What Happens If You Eat Raw Weed?

Eating raw weed won't get you high — but it can still do your body some good. Raw cannabis contains THCA instead of psychoactive THC, so chewing fresh leaves or buds produces no high at all; what you get instead is a surprising load of beneficial phytochemicals. Often pigeonholed for the psychoactive effects it delivers when smoked or cooked into edibles, cannabis is actually a superfood in its own right — and in this article, we'll explore the benefits of eating it raw, along with some important things to keep in mind.

Raw Weed: A Forgotten Superfood

Most people associate cannabis with its psychoactive effects, but in its raw state, it's technically a vegetable. Its fresh leaves and flowers contain a range of healthy molecules, including protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Chewing on cannabis leaves and buds might sound odd, but there are creative ways to work it into your diet.

Benefits of Eating Raw Weed

1. Cannabinoid Acids: Raw cannabis contains cannabinoid acids rather than the familiar cannabinoids like THC and CBD. These acids come with unique benefits of their own. Non-psychoactive THCA, for example, has been linked to reduced inflammation, relief from stomach pain and the inhibition of cancer cell growth.

2. Terpenes: Terpenes are responsible for cannabis's signature aroma and also shape its effects through the entourage effect. Raw cannabis is loaded with terpenes in their natural state, which may boost your overall sense of well-being.

3. Flavonoids: Flavonoids tend to get overlooked, but they offer health benefits of their own, including antioxidant effects and possibly improved cardiovascular health. Raw cannabis contains a wide variety of flavonoids — part of what makes it such a surprising superfood.

Raw Weed vs. Psychoactive THC

Here's the key thing to understand: raw cannabis contains no psychoactive THC, because THC only forms during decarboxylation, a process triggered by heat. So eating raw weed will not get you high or produce any psychoactive effects.

Possible Downsides

1. Potentially Harmful Bacteria: Raw cannabis leaves can carry harmful bacteria if they're not handled properly. Make sure your raw cannabis comes from a trusted source and is free of contaminants.

2. Pesticides: Some growers use chemical pesticides on their crops, which can leave residues on the leaves and flowers. Confirm that your raw cannabis hasn't been treated with harmful chemicals.

Ways to Eat It

There are several creative ways to consume raw cannabis:

1. Smoothies: Tossing raw cannabis leaves and flowers into your smoothies is an excellent way to take in cannabinoid acids and terpenes.

2. Juicing: Juicing is an efficient way to concentrate the phytochemicals in raw cannabis. You can drink the juice on its own or blend it with other ingredients.

3. Salads: Finely chop raw cannabis leaves and toss them into your salads for a one-of-a-kind twist.

4. Hemp Seeds and Hemp Seed Oil: Beyond the leaves and flowers, hemp seeds and hemp seed oil are an excellent way to tap into cannabis's nutritional benefits.

Bottom line: eating raw weed can be an interesting and genuinely beneficial experience. It won't get you high the way smoking or cooking it does, but it offers a range of nutritional and therapeutic perks. Get your raw cannabis from a trusted source and find creative ways to fold it into your diet so you can make the most of its unique benefits.

What Happens If You Chew Weed?

When someone chews raw cannabis instead of smoking it or eating it in processed edibles, the results are very different because of how the body handles cannabinoids in their raw form.

Raw cannabis contains cannabinoid acids such as THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) and CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) rather than the psychoactive cannabinoids THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) found in heat-activated cannabis. These cannabinoid acids are not psychoactive in their raw form, which means they won't get you high or make you feel "stoned" or euphoric the way smoking does.

Chewing raw weed can have a few effects, mostly tied to the cannabinoid acids and other compounds present in the plant:

1. Potential Benefits: Cannabinoid acids like THCA and CBDA have been linked to anti-inflammatory properties and other potential health benefits. Eating raw cannabis could deliver those benefits without THC's psychoactive effect.
2. Unpleasant Taste: Raw cannabis generally tastes very bitter and earthy, which can make eating it a less-than-pleasant experience for some people.
3. Digestive Discomfort: Eating raw cannabis can cause stomach upset in some people due to its fibrous nature and harsh taste.
4. No Psychoactive Effect: Worth repeating: in its raw form, cannabis won't make you feel "high" or euphoric. If you're after the classic psychoactive effects, the plant needs to be decarboxylated with heat before you consume it — which is exactly what happens when you smoke it or cook it into edibles.