The digestive tract is a complex water based system coated in a sticky mucus designed to trap contaminants and prevent entry to the blood. To be absorbed, nutrients must be water soluble to pass this mucus layer.

When you eat an oil-containing meal, your body traps the oil in “mi-celles” (microscopic water soluble cells) allowing it to enter the blood. Cannabinoids are not water soluble and are often consumed in small amounts without a meal, so the digestive system doesn’t fully activate with the result being poor absorption.