Many people wonder whether hemp tea is safe — or legal — to drink, given that hemp comes from the same plant as cannabis.
Hemp tea is well-known for its potential calming effects on the heart and mind.
Many people who use other hemp products or incorporate other hemp foods into their diet also enjoy sipping on a mug of warm hemp tea.
This article examines what hemp tea is, including its uses, benefits, and potential downsides, as well as whether you need to be concerned about psychoactive (high-inducing) compounds.
Share on PinterestCatherine Falls Commercial/Getty ImagesWhat is hemp tea?
Hemp comes from the Cannabis sativa plant, and different parts are used to make a variety of culinary and personal care products.
For instance, you may have eaten hemp seeds or used a hemp-based soap before. The plant may also be used to make hemp tea, which many people enjoy for its calming effects.
Hemp tea is similar to any other herbal tea in that dry hemp is steeped in boiling water to make it. It can be made with either dry hemp leaves or flower buds, though sometimes people will add seeds or even parts of the root as well. Strain out the solids to leave a flavorful liquid behind.
The resulting tea has a greenish-brown color and is described as having a slightly bitter or earthy flavor. Some people like to add flavoring or sweetening agents to their hemp tea, like lemon, honey, or sugar.
Does hemp tea contain THC?
One of the most common questions many people have about hemp tea is whether it contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
THC is the main psychoactive cannabinoid in the Cannabis plant, which is where both hemp and weed come from. THC is what makes people high after smoking or ingesting weed.
Sometimes hemp is confused with cannabis, but they aren’t the same thing.
Hemp and cannabis are both rich in cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that is often used to reduce anxiety, alleviate pain, and help improve certain markers of heart health.
While hemp can contain trace amounts of THC, weed contains significantly more. The amount of THC in hemp is not enough to promote psychoactive effects or get you high. More specifically, hemp is required to contain no more than 0.3% THC.
Because of this, hemp is grown for recreational and herbal healing purposes, such as for making teas or including in other culinary and personal care uses.
Nonetheless, it’s important to know that products marketed as hemp tea are not regulated nor tested for THC content.
Uses and potential health benefits of hemp tea
Hemp tea is primarily used to help bring calmness to the mind and body. Its ability to promote relaxation is largely due to the non-psychoactive CBD and other bioactive compounds it contains.
Hemp tea — unlike some other types of tea — doesn’t contain caffeine. That means it’s not going to give you the jitters or keep you up at night like a highly-caffeinated beverage could.
However, remember that hemp tea likely contains much smaller amounts of CBD than the amounts researched in studies analyzing CBD’s effects. Drinking hemp tea alone may not produce strong effects.
CBD has been studied for its potential to offer the following benefits:
- May help promote sleep: CBD can help calm the brain and may be used to induce more restful sleep patterns. In fact, some studies have found that CBD may improve sleep quality among people with conditions affecting the brain, such as Parkinson’s disease.
- May help reduce anxiety: The CBD in hemp may help improve symptoms of anxiety. In one study, participants were given either a 150 mg, 300 mg, or 600 mg dose of CBD prior to public speaking. Those who received the 300 mg dose experienced the most significant benefit for reducing anxiety, compared with the other doses as well as placebo (a treatment that contained no CBD). Most hemp tea probably contains much less CBD than the amounts sampled in the study, however.
- May alleviate chronic pain: There is modest evidence that CBD can help reduce pain. Some studies suggest that the use of CBD may even help lower the need for medically-prescribed opioids in some instances. The amounts of CBD in hemp tea are not likely to produce effects that strong, though.
- May help support heart health: CBD and other compounds in hemp, like terpenes, may help reduce high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. They may also have anti-inflammatory activity, which can benefit the heart.
Potential downsides and side effects of hemp tea
Hemp and CBD are largely considered safe with low risk for serious side effects. However, some studies have reported side effects like diarrhea, tiredness, or unintentional changes in appetite among participants consuming CBD.
You should avoid hemp tea if you’re taking certain medications, as it may interfere with them.
For instance, heart failure medications like digoxin can be used to improve heartbeat strength but slow down overall heart rate. Hemp may further slow your heart rate, which could become dangerous for someone on these medications.
Additionally, since hemp may reduce potassium levels, you should avoid it if you’re using diuretics, which can also promote potassium losses. Diuretics like furosemide reduce the amount of fluid in the body.
CBD may also interact with medications used to manage seizures and electrical activity in the brain, like clobazam, which is used for epilepsy.
Furthermore, CBD may interfere with certain antidepressants and pain medications.
It’s always best to speak with a healthcare professional before adding hemp tea or other sources of CBD to your diet or health routine. They can help identify potential risks for interaction or let you know if there are other reasons that it may be best for you to avoid these products.
Where to buy hemp tea
Hemp tea is becoming more widely available. Pre-made hemp tea bags or dried hemp leaves or buds are available to purchase and prepare your own tea using fillable tea bags.
Both of these options can be found at many online retailers. There are also specialty stores that will sell the exact ingredients you need.
At some grocery stores, you can find hemp tea near the other herbal teas and coffees.
The bottom line
Hemp tea is a beverage made by steeping dried hemp leaves or flower buds in boiling water, in a method similar to preparing other herbal teas. Hemp tea is naturally caffeine-free and rich in beneficial non-psychoactive cannabinoids like CBD.
Hemp is required to contain no more than trace amounts of THC, so it won’t make you high and is unlikely to cause a positive drug test when consumed in moderation.
Many people enjoy preparing their own hemp tea at home, but hemp tea bags can also be purchased from online retailers and many grocery stores.
Due to its CBD content, hemp tea may have a calming effect and may offer benefits for anxiety, heart health, sleep, and possibly chronic pain.
More controlled human research is needed to determine whether the relatively small amounts of CBD — like those present in hemp tea — can produce measurable health effects.
While CBD and hemp are generally considered safe, they can interact with a number of medications. It’s best to speak with a healthcare professional before adding hemp tea to your health routine.
Is CBD legal? The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3 percent THC federally legal. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3 percent THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them federally illegal but legal under some state laws. Be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.
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