The CBD industry is worth hundreds of millions of
dollars and doesn’t seem to be slowing down in the near future. By now, much of the general public is at
least vaguely aware of this cannabinoid’s variety of potentially therapeutic
properties that range from anxiety relief to relief from headache pain. Despite the fact that so many of us know
about how CBD works, few of us know how it’s made.
The truth is that the way in which a CBD product
is made is nothing short of fascinating.
You don’t have to be a plant chemist to appreciate the many things that
make this process exciting. Besides,
knowing about how it’s made can help you better figure out which types of
products to look out for.
It
All Starts with the Hemp Plant
CBD is a cannabinoid that exists in both the hemp
plant and the marijuana plant, two members of the cannabis family. But, because commercial CBD comes from the
hemp plant, that’s what we’ll be focusing on.
You see, hemp contains 0.3 percent or less THC, the psychoactive
compound that allows marijuana to make people feel high. Therefore, CBD that comes from the hemp plant
won’t give you any mind-altering effects.
Because THC is what makes marijuana illegal, CBD companies use the hemp
plant instead.
The hemp plant is cultivated by a farmer who takes
great care to ensure that the soil is free of pesticides and herbicides. Since CBD is ingested, we don’t want any of
those chemicals getting into our bodies.
Once the hemp plant matures, it’s picked out of the ground. CBD comes from the leaves and stalks of the
hemp plant because this plant, unlike marijuana, does not produce any
flowers. An interesting fact is that
hemp is a male plant while marijuana is its female counterpart.
It’s also worth pointing out that up until recently,
hemp cultivation was illegal in the United States. Only recently did the federal government
allow it to be grown for research purposes.
However, a new law will make cultivation legal for commercial purposes
as well.
The
Extraction Process is Key
Once the hemp plant has been picked from the ground,
it goes through an extraction process so that CBD can be turned into an
oil. It’s widely believed that the best
extraction process by far is the CO2 method.
This process involves applying carbon dioxide to the plant material by
way of pressure. It best preserves the
chemical structure of the plant so that its many compounds retain their healing
properties.
However, there are other extraction processes. One involves using chemical solvents to break
down the plant so that it can be easily infused into a carrier oil. This method is not recommended as it can
weaken the potency of the CBD and the other beneficial compounds. Always check a company’s website to learn how
their CBD has been extracted.
There are three different types of CBD, and they
differ based on the extraction process.
- Full Spectrum: Contains
every compound in the hemp plant. No
compounds are removed from the resulting oil.
In addition to CBD, the hemp plant contains terpenes that have healing
properties. - Broad spectrum: Contains
every compound except THC. Despite the
fact that the THC in hemp is not abundant enough to make the user high, some
people still like to avoid it. - CBD Isolate:Pure CBD without
any other compounds in the plant. CBD on
its own has been found to be beneficial, although some believe that the other
compounds provide the body with additional healing benefits, so they prefer
full or broad spectrum.
To
Decarb or Not to Decarb, that is the Question
Next, we get to the decarboxylation process. This is just a fancy term for applying heat
to the CBD oil. This process activates
certain compounds so that they become more bioavailable. In other words, once they’re activated, the
body can better absorb them and use them.
However, some companies don’t put their CBD through
this process. CBD that has not been
decarboxylated is known as “raw.” Some
believe that the decarboxylation process destroys the healing properties of
certain compounds in hemp. Additionally,
this type of CBD is less potent because the body does not absorb it as easily.
Time
to Test
Now that the CBD oil has been extracted and
decarboxylated, it’s tested for potency and purity. Any respectable company will send their CBD
off to a third-party lab so that it can be tested from an unbiased
perspective. The lab results will come
back, showing the level of CBD present, the terpene profile and the potential
presence of impurities like heavy metals and pesticides.
This test also allows a person to determine the strain
of CBD. Each strain is determined by the
terpene profile as well as the level of cannabinoids present. Different strains are believed to have
different therapeutic effects on the mind and body.
Let’s
Make a CBD Product
Now that the CBD oil has been tested, it can be turned
into a product for commercial use. There
are many different types of CBD products on the market today that each offer
their own unique advantages and disadvantages We’re just gonna focus on the
major ones.
- Oral Tincture:
Combines CBD oil with a carrier oil.
It’s poured under the tongue and left there to absorb into the tissue of
the mouth. It provides long-lasting
effects. Often, the carrier oil is MCT
oil or grapeseed oil. - Vape Oil: Combines
the extract with propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and, usually, flavoring
additives. It’s used with a vaping
device so that it’s inhaled into the lungs.
While the effects don’t last as long, they are felt very quickly. - Edible:
Any edible product that’s infused with CBD extract that can be properly
digested. - Topicals: Unique
in that they’re not consumed internally.
A CBD cream, lotion or salve is combined with different oils and
emulsifiers so that it can be easily applied to the skin. It absorbs through the skin’s layers quickly,
entering the affected tissue within a half hour or so. Best for someone trying to treat localized
pain or a skin-related ailment.
Having
a New-Found Trust in the Process
The process of turning hemp into an easy-to-use CBD
product is definitely interesting. And,
now that you understand what goes into making it, you can have a better idea of
why some hemp companies make higher-quality products than others.
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