What is the process of decarboxylation or decarbing cannabis? Learn about the active elements of cannabis.
When you’ve ever thought about how to decarb wax; have you been aware that the cannabis plant in its natural form is not psychoactive? As it naturally grows, there is no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive element of weed, in the cannabis plant.
It is only when it is heated, during a process of decarboxylation that it becomes ‘active’. Heating converts inactive THCA into active THC. Get this bit right and you’re on your way to ‘how to decarb wax’.
But, what if you are not going to burn your weed to get high? You will have to carry out a separate process of decarb by putting your weed in the oven; even before you use it in cannabis edibles.
How does this work? Well, the heat removes carboxyl from the THCA which then transforms into psychoactive THC. The same process is carried from CBDA to CBD.
What’s Best; Decarbed to Raw Weed?
You want to use decarbed cannabis to get the benefits of THC and CBD. However, there are benefits also from the non-active THCA and CBDA. These both have anti-inflammatory properties that can be of benefit for medical purposes.
To enjoy these benefits you need to take your weed directly from the fresh plant. Do not dry or cure them and, if you want to store them for a few days, you can put them in a fridge. You should not refrigerate them for more than a few days, however. So, it is best to mix it up as a smoothie or tea. If you are going to mix it with a tea or hot drink, be careful as decarbing can occur with the high temperature.
As well as THCA and CBDA, raw weed contains terpenes and phytonutrients which are both healthy and provide non-psychoactive benefits. Because of this, they can be used in treating illnesses or ailments in children.
In its raw form, cannabis contains hundreds of non-psychoactive cannabinoids, the most abundant of which is THCA. For this reason, many people prefer actual cannabis to synthetic THC in some medications. These tend to have just delta 8 THC, without the other beneficial elements of fresh weed.
Decarbing not only activates THCA to THC; it also transforms CBDA into CBD and carries out a similar process with other cannabinoids.
What Temperature Does Decarboxylation Take Place In An Oven?
The required temperature for decarbing in an oven depends upon the time you want to spend on the process. It also depends on what sort of flavour you want from your decarbed weed.
Decarbing at lower temperatures for a longer time will preserve terpenes, making your weed smell and taste better.
A common method of decarbing is as follows:
- Preheat your oven to 220 – 300F
- Break up your weed into small pieces
- Spread the pieces onto a baking tray
- Heat for 30-60 minutes
- Remove tray from the oven
- Allow to cool
- Grind by hand; with a grinder; or food processor.
Your decarbed weed should now be coarsely ground, but not to a powder. You can now use your THC-laden weed through a variety of consumption methods.
