The most common complaint that we hear about CBD oil is the taste of the unflavored sublingual drops. Some people actually like the very “earthy” taste of hemp that is common with full spectrum CBD tinctures. But many people find the taste to be unbearable and wonder how they can mask the taste of CBD oil.
There are definitely some things that you can do to improve the taste of your CBD oil drops. The purpose of this article is to pass along some of the ideas that we’ve heard from users in our Facebook group.
Before we give you some ideas about how to mask the taste, let’s quickly review the golden rule of taking CBD oil drops. It’s important that you place the drops under your tongue and hold the liquid there for at least 60-90 seconds before swallowing.
This allows the CBD to absorb sublingually into your blood stream. Allowing enough time for the drops to absorb under your tongue increases bioavailability and can significantly improve the effectiveness of the product.
Top 5 Suggestions to Mask the Taste of CBD Oil Drops
1. Drop an Altoid, Tic Tac or other flavored mint under your tongue with the drops. The taste of the mint will usually overwhelm the taste of the hemp extract and make it much more bearable for you.
2. Eat a little peanut butter both before and after taking the drops. The sweet, nutty taste of the peanut butter will make the CBD oil drops taste better as you hold them under your tongue.
3. Put a couple drops of honey under your tongue with the drops. Honey is often used to add flavor and texture to food dishes. It can also be effective when combined with CBD oil to improve the taste.
4. Brush your teeth or chew a strongly-flavored gum right before you take the drops. Toothpaste and gum leave a residual flavor in your mouth that can offset the taste of CBD oil drops.
5. Add a couple drops of peppermint extract to your bottle. The fresh sharp odor and taste of the menthol in peppermint can help mask the taste of the hemp extract. You don’t need to add much to effectively make your own peppermint-flavored drops. By adding it to your bottle, you don’t have to flavor your drops with each dose.
Other Ideas if You Don’t Like the Taste of Your CBD Oil
If you want to stick with the same brand that you’ve been using, you can try a different product type. Most major brands also offer CBD capsules, gummies and topicals in addition to sublingual drops. These other ways of taking CBD may not be as cost-effective as the tinctures and you may need to experiment with dosage. But there are other ways of taking CBD that may work equally as well for you.
If you’re open to the idea of changing brands, there are several top CBD brands that sell flavored CBD tinctures. For example, Fab CBD offers full spectrum drops in 4 flavors (mint, citrus, berry and vanilla). The flavored tinctures from Fab have received high marks from users for both taste and effectiveness.
You can consider switching from full spectrum drops to a broad spectrum product. Broad spectrum tinctures such as those from cbdMD and Medterra have much less of a “hempy” taste and are available in multiple flavors. Broad spectrum products work as well as full spectrum for some, but not all, users.
If you want to finish your current bottle of CBD oil drops, you can use it to make your own CBD capsules. You can buy empty capsules and fill them yourself with the liquid. You’ll get a lower absorption rate by swallowing it in capsule form. But this is a good option if you just can’t take them sublingually.
Can I Add CBD Oil Drops To Coffee or Other Drinks?
Adding CBD oil drops to coffee, juice or another beverage will effectively mask the taste but it’s not recommended. When taken orally rather than sublingually, the CBD will have to go through your digestive system. This pass greatly reduces the amount of CBD that is absorbed into your system.
You CAN do this but you’ll likely find that you have to use more of the product for the same effectiveness as taking it sublingually.
Why Does CBD Oil Taste Bad?
Most of the complaints about the bad taste of CBD oil come from those who are using full spectrum drops. The full spectrum hemp extract includes all of the naturally-occurring cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids and cannaflavins from the source hemp plant.
While some may not find the taste to their liking, the strong “earthy” or “grassy” taste is actually a sign of a high-quality product.
What’s Your Favorite Way To Mask The Taste of CBD oil?
If you’ve come up with an idea to mask the taste of CBD oil, please share it with us and others in the comments below.
20 Responses
Really strong cough drops! Vicks Vapo Cool for sure!
I use milk and it works great.
I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety and I heard that CBD oil is one of the best remedies for this. Although I heard that it kind of taste bad. It’s a great thing that you suggested to eat some peanut butter both before and after taking the drops.
Very good suggestions. I like the chocolate idea!
I actually love the taste and smell of hemp!
I hold my oil under my tongue for 2 minutes. Swallow with a swig of maalox. 💕
I add a drop of metabolic essential oil blend. It totally masks the awful taste!
Need to add Lazarus wintermint! It tastes great and is an outstanding value.
Did you try the strawberry flavored Highland Pharms CBD? I am very interested in this but would like to know more about the flavoring before spending any money on it.
I added a few drops of vanilla flavoring to the bottle. The taste is better, but the aftertaste remains.
I love that idea!
Kat’s Baturals Balance is full spectrum and peppermint. Not bad tasting.
I put a small piece of high quality dark chocolate on my tongue after putting drops under the tongue. One quarter to one half on the square is enough. Keeps my mind focused on the flavor and mouth feel of the melting chocolate so I can go the 60 to 90 seconds without swallowing the CBD!
I added a drop of cinnamon oil to my bottle of CBD oil and it sure helps!
Put a packet of Truvia or Splenda under your tongue, then add the CBD sublingual oil. The sweetener counteracts the taste and it makes CBD stay under your tongue. The CBD often leaks to other parts of my mouth. The sweetener holds the CBD in place.
Do you add the peppermint extract directly into the bottle or under your tongue with the drops?
Most people add flavored extract to the bottle itself. If you do, just be sure to take that into account when dosing.
Thank you I am going to try that !
I follow up with Junior Mints or a Peppermint Patty. Sweet, thick, and gooey!
I eat a square of Hershey’s chocolate after I’ve swallowed my oil. I can’t stress enough how important to keep it in your mouth for at least 90 seconds, without swallowing. I try to keep mine there for a few minutes. Then I get my chocolate reward !