The New After Dinner Refreshment - Aiding Digestion With CBD Mints

Reading time – 15 minutes

Move aside, chocolate - there’s a new after-dinner refreshment on the block: CBD mints. CBD mints represent a fusion of two of nature’s greatest plants - the hemp plant and mint. There is truly no other plant-derived treat that can make you feel as fresh and new in minutes like a CBD mint can. And aside from making you feel fresher, there is even more impressive potential to be unearthed when it comes to CBD mints. So, let’s take a look at how these zingy treats can be useful as an after-dinner refreshment.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is known as a cannabinoid, which is a cannabis-derived compound. In addition to CBD, there are over 100 other cannabinoids that are naturally present in the cannabis plant family, each with its own properties and potential benefits. Some of the other cannabinoids include CBN, CBG, CBC, and one you’ll undoubtedly recognize: THC.

CBD and THC are the most abundant cannabinoids in cannabis and have been probed and tested for years on account of their various therapeutic benefits. While there are many differences between these two cannabinoids, the key difference is that THC will intoxicate a person when taken in strong enough doses; while CBD will not.

If you hadn’t previously heard of THC, you almost certainly would have heard of marijuana. Marijuana is a cannabis plant, and is packed with THC- hence its use for recreational purposes and its association with “hippie culture”. The hemp plant is another cannabis plant: this plant contains more CBD than THC, and is therefore used for producing CBD products and other commercial products.

What are CBD mints?

You might have concluded on your own by now that a CBD mint is simply the combination of cannabidiol and mint to form a seriously tasty suckable sweet.

Here at Amphora, our light and tingly CBD mints are sugar-free, which is good news for your teeth. They are circular and tablet-like, containing microdoses of CBD so that you can give your body a steady stream of cannabidiol. Furthermore, Amphora CBD mints use CBD isolate.

What is CBD isolate?

CBD isolate is one of the three types of CBD refinement, among broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD. The must-know defining traits of CBD isolate are as follows:

• CBD isolate is pure, highly concentrated cannabidiol.

• This CBD refinement contains no other cannabis constituents; that is, cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, or any other cannabis-derived compounds. All there is in CBD isolate is CBD.

• CBD isolate contains absolutely no THC.

• Isolate products are useful for those who are keen to reap the potential benefits of cannabidiol and no other cannabis constituent.

• Isolate products undergo the most purification and refinement processes out of any CBD refinement. This is so that all the other cannabis elements, particularly the THC, are banished from the batch. They may manifest as a powder or as an oil with a carrier oil.

The ECS

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a system we each possess in our bodies, made up of multiple components and designed to regulate various biological processes that go on in the body, with the overarching goal of maintaining balance - or homeostasis, to use its scientific name.

The reason that we mention the ECS is that CBD is believed to work and have its impact on us via this cell-signalling system. So, as we go on to explain how CBD may have an impact on us in various ways, take note that the way it is thought to do this is by corresponding with the ECS.

The ECS is made up of enzymes, endocannabinoids (compounds like cannabinoids, but made in the body) and cannabinoid (CB1 and CB2) receptors. Instead of binding to our receptors directly, CBD is thought to influence the way our endocannabinoids bind to our CB1 and CB2 receptors. It is also thought to mimic our endocannabinoids.

How do you take CBD mints & how do they work?

CBD mints are taken as any mint is taken. That being said, you should take care not to overdo it with the CBD mints, and take no more than 70 mg CBD worth of mints per day - a guideline given by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The way the cannabidiol makes its way into your system when you suck a CBD mint is via the sublingual gland. This is a gland beneath your tongue which takes the cannabidiol into the bloodstream on a pretty direct route. For this reason, sublingually consumed CBD has one of the highest bioavailability rates compared to other delivery systems in the body. The bioavailability (which refers to the quantity of a substance that can be used by your body at its biological destination) of sublingually-delivered cannabidiol is believed to be as high as 35%.

So, as you’re sucking away at a CBD mint, its contents are making their way into your bloodstream via the sublingual gland and walls of the mouth. And, because this is one of the most efficient ways to deliver CBD into the body, you may not be waiting very long at all before feeling the potential effects of the CBD.

CBD & Digestion

Before we delve into what the research says about CBD’s potential to supplement digestion, it is important to note that the studies we cite typically use large doses of CBD rather than microdoses, like those we use for our CBD mints. This means that the results from the studies we will mention would not necessarily be replicated after taking CBD mints.

One of the first things to note about CBD is that it is purported to be a potential anti-inflammatory. Studies time and again have commented on the potential for CBD to help combat symptoms of inflammation, including those associated with bowel issues, such as these two from 2011 and 2019.

Owing to its potential anti-inflammatory capacity, cannabidiol may also be able to alleviate pain stemming from inflammation in the gut. CBD holds the potential to affect the TRPV1 receptor (which regulates inflammation and pain).

On another note, according to one 2012 report, around 40–60% of IBS sufferers also deal with mental health disorders. As we will come to shortly, there is evidence to support the notion that mental health and gut health are connected. Fortunately, there is also evidence that CBD may alleviate symptoms of anxiety and other mental health afflictions. As such, getting a handle on mental health could also mean helping out your digestive health.

Stress can exacerbate IBS symptoms by causing intestinal permeability and what is known as “leaky gut”, leading to inflammation. Furthermore, stress may reduce intestinal blood flow. So, it may be worth considering CBD as a supplement for the root cause of your bowel issues if they coincide with mental health issues.

Mint & Digestion

Just like CBD, mint is a plant whose digestion-promoting credentials are well-documented both by word of mouth and in many scientific studies.

Research suggests that peppermint oil may serve as a natural and low-risk way to alleviate abdominal discomfort and help treat symptoms of IBS. Within peppermint oil, the active ingredients contain a compound called menthol, which is thought to be the compound responsible for helping to alleviate IBS symptoms. Specifically, menthol is thought to relax the muscles of the digestive tract, according to one study from 1991 and another from 2009.

A 2014 review of nine studies that looked at over 700 IBS sufferers found that taking peppermint oil capsules calmed IBS symptoms far more successfully than placebo capsules were able to. In addition, a double-blind placebo-controlled and randomized trial from 2007 found that 75% of the people who took peppermint oil for four weeks displayed improvements in their IBS symptoms, while only 38% of the patients in the placebo group showed improvements.

In terms of gastric emptying, studies such as one from 2007have indicated that food passes through the digestive system quicker when people take peppermint oil with meals. This could, in turn, relieve symptoms of indigestion. Moreover, a clinical study of people with indigestion showed that a combination of peppermint oil and caraway oil taken in capsules not only relieved symptoms of indigestion but helped improve symptoms of stomach pain and other digestive issues.

Other benefits of CBD mints

Freshen your breath

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of mint is its ability to freshen your breath. Sucking a CBD mint could be the perfect solution after a garlic-heavy meal, or simply to give your mouth that fresh feel and introduce a crisp, ‘clean’ flavour after a big dinner.

CBD mints have the potential, like other mints, to mask bad breath odours, though they won’t kill or reduce the bacteria that caused them, or interfere with other compounds behind bad breath. In fact, the only thing that can do that is peppermint tea and chewing on fresh peppermint leaves, due to the alleged antibacterial effects of peppermint oil. With this in mind, do not use CBD mints to replace proper practices of oral hygiene, such as brushing your teeth. Rather, use them in conjunction with a healthy and full dental health routine.

Relax & prepare for bed

You may have previously experienced a feeling of complete zen after finishing a cup of mint tea and wondered why this was; that’s because peppermint has been linked to muscle relaxation. While CBD mints on their own are unlikely to relax your muscles, they could certainly be an agent of overall relaxation right before bed.

According to one rodent study from 2012, peppermint oil extended the time that mice spent sleeping after being given a sedative. However, a contradictory study  found that menthol did not have a sedative effect. This suggests that the best place for CBD mints may be as a supplement in conjunction with other relaxing habits, such as soaking in the bath or reading for 10 minutes before bed.

As for CBD, this cannabis constituent has been widely cited to potentially help you sleep and provide a generally relaxed sensation to body and mind. Preliminary research into this plant compound suggests that cannabidiol may deal with many symptoms pertaining to various sleep disorders. It is thought to do this via a number of pathways, such as by possibly increasing adenosine levels (a neurochemical that is important for sleep) and lowering cortisol, our primary stress hormone. The impact cannabidiol may have on cortisol levels also makes it a worthy supplement for stress and anxiety symptoms.

It should be noted that the feeling of relaxation that CBD may bring is not  a “high”, as one would feel in consuming recreational marijuana.

Energize

On the other side of the coin, many preliminary studies note that both mint and CBD may energise you. The two plants combined, then, could just be the wake-promoting agent you never knew you needed.

In one 2018 study, 24 healthy young participants reported experiencing less fatigue when given peppermint capsules during a cognitive test. Another preliminary study demonstrated that peppermint oil-based aromatherapy was able to reduce the occurrence of daytime sleepiness.

Equally, CBD purportedly displayed wake-promoting and alertness-boosting potential in two studies, one in 2004 and another in 2014.

In summary, CBD mints may just give you that second wind after a food coma hits! Still, in order to maximize focus and energy, it's important to carry out healthy habits, such as getting enough sleep, limiting your caffeine intake, eliminating distractions, and fueling your body with healthy foods and exercise.

Alternative ways to aid digestion

There are a huge number of measures you can take to facilitate healthy digestion - the most obvious of which include things like eating healthy, fibrous foods, and not having your dinner too late into the night. Here are some additional tips that you may not have thought of when it comes to promoting digestion and preventing digestive issues:

Exercise regularly

Yet again, exercise proves itself to be a practice that serves us in so many ways. Ample studies show that regular exercise can help regulate bowel movements, regulate processes of digestion, and even alleviate inflammation (a common cause of pain).

To better your chances against any problems with your gut, then, it’s important you make time for physical activity, whether that’s brisk walking, jogging, jump rope, or swimming - your gut (and not to mention several other aspects of your health) will thank you for it!

Be present for your meals

Studies have shown that mindfulness may be useful for those who suffer from digestive symptoms.

Essentially, it's important to centre your mind as you eat; otherwise, you may eat it too fast and risk bloating, indigestion and gas. So: eat slowly, chew your food, pop your phone down and turn off surrounding distractions, including your laptop or TV, to be fully mindful while you eat a meal.

Manage your stress

Something we alluded to earlier is that many issues affecting the gut are psychosomatic. That means they are caused or triggered by things affecting your mental health. Since your gut and brain are connected, it's thus no surprise that what affects your brain may also have an impact on your digestion - a sentiment that is echoed throughout research, such as from 2014. Indeed, stress has been linked to stomach ulcers, diarrhoea, constipation and IBS symptoms, according to two reports from 2014 and one from 2015.

Given all of this, it is of the utmost importance to find ways to manage your stress because, among all the damage it can do to you, is the potential for it to harm your digestive health. Great practices for managing stress include exercise, mindfulness and meditation, yoga, journaling, and arts and crafts (and of course you can always have a CBD mint while you enjoy these activities!).

Hydrate

A low fluid intake can be a common cause of constipation; that’s why experts recommend drinking 1.5-2 litres of water per day - perhaps even more if you live in a hot country or partake in strenuous physical activity.

So, drink up if you want to help your digestive system function as best it can!

Alternative ways to take CBD

While they serve as a great option, CBD mints are not the only way to get this promising plant-derived compound into your system. Here at Amphora, we offer several ways to do that.

• Vaping- As part of our vaping collection, we offer everything from vape oils to complete kits, including pens, batteries, and cartridges. Our main themes are Peace, ZZZ, Mend and Inspire, meaning there is a vape oil for however you may be feeling or whatever your body may need. Our vape oils use CBD Distillate and plant-sourced terpenes. What’s more, there are no harmful additives and absolutely no THC, for a perfectly clean and responsible CBD experience. Vaping is a great option for those who want to feel the potential effects of CBD thick and fast.

• Topicals -CBD topicals, of which we offer a few different kinds, are another great way of getting your CBD fix, but in an entirely different way to non-topical CBD formats. Although they will not get into your bloodstream like inhaled or sublingually-consumed CBD, they will still be able to have their impact on your outer body and potentially work with your joints and muscles. The potential benefits of CBD are numerous when applied to your skin, whether you are trying to address dark circles, uneven skin tone, inflammation symptoms or general marks and blemishes on your skin. CBD skincare may just help you restore your skin to how you want it.

• Tinctures - Our range of CBD tinctures is extensive and will accommodate your needs. With exciting flavours such as Lovely Lemon and Very Berry and Effects-based such as Inspire, Mend, Peace and ZZZ, you may feel revitalized or target your wellness goals by taking some drops of our CBD drop tinctures. Coming in concentrations from 500 mg to 6000 mg, our tinctures cater to the whole spectrum of CBD users, from novices to long-time users.

Having perspective

We have cited a great deal of relevant research, but it's equally important to maintain perspective around CBD mints. So, do take the following points on board:

• CBD mints will not cure, prevent or treat any kind of illness,despite what you may believe or may have interpreted from research into CBD or mint.

• CBD mints only contain microdoses of CBD. Unlike the research we’ve shown you, our CBD mints only contain small amounts of cannabidiol, meaning the results produced both by mint studies and CBD studies may not be replicated by merely sucking a CBD mint. Because the doses of cannabidiol in our CBD mints arejust microdoses, don’t expect any profound impact on your body. Our mints are designed to be just as normal mints are, but with the added potential effects and benefits that CBD may offer.

• It’s highly unlikely that CBD mints would cause an adverse reaction, given the small amounts of CBD they contain. In case they did cause a reaction, however, seek medical attention if you are concerned. Some possible adverse reactions to CBD include diarrhoea, drowsiness, lightheadedness, dizziness, changes in appetite, changes in weight and fatigue.

• If you do find that CBD makes you feel slightly drowsy, it is important that you do not driveuntil you feel awake and alert.

• When looking at other CBD formats, do check for a third-party lab test certificate. Here at Amphora, we take pride in our commitment to producing high-quality and safe products. For this reason, we have our lab test certificates available to view by anyone over on our website.

Concluding thoughts

We’re sure you don’t need our encourage-mint to go and enjoy some CBD mints (or to forgive us for that pun), but we do hope that after reading this post, you’re a little more clued up on all their potential benefits, especially for digestion. CBD mints could also make a great, unique gift to bring to a dinner party, and will definitely get the conversation flowing about this magnificent cannabis-derived compound.