Cannabis can be eaten or juiced raw, making a “super-green” food, high in chlorophyll, oxygen, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and cannabinoids. It is thought that raw cannabis has medicinal activity due to the presence of cannabinoid-acids, non-psychoactive precursor molecules found in the living plant. These precursors are unstable upon harvesting. Drying or light exposure causes them to turn into the more well known cannabinoids. When the raw material is heated it becomes decarboxylated, giving the cannabinoids different properties. For example THCa, the raw unprocessed form on THC, is not psychoactive in any way, but when heated it converts to THC, a very psychoactive compound. It is problematic to eat raw, due to the stalactites that may irritate the mouth, throat, and stomach. The flowering tips are usually full of a sticky resin which sticks to the mouth if chewed. One can avoid these problems by eating tender young leaves right off the plant or more commonly juicing leaves and buds.
Raw delivery requires a daily, plentiful, fresh source of cannabis, limited by the growing season and access to fresh plants. Cannabis is easily absorbed through the intestinal tract into the bloodstream, without any necessary conversions that non-acidic forms require.
Benefits
- superfood, high in chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals
- rapid onset in 15 minutes
- success with chronic disease
- no health risk
- moderately long-acting: 6-8 hours
- food as medicine
Risks
- may cause stomach irritation
- can have mold or other contaminants, such as pesticides
- cost for equipment if juicing
- much daily preparation time, cannot store it
- requires large fresh plant supply, hard to find
