To an outsider, it might be easy to assume that weed edibles are pretty much limited to pot brownies and cookies. But the reality is way more complex. In fact, edibles represent an entirely unique and massive galaxy within the universe of cannabis. Brownies and cookies might be the classics, but there are actually tons and tons of different types of edibles out there. Each different type of edible has its own different characteristics and uses. Here are the best types of weed edibles.

Covering the Basics: What Is An Edible?

Before we get into specific types of edibles, let’s define what we’re talking about more generally. For the sake of this article, we’re defining an edible as any form of cannabis that is absorbed through gastrointestinal uptake, oral uptake, or a combination of the two.

These methods of absorption are different from what happens when you smoke or vape. When you smoke or vape weed, the cannabinoids are absorbed into your body through your lungs.

But when you consume an edible, the cannabinoids find their way into your bloodstream either through your mouth and tongue or through your gastrointestinal system. This means that the different types of edibles actually include drinks, lozenges, tinctures, solid foods, and other substances.

In order to be effective, any type of edible must first be decarboxylated. This is the process through which heat is applied to cannabis plant material in order to “activate” the THC. Really what’s happening when you heat weed is that the more or less inert compound THCA is converted into psychoactive THC. So, in order for an edible to do its job, the weed in it must at some point be decarboxylated.

Food

This is the most well-known type of weed edible. For many folks, it also remains the best type of weed edible. Cannabis-infused foods can take virtually any shape or form, from brownies and cookies to pizza sauce, to candy, to potato chips, and on and on.

The foundation of a food edible is some sort of fat that’s been infused with THC. It turns out that THC binds to a number of different fats, which means that things like butter, coconut oil, and other similar fatty substances can easily be used to pull cannabinoids out of weed. The infused fats can then be used in cooking or baking, thereby adding a dose of THC to whatever you bake.

This type of edible can be incredibly potent. Food can also be a little bit tricky to dose accurately. In general, it takes longer for your high to set in when the THC is metabolized through your stomach, so be patient and give it time.

In general, food is one of the best types of edibles because it’s so diverse and versatile. If you’ve got some THC-infused butter or oil, you can turn pretty much any recipe into an edible.

Drinks

Beverages have been growing in popularity, as more and more legal weed companies start making THC-infused drinks. These include coffee, tea, sodas, and more.

As with regular foods, drinkable edibles must incorporate decarboxylated cannabis in some way. Drinkable edibles are designed to metabolize primarily through your stomach and can be just as potent as regular food edibles.

Similarly, if you consume a drinkable edible, be patient and give it time to set in. If you don’t feel the high right away, don’t keep drinking and drinking, otherwise, when it does hit, you might suddenly find yourself way higher than you intended.

Tinctures

Tinctures are potent, alcohol-based cannabis extracts. They’re considered edibles because they are designed to be absorbed through your mouth and tongue.

Typically, when you use a tincture, you’ll place a few drops of the liquid beneath your tongue. Hold it there for a little while to give it time to soak in orally.

From there, the cannabinoids in the tincture enter the bloodstream to start producing effects. Tinctures have been around for a very long time, but haven’t been all that popular compared to other different types of edibles.

Recently, however, they’re seeing a bit of a comeback in the legal weed scene. Tinctures can be a great option for folks who want a lot of control over their dosage or those who want a very discreet means of medicating.

Dissolvable Cannabinoid Powder

Dissolvable cannabinoid powders are an interesting, relatively new type of edible. They don’t really have any taste or smell, which is great for people who either don’t like how weed tastes.

Beyond that, cannabinoid powders are incredibly versatile. Because they’re dissolvable, you can use cannabinoid powder to turn pretty much anything into an edible. Powders are particularly perfect for beverages. Try mixing them into your favorite tea or juice. You can add them to a smoothie or a protein shake for a little extra kick.

Similarly, you can also cook or bake with cannabinoid powders. This gives you the freedom to easily add a little THC to your favorite recipe, effectively transforming anything into an edible.

The process for making dissolvable cannabis powder is unique in the world of edibles. That’s because THC and other cannabinoids are naturally not very good at dissolving into water. So the process of making dissolvable cannabinoid powders involves somehow overcoming weed’s natural “hydrophobia.”

To do this, cannabis companies have figured out how to emulsify decarboxylated cannabis distillate, essentially forcing it to blend into a liquid. After the distillate has been emulsified and bonded with the liquid, it is then carefully dehydrated. The final product is a powder that can be dissolved back into liquid.

Cannabis Capsules

We included cannabis capsules on this list because they are metabolized in your gut, rather than inhaled into your lungs. The biggest plus to using cannabis capsules is that they are very discreet and low key. You take them just like any ordinary pill.

Cannabis capsules are good in these specific circumstances, but if you’re looking to use any of the different types of edibles recreationally, there’s not a whole lot of fun appeal involved in taking cannabis capsules.

Final Hit: The Best Types of Weed Edibles

As you can see, there’s more to the world of edibles than first meets the eye. In general, all of the different types of edibles are a potent form of cannabis, capable of delivering strong doses for both medical and recreational uses.

But probably the best thing about edibles is their versatility. All of the different types of edibles are under-the-radar and easy to take with you on the go. You can eat or drink them wherever you are and odds are that nobody will know that you just consumed cannabis.

The versatility of edibles also gives you a lot of room to experiment and have fun. If you’re into DIY projects, try making your own cannabutter or cannabis-infused coconut oil. You can then use them to bake your own edibles.

Or, as described above, grab some dissolvable cannabinoid powder and mix it into a smoothie. If you can imagine it, you can probably turn it into an edible.