With so many CBD oil options available on the market today like Cloudstix, it’s no wonder new users seem to be overwhelmed when they enter the CBD space. It’s difficult to sift through all of the generic brands, low-quality imposters, and decked-out advertising to find the truth of what counts as “high-quality” CBD oil.
In this guide, we’ll cover some of the most important considerations when you’re looking for CBD oil. From price to where the CBD is sourced from and how it’s extracted, we’ll cover some of the basics and a few of the less obvious things to look for. Next time you’re looking to buy CBD oil, read this CBD guide first!
Organically-Grown Hemp
The first step to getting high-quality CBD oil sourcing it from the right hemp. But first, let’s take a closer look at hemp as a species to learn why it’s so important to use organically-grown domestic hemp in CBD production.
First and foremost, hemp is one of the most versatile fibrous plants on the planet. It has hundreds of known uses that fall far outside the realm of CBD oils, including paper, textiles, fabrics, biofuel, and much more. A strain of Cannabis, hemp is often mistaken for its cousin, Marijuana, which is also a strain of Cannabis.
The difference between industrial hemp and marijuana is THC content. CBD and THC are both Cannabinoids and are both found in hemp and marijuana. However, hemp has incredibly low concentrations of this psychoactive compound, amounting to 0.3% or less on a dry-weight basis. THC is responsible for the “high” that marijuana produces, not CBD.
CBD doesn’t produce a high at all, and can actually help reverse the impairment caused by THC.
So, why does it make sense to source CBD oil from domestically-grown organic hemp? For one thing, hemp is what’s known in biology as a bioaccumulator. Bioaccumulators are organisms that accumulate chemicals and other things from the environment; that is to say, whatever’s in the soil around hemp plants usually ends up being absorbed into the plants themselves.
Now, picture a hemp farm that sprays chemicals all over the hemp plants. Pesticides, fertilizer, etc, wind up absorbed into the soil and the plants themselves, potentially contaminating any CBD oil that’s extracted from the crop. Now your mint CBD oil comes complete with a dose of chemical fertilizer.
The US is strict in its organic guidelines and its hemp growth and cultivation guidelines. Other areas of the world are less so, which means importing hemp always carries with it a certain level of risk. So, the first thing you should look for on your CBD oil packaging or the company’s website is whether or not they extract the CBD from organically-grown domestic hemp.
Extraction Method
Next on the list, we’ll cover extraction methods. How the CBD oil is extracted from the hemp determines the potency and quality of the yield, so you’ll want to research which method(s) your chosen brand uses. After all, if you’re going to buy CBD oil, you might as well get the best quality for your money, right?
The best extraction method in the CBD space right now is something called C02 extraction. This involves pressurized Carbon Dioxide and yields the purest, most potent CBD oil in comparison to other methods. The process can require expensive equipment and a certain level of expertise to perform correctly, but many of the largest CBD brands on the market strictly use this method.
Other methods include solvent and distillation extraction; both of which are similar in nature but are unreliable and usually inconsistent as far as quality and potency. If you want the best CBD oil, opt for the C02 extraction method.
Online Or In-Store?
You probably noticed that sign at your local grocery that said “we have CBD!” Yes, your local stores probably do carry CBD. And yes, it’s probably genuine CBD oil. The problem is that most cheaper brands you’ll find in stores like that don’t follow many (if any) standards of quality, so there’s a chance you’ll be wasting your money on a sub-par product.
For the best results, you’ll want to either visit an actual physical dispensary or utilize an online CBD retailer for your purchase, check the list here.
Brand Reputation
Don’t forget to research the brand’s reputation for quality, customer service, and contributions to the CBD community and industry. Some of the biggest brands on the market like Penguin CBD are where they are today because of a simple philosophy of customer service and high-quality CBD oils.
Check to see if the brand has been featured in any publications for its dedication to excellence, and don’t ever forget to check user reviews for whatever product(s) you’re buying. A customer who’s had first-hand experience with a product can tell you so much more about its functionality than a simple product description on a website.
You’ll want to pay attention to any patterns in the reviews as well. If a few dozen reviews mention the oil tastes bad or doesn’t seem to have an effect, there’s probably some truth to the claims. Likewise, any good patterns are usually an indicator that you’re about to purchase high-quality oils.
Independent Lab Testing
Of course, you want to buy the best CBD oil. So independent lab testing is important to ensure the quality and potency of CBD oil. CBD providers can certainly test the CBD products themselves, but having an independent lab test them provides unbiased information and a seal of approval. This commitment to accountability is something you’ll want to look for in your CBD provider.
You’ll usually be able to tell right away if your brand tests their products independently. Most brands that use a lab are proud of it, and display a message on their site or directly on the product label that says “independently lab-tested for quality” or something similar.
Don’t overlook this crucial detail. A company that stands behind its products won’t hesitate to have another business test them for quality, because they already know they’re producing something of value and the test will only reinforce that fact. To read more about CBD, do head over to Readers Digest CBD where they explain more in detail.