CBD comes in a huge variety of forms and formulations. If you’re just getting started with cannabidiol, terms like “full-spectrum CBD” or “extraction method” may sound a bit foreign. While you could certainly spend a lifetime studying CBD, terms like these are easy to understand after a simple explanation.
In this article, we aim to help you gain a better understanding of full-spectrum CBD. We’ll take a closer look at how it’s made, what differentiates it from other spectrum-types, and why full-spectrum products are some of the most popular on the market. If you’re interested in trying out some full-spectrum CBD but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place!
Where Does CBD Come From?
Before we take a deep dive into the details of full-spectrum, it’s a good idea to have a solid understanding of what CBD is and where it comes from. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a powerful compound called a cannabinoid that exists in the hemp plant. Though various species of cannabis produce CBD, the hemp plant is prefered for CBD production due to a number of factors.
One of the biggest benefits of extracting CBD from hemp is that the natural concentration of THC that occurs in the plant is very low. This is important because it allows users to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without experiencing any psychoactive effects. Cannabinoids such as CBD offer a wealth of benefits, and accessing them without feeling “high” is hugely advantageous.
How is Full-Spectrum CBD Made?
CBD manufacturers spend a great deal of time and energy sourcing the hemp used in their products. Many companies purchase their hemp from qualified third-party farmers, but the finest brands invest the extra effort to grow their own.
Once the hemp has reached full maturity, it must be carefully dried and prepared for extraction. There are a number of different ways to extract cannabinoids from hemp, but three of these extraction methods are the most common.
Butane, Ethanol, or CO2 are frequently used by manufacturers as the primary solvent in their extractions. While each one of these methods is considered safe, they aren’t held in the same regard by customers, nor to produce CBD of equal quality.
Ethanol and Butane are perhaps the most common of all extraction solvents. They are capable of transferring a large percentage of cannabinoids from the raw hemp to the resulting extract oil. The problem with these two solvents is that they tend to leave trace amounts of residue in the final product.
CO2 is slightly less common because it’s more expensive, but is generally regarded as the best. Supercritical CO2 extractions are accomplished with extreme temperature and pressure fluctuations. This method is extremely efficient and capable of capturing a higher percentage of cannabinoids than the aforementioned techniques.
Once all of the cannabinoids are extracted, the resulting oil can either be distilled further to remove specific cannabinoids and create different spectrum-types, or it can be left as it is with the full-spectrum.
An Introduction to Spectrum-Types
There are a multitude of spectrum-types, but when you’re shopping for CBD you’ll notice that three of them are the most common:
- Full-Spectrum
- Broad-Spectrum
- CBD Isolate
Each of these spectrum-types contains a different set of cannabinoids. A good way to think about this is in order of cannabinoid content. Full-spectrum CBD oil contains all of the 113 cannabinoids that exist in the hemp plant. This includes: CBD, CBG, CBN, as well as a wealth of beneficial compounds such as terpenes and amino acids. Full-spectrum CBD also contains trace amounts of THC (0.3% or less).
As we move down the line to other spectrum-types, cannabinoids are removed by way of distillation. Broad-spectrum CBD contains many of the same compounds found in full-spectrum CBD. It has CBD, CBN, CBG, and terpenes, but it does not contain any THC.
CBD Isolate is fairly self explanatory and consists of 99.9% pure cannabidiol suspended in a carrier oil such as sunflower or fractionated coconut oil. Both CBD isolate and broad-spectrum CBD are often preferred by those who are subject to regular drug testing. Full-spectrum, on the other hand, is preferred by those who want to embrace a complete array of beneficial cannabinoids found in hemp.
Third-Party Testing
When you’re shopping for CBD, it’s important to consider things like; which spectrum-type might best suit your need, or which method of ingestion you prefer, but the most important thing when using CBD is safety.
The FDA has strict regulations in place that help to keep CBD safe for the public. One of these regulations states that CBD must be non-intoxicating and contain 0.3% THC or less. Another important requirement is that all CBD is tested at ISO-certified third-party labs. This ensures that products don’t contain any residual pesticides, heavy metals, or contaminants of any kind. When you’re on the hunt for full-spectrum CBD, make sure that the product you purchase has been tested at a third-party lab.
If you’re interested in treating yourself to a truly premium CBD experience,
Check out our incredible selection of full-spectrum products!
