. Drinks might work a bit faster than food, but it will still take some time. So, if you don’t feel any effects right away, be patient. It could take a little over an hour to really get going.

When giving a Delta 8 edible a try for the first time, start with a small amount. Generally, the serving size suggestions listed on the packaging are a good reference, but if you’re feeling at all unsure, try half of that. Then wait close to an hour. If you don’t feel anything, then you can try eating (or drinking) a bit more. You could potentially have the leftover half,  or a little less, your call. We all have different body chemistry, which means each person is going to have a different serving size of their edible. Some people may want two gummies. Other people may only need half a gummy to notice an effect.

If you’re making your own Delta 8 edibles, you need to be willing to experiment with the amount of D8 THC you use. Of course, you’ll want to start with a smaller amount and give that a try. If it’s not strong enough, then next time you can up the amount that you’re using a bit. When it comes to making your own edibles, you certainly have more flexibility, but it will also take more time to find the right amount of Delta 8 for you.

Due to the fact that the two compounds are so similar, it’s likely that the effects you may feel from taking too much Delta 9 THC will be really similar to what you would experience taking too much D8 THC. This, much like the good effects of these compounds, will vary from person to person. Some people may feel overly groggy, others may experience some paranoia. Neither of these is any fun, so you can see why you would do what you can to avoid them. That’s why it’s so imperative to dose your Delta 8 edibles nice and slow. It will take a bit of experimenting, but it will be worth it in the long run.

We here at DharmaD8 hope that you now have a better idea of what you can expect from Delta 8 edibles. There are a lot of different effects that you could experience while using a D8 THC edible. The thing about D8 THC is, it affects everyone a little differently. So, we can’t really say what a Delta 8 edible will be like for you. But what we can say is that we’ve got some great D8 THC edibles if you want to give some a try. We carry all kinds of Delta 8 sweet treats, from green apple gummies to crispy treats! You can check them out on the DharmaD8 shop page here! If you still have some questions, feel free to reach out to us. We’re here to help!  You are welcome to contact a member of the DharmaD8 team through our contact page or by emailing us at support@dharmad8.com. We look forward to hearing from you!