If you’re only starting out with CBD, you are probably very unfamiliar with a lot of things and you possibly don’t know where to start. When it comes to CBD, there is a lot of confusion to most people given the fact that it is not an FDA approved type of medication. Without the proper regulation, it is hard to know what products are most beneficial. For this reason, asking the right question goes a long way because it will ensure you get the perfect product for your specific condition. Here are the top questions you need to ask before you purchase any CBD product.
Is the CBD full spectrum or isolate?
This is very important because both of them are very different and the benefits also differ completely. CBD isolate is quite self-explanatory. It means pure CBD that has been extracted from all other parts of the plant. Full spectrum CBD on the other hand refers more active cannabinoids than just CBD that are found in the hemp plant. Most people feel that CBD isolate should be better for them because of the word pure, but this is simply not true.
Cannabinoid have something called the entourage effect, which means that they work a whole lot better when you use them together and not isolated. CBD is usually more effective when used together with other cannabinoids. This means that full-spectrum CBD is more beneficial compared to CBD isolate. This is not to say that CBD isolate is a bad option. It is still viable depending on the condition you’re being treated for.
Was the CBD produced from hemp?
The industrial hemp plant is quite similar to marijuana but not the same thing. Hemp contains about 0.3% THC, which means that it is impossible to give you a euphoric feeling. Marijuana on the other hand has a very high content of THC and is usually psychoactive. After the 2014 Farm bill that legalized industrial hemp was passed, the hemp plants produced contain almost zero THC and very high amount of CBD. This means that unless your doctor specifically prescribes medical marijuana, you should get hemp & CBD supplements.
Is it hemp oil or hemp seed oil?
This may be very confusing but hemp oil and hemp seed oil are very different. Hemp seed oil comes from the hemp seeds that don’t contain any therapeutic CBD or any other cannabinoids for that matter. Hemp seeds are usually ground or pressed to produce natural essential oils that have very high nutritional values. It contains a high protein content as well as omega-3 and 6 acids. However, it comes with no active CBD and you will not get any CBD benefits out of it.
Hemp oil on the other hand is extracted from the leaves, flowers and stem of the plant, which contains CBD. This makes hemp oil rich in CBD, which is exactly what you want to get. Check the label receive the you’re getting hemp oil or hemp seed oil.
Does the product come with a third party lab report?
There are so many companies trying to make money out of CBD and most of them only have the money in mind and not necessarily out there to help people. A lot of companies have been found to have very little CBD in the products or zero CBD at all. Such products are ineffective. Some companies have also been found to include lead in their products which can be very harmful to your health. This means that you have to be very careful and purchasing CBD products. Get them from reliable sources. Just to be safe, purchase products from companies that get 3rd party lab tests to verify other products.
Was the CBD extracted through CO2 methods?
The thing about CBD extraction is that it has to be through CO2 method for it to be safe for consumption. There are two other methods that companies use to extract CBD from the raw plant. The first is the Rick Simpson method that involves using ethanol and getting rid of that ethanol from the oil can be problematic. This means that some of it could be left in the final product. The second method is the Olive or coconut oil infusion, which is a lot safer than the first method. However, when the CBD is exposed to high temperatures, it might compromise on the therapeutic properties and render it ineffective. The best way to extract CBD from the plant is through supercritical CO2 method. This is simply the safest method that ensures there are no harmful chemicals left in the and products.
