You already know eating and inhaling cannabis provides a number of health benefits, but did you know you could be drinking it too?

ganja tea is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet. It is loaded with vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.

People drink it for alleviating everything from morning sickness to stress.

Now, modern research has given us a much better idea of how it can improve our health.

Here are 7 incredible cannabis tea health benefits, plus a recipe you can try out.

1) Ganja Tea Reduces Chronic Pain

Do you suffer from chronic pain?

Evidence suggests drinking cannabis could help.

Here’s why:

Cannabinoids, compounds in cannabis like THC and CBD, have pain-fighting properties.

When you ingest a cannabis drink, the active ingredients in the plant are absorbed through the digestive track and liver.

Typically, it takes about 30-90 minutes for the tea to take effect.

Why is this important?

The pain relief is ongoing.

Similar to edibles, you’ll normally feel the effects for around 4-8 hours, but it could take as long as two hours before you notice onset of effects.

Because of the slow acting, but long-lasting effects, cannabis-infused tea can be particularly helpful for chronic conditions like cancer, AIDS, MS, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Instead of dosing several times throughout the day, one cup of tea provides extended pain relief.

BONUS TIP: For maximum cannabinoid absorption, consider drinking special tea with along with a fat source. This will help your body to better metabolize the cannabinoids.

2) Relieves Anxiety and Depression

Next to stress, anxiety and depression are among the most common ailments people experience.

Globally, it is estimated that 350 million people suffer from depression. And one out of every thirteen people worldwide is affected by anxiety.

In fact, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States.

But with if cannabis could help?

Specifically infusing this medicinal herb into tea form has a number of healing qualities that could offer relief.

Studies show that cannabis contains powerful neuroprotective properties and plays a major role in regulating emotional behavior.

These effects can be explained in part by the numerous components of cannabis.

Cannabis contains antioxidants that help repair cells and protect DNA from damage. It also happens to be a potent anti-inflammatory, which can help with brain swelling.

That’s not all…

Brain inflammation is a leading cause of depression and anxiety.

By reducing inflammation, cannabis helps the brain to heal itself and overcome damage from stress.

Bottom line?

Cannabis is not a cure-all for depression or anxiety. We need more research to make any definitive claims.

However, we do know that cannabis can have a positive impact.

And what better way to medicate than with a relaxing cup of tea?

Not only is the process itself soothing but the beverage is loaded with healing properties for your mental health.

3) Improves Lung Health

Did you know cannabis actually enhances rather than inhibits lung functioning?

Unlike tobacco, cannabis acts as a bronchodilator rather than a bronchoconstrictor.

In other words, cannabis actually decreases resistance in the respiratory tract and increases airflow.

And it gets better…

Cannabis could even help treat lung cancer.

Researchers from Harvard University found that THC reduces tumor growth in lung cancer by 50 percent. In fact, THC also significantly reduced the ability of cancer to spread.

Cannabis tea offers an alternative to people who wish to experience the benefits of cannabis without smoking it.

If you have a respiratory ailment, this can be especially beneficial.

4) Supports Heart Health

You probably know that regular exercise and a healthy diet prevent many forms of heart disease.

But did you know it might be time to add cannabis to the mix?

According to a study published in the journal Pharmacological Research, cannabinoids lower blood pressure and improve circulation in human tissue.

Essentially, the compounds in cannabis open the arteries by causing them to relax and widen.

Why is this significant?

High blood pressure and blocked arteries are known to cause heart attacks and heart disease.

Cannabis could help change this.

Now, we’re not saying you should start lighting up to decrease your blood pressure. Smoking cannabis has been known to raise a person’s heart rate initially.

However, drinking it in tea form could help.

The effects are gentle and mild as long as you don’t over-consume.

How much should you be drinking?

We recommend starting off with a single serving, about one glass. Monitor your body’s response and wait at least 2 hours before consuming more.

Gradually increase your dosage if necessary.

BONUS TIP: Want to make your own infused beverage? Scroll down for an easy cannabis tea recipe.

5) Cannabis Tea Eases Symptoms of Nausea

Have you ever felt sick to your stomach?

Nausea is an uncomfortable feeling we’re all familiar with.

While not pleasant, nausea is one of our body’s defense mechanisms. It’s how we fight against toxic substances.

Luckily, our body is normally able to fight invaders off quickly and queasy feelings don’t last long.

But what happens when nausea is chronic?

Unfortunately, nausea is a symptom associated with several serious illnesses.

Many people, especially those undergoing chemotherapy, experience nausea on a regular basis.

Which may leave you wondering – could cannabis help?

The active substance in cannabis, THC, has shown to relieve nausea and stimulate appetite.

In fact, nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy is one of the best-supported therapeutic uses of cannabis according to the British Medical Association in their review of 13 studies.

Now, imagine the therapeutic potential of drinking cannabis tea.

You could reap cannabis’ anti-nausea benefits AND it would be easy on the stomach. With the right infusion, ideally a strain high in THC, cannabis tea could also increase appetite.

This could be life-changing for chemotherapy patients who are susceptible to deadly weight loss.

Does weed tea get you high?

During the process of decarboxylation, the non-intoxicating compound THCA is converted to the compound THC, activating different medicinal and intoxicating properties (read more about THCA’s unique medicinal properties here). The heat applied to cannabis when smoking or vaporizing provokes decarboxylation without any extra effort on our part. When making edibles, the process naturally occurs when cannabis is cooked with butter or oils, or when hash or kief are added to a favorite recipe and then heated on a stove.

If you choose to decarboxylate your cannabis using a heating method before adding it to the tea, remember that the optimal time and temperature for decarboxylation may vary depending on the following factors:

• The amount of moisture in your product
• How much product you use
• The type of oven you have access to (e.g., gas or electric)

How long does weed tea take to kick in?

Like edibles, weed tea has to pass through your stomach for digestion, and then metabolized in your liver. This takes a lot longer than smoking weed, which hits you in a couple minutes through your lungs. You may have to wait an hour or two to start to feel the effects.

When drinking weed tea, and consuming edibles in general, start low and go slow. Drink a cup and wait; you can always make another one if you don’t feel anything.

Weed tea recipes

We’ve got two cozy weed tea recipes to share. The recipe for cannabis tea with rose and chamomile recipe can be adapted a million and one ways—simply use your tea leaf or flower of choice along with ground cannabis and steep your worries away. The cannabis-infused golden milk with coconut oil is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich—the most luxurious way to end the night.

Ganja tea with rose and chamomile

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Steep time: 5-10 minutes
Dosage: We recommend 2 tsp for this recipe, but it depends on the potency of your cannabis. You can always add more or less depending on your tolerance.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons ground cannabis trim, stems, or buds
• Coconut milk, optional
• 2 teaspoons dried chamomile
• 2 teaspoons dried rose buds

Directions:

1. You can choose to decarboxylate your dried herb beforehand or not. (Again, this depends on whether you’re looking for the benefits of THCA or THC.)
2. Add all dried flowers to a tea infuser and steep in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
3. Enjoy with additional cannabis-infused honey and/or coconut milk for added effects.

Cannabis golden milk with medicated coconut oil

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Dosage: This depends on the potency of your cannabis coconut oil. You can always add more or less depending on your tolerance.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 1” piece fresh turmeric, unpeeled, thinly sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
• 1 ½” piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp honey
• Ground cinnamon, for serving

Directions:

1. Whisk almond milk, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, honey, peppercorns, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a low boil.
2. Reduce heat and add the cannabis coconut oil.
3. Simmer until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs and top with a dash of cinnamon.