The CBD market is absolutely booming.
And why shouldn’t it?
CBD’s countless benefits for health are still being discovered. Its many uses include treating anxiety, depression, and pain.
But it’s still new and remains largely unknown to the general public. For instance, did you know it stands for Cannabidiol?
And yet, CBD products can vary greatly in quality.
Not knowing enough about it means you could end up with a subpar or overpriced product. To help you choose the right medicine for your needs, it’s time to get more familiar with it!
And for this, the first question to ask is: how is CBD made?
Fortunately, this is just what I’m about to explain to you.
- How Is CBD Made? Two Different Methods
First, you should know that there are two different kinds of CBD products:
- Full spectrum
- CBD isolate
With the full spectrum method, the resulting oil is composed of other cannabinoids in addition to CBD. This type of CBD oil can have minute amounts of THC along with terpenes.
You probably already know THC is what gets you high. Terpenes are anti-inflammatory compounds found in cannabis.
Conversely, CBD isolate only contains CBD without any of the other molecules of cannabis. Full spectrum oil won’t get you high. But for the sake of being careful, some people might prefer to use CBD isolate products to avoid ingesting any THC.
- The Solvent
Another important parameter to consider when it comes to how CBD oil is made is the solvent used.
The most thorough process involves supercritical carbon dioxide. This CO2 extraction is already a staple in the food industry.
However, the most widely used solvent is ethanol. This method is faster, cheaper, and requires less power than the CO2 extraction. But it also presents more risks because ethanol is highly flammable.
- The Distillation Process
After the extraction with a solvent, the oil needs to be distilled.
First, it goes through what is called Winterization. Winterization means that unwanted compounds, such as fats or lipids, are discarded from the oil.
This step is done by mixing the oil with alcohol and freezing it overnight, before filtering it. The mix is then boiled to evaporate its alcohol content.
Afterward, the oil gets further refined through the Short Path Distillation. This method uses similar principles to Winterization: the blend is boiled to get rid of all the undesirable compounds.
- How to Choose the Right Product
Knowing how CBD oil is made is useful, but you’ll need to consider other things to get the best products.
The conditions used to grow the cannabis plants are paramount. As of yet, the law doesn’t regulate cannabis production much. This means that plants could grow in bad conditions and get polluted.
These CBDistillery Reviews provide a good rundown on what to look out for when looking for quality.
- Ready to Get Started With CBD
So, how is CBD made? You have the answer now.
We’ve seen how it’s extracted with a solvent and then distilled. There are also two types of CBD: full spectrum includes other cannabinoids while CBD isolate doesn’t.
But also don’t forget to check where the plants used come from to avoid getting poor quality products.