Your latest trend
We’ve been watching the march of CBD across the food and drink sectors in this part of the industry as something that might be a useful product outside of dairy, and then Ben & Jerry’s is set to launch a CBD infused ice cream – subject, of course, to the US legislation that will allow it to be produced legally. CBD, for the uninitiated, is short for cannabidiol, a chemical compound from the cannabis plant. Its supporters claim it produces relaxation and calm, but unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is not psychoactive and will not get a user high.
CBD is very popular. I expect oat and almond-based drinks will no doubt include CBD in the ingredients lists in due course. But I do think this trend towards finding an ingredient that will alleviate what is a very stressful life that we all lead, is actually off-course. No amount of mindfulness will turn off that gnawing voice in the very early hours of the morning, and nor will something like CBD or flaxseed. The phones that we are so attached to – well, if we turn those off for awhile, it is helpful. My god, the WhatsApp groups alone could make you mental if you let them.
So, I try to dial down the old social networking and do something else. I have a weedy hellhole that we call our allotment. The other night I went and found dinner there with three artichokes and a load of broad beans. I admit I like the weeds – I take too many photos of the poppies and nigella and the bees buzzing around with my ever-present phone. Or I head to the pool and have a paddle. And then I may have an ice cream, but I’ll stick to the usual stuff infused with things like chocolate. Not rocket science, but it works for me.
