Cannabidiol (CBD) Products are made differently by every farm, manufacturer, or even distributor. Ranging from packaging and bottling techniques, CBD tincture container materials and color, to the ingredients in their CBD Oil and other products. This is a general guide of the different ways high quality CBD products are made. In 2020, CBD oil is becoming more and more nailed down from the extraction process as a safe and healthy method.
How is CBD Oil Made?
Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil is made through three different Hemp CBD extraction processes. Each one with their own unique benefits, negatives, and quality. These three processes can be broken down into CO2 Extraction, Alcohol (Ethanol Extraction) and Olive Oil Extraction.
- CO2 Extraction: CO2 Extraction involves a complicated method of heating up the hemp plant raw materials to different optimum levels of extraction. This expensive and difficult process is the highest quality method, and has an extraction rate of 90% or more of the plant. The best CBD brands use this method for extraction.
- Alcohol (Ethanol Extraction): The Alcohol or Ethanol method of CBD extraction involves using Ethanol as a solvent to the hemp plant, which helps extract the CBD from the plant body. From there, the manufacturers would heat the extraction liquid to a high temperature to evaporate the alcohol. Leaving only pure Full Spectrum CBD oil behind. This is a less expensive method than CO2 Extraction. The downside of this method is that there may be impurities within the extracted CBD oil itself, as the Ethanol does not filter the hemp pieces of extraction.
- Olive Oil Extraction: This is the oldest, simplest, easiest, and cheapest method of hemp-based CBD Extraction. It involves heating the hemp plant up to high temperatures to activate the plant for cannabinoid extraction, then putting the plant in olive oil, and finally heating the new mix again to extract the cannabinoids into the olive oil. The problem with this method is that once the CBD is extracted into the olive oil, you are not able to evaporate or separate the CBD from the oil. Therefore, the mg of CBD per ounce will be very low. Since the oil takes up so much percentage of one serving.
After understanding these three methods, we can summarize stating that the most relevant method in 2019 and likely beyond is CO2 Extraction. This is currently the standard for high quality hemp-based CBD extraction, and is likely to be the regulated method by the FDA when the time comes.
However, CBD Oil comes in many different styles itself. This includes Full Spectrum, Isolate, and Broad Spectrum CBD.
- Full Spectrum CBD Oil: This CBD Oil is “full spectrum”. Meaning that it not only includes CBD, it also includes many of the other cannabinoids (components) also found in the hemp plant. Depending on the brand, this many include CBC, CBG, CBN, and THC. The oil would consist of a tiny amount of each cannabinoid. That are said to have their own unique cannabinoid benefits. As far as THC, this oil will have less than 0.3% THC in the total tincture amount. However, this may still trigger a drug test. So you must be careful taking Full Spectrum CBD with a drug test. The color of this oil looks brown.
- Pure CBD Isolate: Like as the name hints, this is a pure 99%+ CBD oil tincture, that has been specifically extracted from hemp by hemp farmers to only include CBD. This comes in powdered form, and is added to a carrier oil such as Coconut MCT Oil to make a tincture.
- Broad Spectrum CBD: This is the middle ground tincture between the two. This tincture contains most of the cannabinoids found in hemp except for THC. This is the most expensive of the CBD Oils, as it is difficult to separate THC specifically.
This are the different types of CBD Oils, and how they are made.
How are CBD Gummies Made?
CBD Gummies can be made in a variety of ways. Some brands put CBD oil in the ingredients that are used to make the gummy itself. While others inject CBD oil into CBD Gummies. The difference is injected CBD oil is technically more effective, due to the CBD not being altered during the process of manufacturing. As well as your body receiving the entire dosage (5-10mg) of CBD in one concentrated gummy.
On top of this, the quality of the CBD gummy bears highly depend on the brand itself. Some go the extra mile, and instead of using corn syrup for the CBD gummy bears, they use alternative ingredients that are more natural and helpful for the body. On top of also being completely vegan.
CBD gummy bears are a great way to achieve the health benefits of CBD in a tasty and easy to swallow form. CBD gummies are some of our most popular products.
How are CBD Capsules Made?
CBD Capsules can come in two forms. One is a typical dietary and usually “white” capsule form, while the other and more popular form is the softgel capsule form. This capsule is usually a yellow or “golden” form.
Capsules are great to control your daily serving size of each pill for consumption. It is a great way of measuring how much CBD you should take per day, and how much cannabidiol works best for you. Which is the most important step in using CBD.
In order to make these capsules, brands would also insert the hemp CBD oil into the capsule. With usually 25mg being the standard amount of CBD per capsule.
How are Pet CBD Oil Tinctures Made?
Depending on the brand, some create Pet CBD oils using cold-pressed CBD oil. Such as CBDistillery. This is a method used to make the CBD oil easier to consume for animals, pets and other critters alike.
Other brands such as NuLeaf Naturals, use the same exact CBD oil made for humans except packaged by smaller dosages for animals. For example, NuLeaf Naturals can contain 1000mg of CBD in one of their tinctures. Meanwhile for animals they may contain 150mg-300mg of CBD per oil tincture. This is because the amount of CBD needed for animals to have a positive and beneficial effect is a lot different, and a much lower threshold than people.
This is because they manufacture their CBD oil in such a high quality environment, it is great for animals right from the start.