CBD oil is one of the hottest natural supplements on the market today. Each year, it’s becoming more accepted worldwide and is undergoing various global trials to prove its effectiveness in a variety of forms and treatments.
Yet choosing the right CBD oil product still isn’t easy due to the highly competitive market and lack of proper regulations regarding production and marketing. Here are some tips that should help you separate good products from average or bad products.
Identifying Good CBD Oil
Because there are very few regulations regarding the manufacturing process for CBD oil, most of the quality is directly related to this aspect. High-quality is synonymous with good manufacturing principles.
So what separates good CBD oil from average oil? It depends on how it’s created. Low-quality CBD oil is extracted using toxic solvents such as butane or propane. Another low-quality oil could come as a result of lipid extraction. The latter is a safe method but doesn’t result in a high-quality product and it isn’t very cheap either.
Average to high-quality oil is extracted using ethanol. Pharmaceutical-grade ethanol can help process CBD and remove many unnecessary and toxic residues from hemp. It’s a very efficient extraction method that helps retain as many natural cannabinoids as possible.
Other manufacturers prefer the CO2 extraction method. This uses carbon dioxide, placed under high pressure, in a very cold environment. It’s also called supercritical CO2 extraction. While the process is more complex it also ensures the highest purity grade in CBD oil.
Unfortunately, this is also very expensive since it requires specialised equipment and expertise, due to the complexity of the refinement process.
The majority of CBD oil products are made as a result of ethanol or CO2 extraction. Manufacturers usually indicate which process was used in order to back up any quality claims.
It’s the first thing you should look for when reading a label.
How Much Does Source Hemp Matter?
It can matter a lot because hemp grown in poor conditions or with the help of toxins can produce low quality oil. However, it can be hard to determine what areas yield the best hemp without days of research online.
Each country has its own hemp crops, some better than others. There are also private hemp farms that may not always be easy to track down. What’s certain is that organic hemp farms are the most sought-after.
Buying CBD oil made from foreign sourced hemp is not necessarily a bad thing. But when you can track the origin of the hemp, the product is generally better.
Differentiating CBD Oils
Not all CBD oils have the same benefits. There are CBD isolate products, full-spectrum oils, and broad-spectrum oils. Each one has its own characteristics and even differs in terms of manufacturing.
For example, full-spectrum CBD oil often causes false positive tests. That’s because it’s made from the entire hemp plant and will always contain some traces of THC. Those trace amounts aren’t enough to induce psychotropic effects but they are enough to taint some less accurate tests.
Broad-spectrum CBD oil, often confused with full-spectrum, uses most of the hemp plant but not all of it. It will always lack THC yet it is rich in other cannabinoids aside from CBD. Why is it preferred in many cases?
For one, because other cannabinoids synergise with CBD to either boost its effect or provide other benefits alongside it. Secondly, broad spectrum CBD oil shouldn’t give a false positive result during a marijuana drug test.
CBD isolates are low concentration CBD products. They are made mostly from CBD and no other cannabinoids, or at least not in enough quantities to make a difference. These won’t alter test results and may be more suitable for people that don’t respond well to CBD in high doses.
Which One Is for You?
Although some types of CBD oils seem to offer extra benefits on paper, in reality, every person responds differently to these products. It’s a matter of trial and error until you find the best product for your unique metabolism and medical conditions.
Some may only handle isolates while others need more than just a CBD ingredient in order to manage anxiety, alleviate chronic pains, and so on. Make sure you’re buying your oil from reputable sources to minimise any side-effects and avoid wasting money.
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