CBD Oil Demystified – What’s the Difference?

CBD Oil Demystified – What’s the Difference?

There are a lot of terms tossed around in the CBD marketing world these days that may confuse or mislead customers. Here we hope to demystify some of the terminology for extracts so you can make an educated decision on which oil is best for your treatment.

Crude:

Often call “full-spectrum,” this extract is the most basic and raw form of CBD oil and contains around 50 to 60% CBD. The appearance of crude is generally very dark green with a tar-like consistency. The appearance is due to the amount chlorophyl remaining in the oil after it is extracted. If your CBD oil is green in appearance with strong smell and extremely bitter taste, it is likely made with crude. Crude will also generally contain a significant amount of residual THC so be cautious if you do not desire a “high” from the products. Start low and go slow…as they say.

Distillate:

The next phase of extraction is to distill the oil. This is typically done in a roto-vap machine by gently heating the crude oil until the CBD is evaporated and then cooled in a condenser and collected in a separate vessel. This is the same process used to make high-proof alcohol or to distill essential oils. The result is a golden colored oil similar to honey in appearance, only far more viscous. The distilled oil is around 80% CBD and still contains residual THC, usually around 3%. This is the oil that we use in our Full-Spectrum products. The flavor, aroma and appearance are more palatable than crude while still containing a variety of minor cannabinoids and residual THC. The oil is diluted enough in our final products to be under the legal THC limit of 0.3% by weight and the flavor is much milder than products made with crude oil. If you stick to the recommended dosing you should not experience a “high” from these products. A typical dose contains less than 2mg THC while still being high in CBD.

Broad Spectrum:

Broad Spectrum is very similar to Distillate; however, the THC has been removed using mechanical or chemical means. The CBD percentage is likely to be somewhat higher, although the potency of the final product will be the same. Many companies promote Broad Spectrum as the “Holy Grail” of CBD oil because the THC levels are below detection while there are still traces of minor cannabinoids. While there may be some anecdotal evidence of this, we believe the cost outweighs the benefits. THC remediation requires very expensive equipment and specialized knowledge making it out of reach for many small companies. One way of mimicking Broad-Spectrum oils is to simply blends isolates of different minor cannabinoids into a CBD isolate. This is how many products on the market today are created. While it may make for snazzy marketing and Facebook ads, the process to make these isolates requires chemicals that may not be desirable, such as pentane.  On the other hand, a full-spectrum distillate only requires heating and cooling.

Isolate:

Another way to get CBD at a very high potency without any detectable THC is through isolation. We use isolate in our non-THC products because it the best method available to reliably remove THC from the oil. For many people, non-THC is the only option due to work or other reasons that prevent them from using THC which may show up on a drug-test. Isolate is made by heating and cooling CBD distillate in a mixture with other chemicals that allow it to be separated and filtered leaving only a powder-like substance that is around 99% CBD. It’s important to be sure none of the chemical residues are present in the final isolate which is why we require a full panel testing for pentane on our extract before they go into a finished product.

Why Does it Matter?

Knowledge is power and marketers often use that against you, so it important to be familiar with the terminology being thrown around the internet these days. When a company preaches some new system or method that only they are using, take it with a grain of salt as many times it is nothing but clever marketing to sell over-priced products. Look for reasonably priced products with simple terminology and always third-party testing to back up claims such as potency or zero-THC. One last note is that “zero-THC” and “no-THC” actually mean “non-detectable THC.” CBD and THC are too tightly linked to entirely remove one from another. Even a 99% CBD isolate will contain some tiny amounts of THC. It is however such a small percentage that it is “NOT DETECTABLE” by lab tests, so is essentially zero.

We appreciate you taking the time to read out blog. If you have any questions or comments, please drop us a note through the CONTACT page.

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