Lecithin is a phospholipid, which is a class of lipids derived from fatty acids, aka a type of fat. This is a key ingredient used to emulsify and bind other ingredients together.
This ingredient is safe to use for a smoother finished consistency in food and beverages. When used in foods, the typical kind of lecithin comes from soybeans.
Also called soy lecithin, this product also has nutritional value in vitamins and minerals, as well as omega-3 fatty acids.
Using soy lecithin in cannabis edibles helps to boost nutrients in the end product. More importantly, lecithin also gives the candy or baked goods a better mouth-quality and texture for the consumer.
There are other types of edible lecithin, including sunflower lecithin, which are also good for cannabis edibles.
Lecithin is sold as a powder and a liquid to offer greater flexibility when used in mixing and baking cannabis infused foods, candies, and beverages.
So how do cannabis chefs use soy and sunflower lecithin to improve cannabis edibles? Lecithin powder is added to flour to condition the dough and improve elasticity.
It is also used in powder form when making candies. Liquid lecithin is added to bind cannabis oils with the liquids, such as water, in the cannabis infused beverages.
Lecithin works to protect the cannabinoids in a finished edible, such as a cookie that uses cannabis infused butter.
When an emulsifier like lecithin is added to a product, this ensures the cannabis compounds like THC remain potent longer as they are protected from air.
This emulsifier binds these infused oils into the product, and it protects finished edibles from drying out and falling apart.
This is a common issue in cannabis edible making, especially with chewy candies like cannabis caramels.
Improve the rate of fat-to-water emulsion in the finished product using a safe-to-eat product like soy or sunflower lecithin.
How Lecithin Helps Your Edibles
Cannabis edibles on the commercial market require high quality ingredients in mass quantities.
This allows the chef to best identify the precise amounts, temperatures, and degree of mixing needed to get the desired finished product each and every time consistently.
Since commercial cannabis edibles have to be the same quality each time, they are made in order to sell to the public, chefs stick to using certain ingredients every time they make a product.
This includes set amounts of ingredients like lecithin, which is a common ingredient used in candy making in general, but especially in cannabis edibles.
Lecithin serves many purposes in cannabis edibles and can be used for several types of products.
The reason why lecithin is used in cannabis edibles is to mainly improve the emulsification of THC, which is a resin-based compound found in cannabis plants.
THC is short for tetrahydrocannabinol. It is the primary cannabinoid, or compound, found in cannabis plants.
There is also CBD or cannabidiol that is used as a non-psychoactive to treat a variety of health conditions for humans and pets.
Between 111 to 113 cannabinoids have been identified by medical science, including THC and CBD.
To protect these fats from degradation, while also ensuring an even distribution in large batch quantities, is a huge challenge.
Fortunately, when using lecithin, the resinous butters and liquids used for cannabis infusions are more easily distributed in a dry or liquid-based mix.
Use lecithin from soy or sunflower oil in cannabis edibles to improve the structure.
The use of the lecithin helps bind ingredients in candies like cannabis gummies and coffee with cannabis oil.
Lecithin also works as a stabilizer for cakes and brownies that contain cannabis infused butter.
The amount of lecithin needed for cannabis edibles varies depending on the type of lecithin and the intended outcome.
Get High-Quality Lecithin for Your Needs
Select the best lecithin on the market for your cannabis edibles by purchasing soy or sunflower lecithin from National Lecithin.
Contact us to request samples or for more information about products and ingredients.