MCT Oil vs Butter for Homemade Edibles Why Fat Content Changes Your Dose Math
If your homemade edibles are inconsistent, the carrier fat you choose is usually part of the reason. Cannabinoids such as THC and CBD are fat soluble, which means they bind to fat during infusion. The percentage of fat in your carrier changes how much of the available cannabinoids are pulled into the oil and how you calculate a per serving estimate.
MCT oil is 100 percent fat. Butter is commonly about 80 percent fat because it contains water and milk solids, according to United States Department of Agriculture food data. This difference matters for infusion efficiency. In general, a carrier that is higher in fat can carry more cannabinoids than a carrier that contains significant water.
For educational dosing purposes, use the cannabinoid percentage from a Certificate of Analysis if you have one. Total potential THC is commonly estimated with the formula Total THC equals THC plus THCA times 0.877. The 0.877 factor accounts for the weight lost as carbon dioxide when THCA is heated and converts to THC. This formula is used on laboratory reports in Illinois licensed labs.
To estimate total milligrams available before infusion loss, you can use this educational formula. Grams of flower times THCA percentage as a decimal times 1000 times 0.877 equals milligrams of potential THC. For example, 1 gram at 20 percent THCA would be 1 times 0.20 times 1000 times 0.877, which equals about 175 milligrams of potential THC before any infusion loss.
Infusion loss is the difference between what is available and what ends up in your finished oil. Loss happens due to incomplete extraction and material left in strained plant material. While exact efficiency at home is difficult to measure without lab testing, using a higher fat carrier and keeping infusion temperatures moderate and consistent can help. Commonly reported home practice is to infuse at temperatures between about 160 and 180 Fahrenheit for two to three hours with occasional stirring, avoiding sustained temperatures above 200 Fahrenheit to reduce degradation of THC to CBN. CBN is commonly associated with more sedating effects.
Once infused, calculate per serving by dividing total estimated milligrams in the batch by number of servings. For example, if you estimate 350 milligrams of potential THC in your finished oil after accounting for loss, and you make 20 equal servings, each serving would be about 17.5 milligrams. This is an estimate, not a lab verified result. Only a laboratory test can confirm actual milligrams per serving.
Storage also affects what is in your product over time. THC can degrade to CBN with exposure to light, heat, and oxygen. To slow degradation, store edibles in an opaque child resistant container, in a cool dark place, with minimal air inside. Use a container that meets child resistant concepts such as a push and turn jar or a pouch with a child resistant zipper, and keep it locked and out of reach of children and pets. Label with date made, carrier type, and estimated milligrams per serving.
This content is educational only for adults 21 plus in Illinois, not medical advice and not legal advice. Keep cannabis products out of reach of children and pets. Do not drive or operate machinery after consumption. Effects from edibles may be delayed up to two hours. Start low and go slow. Follow Illinois law.