Gluten-free and keto-friendly edibles

Scientifically reviewed by Codi Peterson, PharmD

Illustrative photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

What’s not to love about edibles? They’re versatile, delicious, and inconspicuous- a practically perfect combination.

But many edibles on the market are made with gluten, which can present a problem for people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or just trying to avoid gluten. An overwhelming amount of the edibles on the market also contain sugar, which can be a challenge for any cannabis lover who is on a special diet like keto.

Food restrictions shouldn’t be the reason you can’t enjoy and benefit from cannabis. After all, you can make edibles out of any food, so there’s an edible for everyone. Read on for five edibles recipes that are gluten-free and keto-friendly.

The importance of decarboxylation

But first, don’t forget to decarboxylate. While decarboxylation may sound challenging, all it takes is a baking sheet and some time in the oven. Decarboxylation is the process by which acidic cannabinoids are transformed into the cannabinoid we know and love, like THC and CBD.

The cannabis plant is full of acidic cannabinoids, like CBDa and THCa. These compounds are similar to CBD and THC but don’t have quite the same reaction in your body. When you smoke, decarboxylation is taken care of for you by your lighter. But when you make edibles, decarbing is the key step to ensure you have a potent final product.

5 gluten free / keto friendly recipes

Gummies

Illustrative photo by Amit Lahav on Unsplash

Gluten free? Yes
Keto friendly? Maybe. Use sunflower lectin and watch out for gelatin ingredients

Gummies are one of the most iconic kinds of edibles out there, and they’re perfect for people who don’t eat gluten. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, no modifications necessary. With only five ingredients, you’ll love how quickly this comes together.

Whether gelatin is keto-friendly depends on the ingredients, so check your box before consuming to ensure ketosis compliance.

Yield: a few dozen gummies
Cook time: 45 minutes

Cannamilk

Illustrative photo by Nikolai Chernichenko on Unsplash

Gluten free? Yes
Keto friendly? Switch the milk

You can make edibles out of anything – milk included! While cannamilk may not be the first infusion that comes to mind when you think of edibles, this recipe has two ingredients and takes less than an hour to make. When you’re done, you have a new world of edible options – from infused ice cream to spiking your morning coffee.

You can easily make this recipe keto by switching out the regular milk for a keto-friendly option, like coconut milk or almond milk.

Yield: 2 – 4 cups
Cook time: 45 minutes

Cannabutter

Gluten free? Yes
Keto friendly? Yes

Cannabutter is a beloved staple of the edible community, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s easy to make, stores well in the fridge for up to several weeks and fits the requirements of both gluten-free and keto diets. Best of all, the fats in the butter will help the cannabinoids absorb better (but slower) and last longer.

Yield: 6 – 8 oz butter
Cook time: 2 – 3 hours

Cannaoil

Gluten free? Yes
Keto friendly? Yes

Cannaoil is nearly as well known and just as versatile as cannabutter. Mix it in with dressings, sauces, or as a finishing drizzle on any dish to give it a boost of cannabinoids. Like butter, oil also has plenty of fats to help the THC or CBD absorb. In addition to being gluten free and keto-friendly, this infusion is also vegan!

Yield: ~1 c
Cook time: 2 – 3 hours

Infused chicken or turkey

Gluten free? Yes
Keto friendly? Yes

If baked goods aren’t your favorite, why not move the edibles course to dinner instead? This recipe calls for cannaoil and cannabutter, and works equally well for chicken or turkey. Roast chicken is both keto-friendly and gluten free, and who could refuse an infused bird?

The fried chicken recipe can easily be made gluten free and keto friendly by swapping out the flour for almond flour.

Yield: 1 bird
Cook time: 20 minutes for fried chicken, 4.5 hours for roasted

What are the benefits of going gluten free and ketogenic diets?

There is ample anecdotal evidence surrounding the benefits of gluten free and keto diets, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to jump in and entirely change your diet.

Going gluten free

For people who have Celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, removing gluten from your diet can provide better quality of life, including a reduction in pain as well as improved digestion, energy, and sleep. ¹

There are more gluten-alternatives on the market today than ever before, making it easy to continue to enjoy the foods you love. In fact, hemp itself can be used as an alternative to gluten. However, there is also evidence showing that needlessly removing gluten from your diet can increase your risk of nutrient deficiency and heavy metal exposure. ² ³

Going keto

The same goes for the ketogenic diet.

There is evidence showing short term benefits, especially weight loss for those who are struggling with obesity. But on the other hand, there is also growing concern around long term use of the keto diet, including abnormal cholesterol levels, the promotion of poor dietary choices and excessive ingestion of animal protein and fat. ⁴ ⁵

Only you and your doctor know what’s best for you, and the best dietary changes are those that you’re able to commit to. If you are going gluten-free or switching to the keto diet, consider consulting with a medical professional such as a registered dietician. But if you are making a diet change, you can still enjoy the benefits of cannabis!

Sources

Niland, B., & Cash, B. D. (2018). Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet in Non-Celiac Disease Patients. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 14(2), 82–91.
Bakshi, A., Stephen, S., Borum, M. L., & Doman, D. B. (2012). Emerging therapeutic options for celiac disease: potential alternatives to a gluten-free diet. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 8(9), 582–588.
Diez-Sampedro, A., Olenick, M., Maltseva, T., & Flowers, M. (2019). A Gluten-Free Diet, Not an Appropriate Choice without a Medical Diagnosis. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2019, 2438934. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2438934
Dashti, H. M., Mathew, T. C., Hussein, T., Asfar, S. K., Behbahani, A., Khoursheed, M. A., Al-Sayer, H. M., Bo-Abbas, Y. Y., & Al-Zaid, N. S. (2004). Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients. Experimental and clinical cardiology, 9(3), 200–205.
Crosby L., Davis B., Joshi S., Jardine M., Paul J., Neola M., Barnard N. (2021) Ketogenic Diets and Chronic Disease: Weighing the Benefits Against the Risks Frontiers in Nutrition, 2021,2296-861X 10.3389/fnut.2021.702802