When searching for the right Cannabidiol (CBD) product, you have a lot of homework to do. There are a wide range of product types out there, first of all, but more importantly, there are some terms that might at first appear unusual. “Hemp-derived” is often one of those terms that regularly raises eyebrows among CBD consumers. As the name suggests, hemp-derived CBD is made from industrial hemp, but what precisely does that mean?
What is industrial hemp?
Industrial hemp refers to any cultivar of the Cannabis sativa L. plant that contains less than 0.3% of the intoxicating cannabinoid delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is a legal definition in the U.S. set out by the 2014 Farm Bill, which drew a distinction between these types of cannabis plants and their more THC-potent cousins, known as “marijuana.”
Like THC, CBD is found in both industrial hemp and marijuana plants, albeit in varying levels across different cultivars. That means both industrial hemp and marijuana can be used in the creation of CBD-infused products. However, the resulting product can be significantly different depending on which plant a manufacturer uses. The primary difference starts with the cannabinoid profiles of each plant.
What is a cannabinoid?
Cannabinoids include more than one hundred compounds found in all cultivars of cannabis plants. THC and CBD are among the most well known of these compounds, which interact with the mammalian endogenous cannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system is a series of receptors found throughout the brain and the body, which cannabinoids bind to and influence bodily functions in a variety of ways that researchers are still studying. This is in large part where researchers believe the supposed medicinal effects of cannabis pants come from.
Most CBD-infused products, such as tinctures, edibles, and topicals, begin with a process of drawing out cannabinoids and other compounds from the cannabis plant to create a concentrated extract. This process is aptly named “extraction.”
What is extraction?
Extraction takes place when a cannabis plant is placed in a solvent, which is used to draw out all the cannabinoids in the plant. Along with the cannabinoids come other important compounds, including terpenes and flavonoids. The resulting concentrated extract will contain a similar compound profile as the source plant. In other words, if a source plant is high in THC, so too will the concentrated extract derived from that plant.
To create a CBD-infused product, concentrated extracts such as oil are used as an ingredient. For example, these concentrates can be added to a carrier oil such as the coconut-derived MCT oil to create an orally ingestible sublingual tincture. They could also be used in cooking or baking to create edible products. Or they could be added to skincare products like creams and balms to create CBD-infused topicals. The versatility of these extracts is a major reason why a diverse range of CBD products are appearing everywhere today.
What makes hemp-derived CBD special?
So, why is such importance placed on “hemp-derived” CBD? Because extracts mimic the compound profile of their source plant, industrial hemp extracts will contain no more than the 0.3% THC required to maintain its status under the law. That is critical because industrial hemp was effectively legalized by the federal government under the 2018 Farm Bill. However, marijuana and its derivatives remain prohibited by the federal government and many states. That means hemp-derived CBD is more widely available than marijuana-derived CBD products that contain higher levels of THC.
In addition to the legal considerations, hemp-derived CBD provides an option for people who don’t want to ingest a lot of THC. Many people prefer to use their CBD products for the therapeutic effects of the cannabinoid, without the added intoxicating effects of THC. This is especially true for consumers who use their CBD products throughout the course of a regular day. Hemp-derived CBD products, by law, must have no more than trace amounts of THC within them, so consumers know they are getting a non-intoxicating product that will be high in CBD.
Finally, industrial hemp plants tend to have significantly elevated amount of CBD compared with marijuana. Not only are hemp-derived CBD consumers able to avoid ingesting higher levels of THC, they are often getting more CBD than they would from a similar marijuana plant derivative. For consumers who are focused on maximizing the amount of CBD in their diet, hemp-derived products offer the highest levels around.
What is CBD isolate?
There are consumers that might prefer to only ingest CBD with no other cannabinoid or compound found in the source plant at all. There is CBD isolate on the market, which typically comes in the form of a white, crystalline powder. These products are the result of further refining after the extraction process, which isolates particular compounds and separates them out from the rest of the extract. In this case, extractors focus on removing CBD from the mix. CBD isolate can be orally ingested directly, sprinkled on food, mixed in beverages, and more.
However, researchers are currently examining what they call “the entourage effect.” The entourage effect is a theory that suggests cannabinoids work synergistically when interacting with endocannabinoid system, possibly enhancing or augmenting the effects of one another. CBD isolate eliminates the entourage effect, while full-spectrum CBD products – that is, products that contain all the compounds found within the source plant – could prove more effective. Full-spectrum, hemp-derived CBD products will contain all the compounds that naturally occur within the hemp plant, while CBD isolate will only contain CBD and nothing else.
Core Roots CBD offers full-spectrum, hemp-derived products
Core Roots CBD offers hemp-derived products that are designed with quality in mind. Products are full-spectrum whenever possible, except for products like CBD cooling gel, which require CBD isolate as an ingredient. Not only are all Core Roots CBD products fully organic, they are also Good Manufacturing Practices certified and produced in a facility registered with the FDA. Every product is tested by a third-party lab and the results are published on the Core Roots CBD website for consumers to review before they buy. Core Roots CBD products are designed to have a very mild, natural taste, never with any additives or flavorings. Best of all, Core Roots CBD offers free shipping anywhere in the U.S. on every order. So, if you’re looking for high-quality, organic, full-spectrum CBD products, the Core Roots CBD Shop is the place for you.