Have you been wanting to get your mom trying some CBD for her arthritis? Or maybe mom wants to sleep better and has been asking you about “The CBDs” (smiley face). Maybe you are mom! Or dad. Or grandma. Or a 25-year-old athlete. Hi! No matter your scenario or age, if you’re curious about cannabis, you need to start somewhere, and it may as well be with a CBD product that is well-made, measurable, delicious, and chocolate. 

Now, if you’re looking into CBD for some specific therapeutic value, ideally you would transition to a tincture and titrate to find your MED (minimum effective dose). But in order to get your feet wet with something familiar, like chocolate-covered almonds, the CBD-Rich Chocolate Bites are perfect for beginners, and a good product for microdosers to have around, too. The chocolates don’t smell or taste weedy, which is a big plus for some beginners. Also: this is whole-plant CBD extract derived from cannabis, and not hemp, which has been shown to have greater health benefits.

Satori is a well-known local brand in Santa Rosa, part of the CannaCraft family, which includes Care By Design (a reputable CBD line of products) and AbsoluteXtracts (maker of awesome cannabis oil vape cartridges and the new Hi-Fi Hops cannabis beer). All of the Satori products are made with quality cannabis and extraction methods, so you’re consuming a well-made product across the board, from the cannabis to the chocolate to the almonds and fruits.

One of the most commendable features of this product line is its consistency, which is crucial for microdosing. I spoke with chocolate production manager Matt Kulczycki, who explained the detailed sorting process Satori goes through to make sure the wild strawberries from Italy (which are also hand-sorted and panned before being shipped to them) are consistent in size (no flat ones!). Same goes for the almonds, and the fruits they use in their other chocolate bites.

As I have mentioned before, research shows that CBD is more effective when THC is present, so whether you're taking a tincture or an edible, a little THC can boost the synergistic efficacy (called the Entourage Effect)—even at a low amount that is sub-psychoactive—and just work quietly in the background. Satori’s CBD-rich almonds and wild strawberries predominantly feature CBD, but there is a little THC present.

If you're a fan of cannabis, comfortable with THC, and know your dose, Satori also has a line of chocolate-covered THC almonds and wild strawberries (both in milk chocolate and dark chocolate), plus blueberries, raisins, and cacao beans, ranging from ~.625mg to 10mg of THC per piece, so read the packaging (Sava carries the full line). And here's a tip: the THC chocolate bites contain the same measurement of THC that the CBD bites have, so that's ~6mg for each almond and ~3mg for the wild strawberries. Anything to keep y'all from getting confused!

But this article is all about the CBD-Rich Chocolate Bites. Let’s snack on the CBD-rich wild strawberries first. This award-winning confection has approximately 3mg CBD and .3mg of THC per berry (basically a 10:1 ratio). I always recommend starting with 3mg of CBD for your first time to see how it feels in your body (if you feel anything at all). Remember, most people feel relaxed or calmed by CBD, but some people can be activated by it. I tend to feel a little floaty from 5mg and up. After you've tried it a few times and you (or mom!) feel comfortable, the recommended serving is 3 berries, for ~9mg of CBD, and ~.9mg of THC. (You won’t feel psychoactive effects from THC until around 2mg or greater, so there’s nothing to worry about here. All clear!)

The strawberries are covered in milk chocolate, and are definitely in the camp of a sweet treat. The berry has a bright and fruity and enduring flavor, and the texture is pleasantly chewy.

The CBD-rich salted caramel almonds are coated in dark chocolate, and Matt tells me the California almonds are roasted and then caramelized in cocoa butter instead of real butter. They also get a coating of sugar and are then enrobed in chocolate. It’s quite a process, and Satori didn’t just hire anyone to be their chocolate production manager: Matt’s previous experience was working one year for Thomas Keller’s K+M Chocolate, and prior to that, he was a pastry chef for two years at The Thomas at Fagiani’s, and previously Aria in Las Vegas.

The almonds have a great crunch and texture, with a pleasing sugary and velvety chocolate finish. The almonds offer a higher count of CBD, coming in at ~6mg and ~.6mg of THC per almond. The recommended serving is two almonds (so ~12mg of CBD and ~1.2mg of THC). 

Both of these treats are really delicious and easy to binge on, so take out the number of pieces you are planning to eat and then put the bag away. Depending upon how much food you have in your stomach, they can take upwards of an hour or two for you to feel any effects, so don’t say, “Oh, I don’t feel anything!” after an hour and start gobbling them, especially the almonds. 

How I like to use Satori CBD-Rich Chocolate Bites

The wild strawberries are more of a daytime treat for me. I can nibble on a couple if I'm having a stressful day and need to dial things down, and they are easy to spread out throughout the day, a couple here, a couple there. Ahhhh, so calm. You can also enjoy a few before it’s time to start thinking about bedtime—maybe halfway through your movie or late-night show. They also come in handy for post-workout recovery, after a massage, and they're nice for air travel (although whether you choose to travel out of state with them is up to your own personal risk assessment—the law says no). 

The almonds are a sweet treat for me when I’m home working and writing late and it’s almost getting close to bedtime. I like to nibble on a couple almonds about an hour before bedtime to start bringing on some relaxed feelings, or I’ll nibble on three or four almonds if I know it’s going to take me a bit more to wind down (while remaining at a sub-psychoactive level of THC). Want to chillax at the beach? Duh! Here's your beach buddy—just don't let him melt! Another option: pop a couple when you leave work so you start mellowing out on your way home. They're also helpful to have around when you get the wine flu and could use a little help with the headache and blergh feelings.

Visit satorichocolates.com for more info and the mymilligram page on getsava.com to buy Satori's CBD-Rich or THC Chocolate Bites! 

Note: the chocolate bites now come in a resealable pouch instead of the boxes pictured here.

Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product.