CBD use is all the rave right now, so we put the most popular CBD drink brands to the test.
Cannabidiol (CBD) comes from the cannabis plant Cannabis Sativa.
We put CBD-flavoured drinks to the test
CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant by steam distillation.
It does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol, otherwise known as THC, which causes the sensation of getting high.
CBD is not psychoactive and is often used holistically to help with different disorders like epilepsy or anxiety as well aches and pains.
Research is still ongoing but it has been known to reduce seizures and other medical conditions.
Many retailers and brands sell CBD products in the form of drinks, oils and balms.
They’re becoming popular by the day, so much so that supermarkets are beginning to stock the drinks.
We put three of them to the test – Hip Pop, Goodrays and Medahuman.
Each brand sells different flavours so there is a range to choose from.
We decided to test the three brand’s blood orange drinks, to be as fair as possible.
All three brands have drinks that include blood orange.
Medahuman has a can with just blood orange flavour while Hip Pop and Goodrays offer blood orange & grapefruit.
I compared the drinks by their flavour, value and how much I could taste the “CBD element” – CBD often has an earthy, hempy flavour so can often taste unappealing to consumers.
Overall, all of the drinks were decent and we would have all of them again, though some stood out more than others.
In terms of feeling the “CBD effect”, it was too early to tell and I tasted them all at once.
But I did notice that I had better focus throughout the rest of the day, my energy levels rose and I also felt more relaxed.
My favourite turned out to be the cheapest as well so it was a win win.
Here’s what I thought:
Goodrays
Website price: £15.95 for six-pack – £2.65 per can, £1.06 per 100mlSupermarket price: £7.50 for four-pack, 74p per 100ml
The Goodrays drink was nice but tasted too watered down
Goodrays was founded by Eoin Keenan in 2020 and started with CBD oils and gummies before launching several different drinks flavours this year.
The drink combines citrus flavours of the Spanish “naranja sanguina” and a sharp note of grapefruit.
This one was bitter and I found the grapefruit stood out quite a lot.
However, the drink also felt watered down, almost like it was diluted – but I’d still definitely drink it again.
I would have liked it to have been fruitier but it had a really nice fizz to it.
What I also liked about this one is that you couldn’t really taste the CBD flavour, which I personally really dislike.
The original CBD flavour tastes quite earthy and bitter and is a flavour that can be hard to swallow.
Of the three I compared, Goodrays is the most expensive.
Taste – 9/10CBD taste – 9/10Value – 8/10Total: 26/30
Hip Pop
Website price: £16 for six-pack – £2.66 per can, 80p per 100mlSupermarket price: Not available
The Hip Hop drink was also kombucha
Hip Pop was founded in 2019 by Emma and Kenny and sells three flavours of CBD drinks.
These are blood orange and grapefruit, passionfruit and guava and cherry and blackberry.
The blood orange and grapefruit tasted alright – you could definitely get a sense of both flavours and they worked really well together.
What I really liked about Hip Pop is that the drink was also kombucha, which means it was fermented.
While it isn’t scientifically proven, there have been studies to show that kombucha is great for digestion and boosting energy.
However, when I smelt the drink, the CBD flavour – or hemp flavour – was a bit too strong.
I could also taste it in comparison to the other two.
Taste – 9/10CBD taste – 8/10Value – 10/10Total: 27/30
Medahuman
Website price: £15 for six-pack – £2.50 per can, £1 per 100mlSupermarket price: £2.50 per can, £1 per 100ml
Medahuman tasted like summer
Medahuman was my favourite drink taste-wise.
I like sweet things and this one tasted a lot sweeter than the other two drinks – it probably worked well for me as there was no grapefruit in it which is a well-known bitter fruit.
While winter is coming, Medahuman’s blood orange drink felt nice and summery so if you’re still holding onto the hotter days then this one is for you.
It wasn’t as fizzy as the other two but the orange kick made it worth it.
It reminded me of Fanta, or even orange squash with fizzy water.
I could hardly taste the earthy flavour or CBD, a move I really appreciated from Medahuman.
For a box of six cans, this brand is the cheapest at £15.
However, it’s 20p more than Hip Pop per 100ml, so you’re not getting as much bang for your buck.
Yet this one came out on top for its flavour and lack of “CBD taste”.
Taste – 10/10CBD taste – 10/10Value – 9/10Total: 29/30
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