CBD products are popular among users for their health benefits and people are using them to treat common ailments like muscle and joint pains, headaches, dry skin, rashes, and many more. The most popular of them is CBD oil and this is because of the flexibility in its usage or application. Moreover, it is preferred by customers who want to experience the therapeutic and medical effects of cannabidiol. As a result of these reasons, manufacturers are releasing their own special varieties of it and this can be tricky for buyers to know which one is the best. Shared below are details on how CBD oil is made so that it will be easier to buy an original product, read ahead to know more.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD oil, also sold as pure CBD oil, is extracted from the stalks and flowers of hemp plants that are rich in phytocannabinoids, especially CBD. It is useful for treating a multitude of ailments because it enhances the functioning of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) which results in a better immune system, cardiovascular health, and neurological functioning. The popularity among consumers is due to its anti-inflammatory effects, analgesic effect, curbing anxiety and stress, and most of all in the treatment of seizures.
The Growing Of CBD Hemp Plants
The production of pure CBD oil begins with the careful cultivation of hemp plant strains that are rich in cannabidiol and low in tetrahydrocannabinol. As a standard measure, farmers choose strains that have a good concentration of natural cannabinoids like CBD, CBDA, and less than 0.3% of THC so that it is federally legal. The plant can be grown from seeds or cloned from a very favorable strain that fits all the requirements. The latter method is more used as it is faster and produces genetically identical plants ensuring quality.
The cloned saplings are grown outside until maturation and organic methods are used for cultivation as part of federal-level regulations. The harvesting is done when 70% to 90% of the grey hairs on the matured hemp plant turn brown or amber in color. This is when the flowers and stalk of the plant have the required amounts of cannabidiol CBD in them suitable for medical purposes. These plants are harvested, the plant materials are dried and grounded for extraction processes by which CBD oil is produced.
Whole Plant VS Isolates
There are mainly two different types of CBD oil products, they are whole-plant extracts and isolates. The former contains all the cannabinoids contained in the hemp plant materials used for extraction and it can be either full-spectrum or broad-spectrum extract. The advantage of this type of extract is it possesses the entourage effect, this enhances the individual effects of each cannabinoid contained in the CBD oil. CBD isolates are basically pure CBD i.e. 99% cannabidiol and suitable for those who only want the effects of CBD alone.
Different Methods Of CBD Extraction
Alcohol Extraction: The grounded hemp plant material is soaked in a solvent like alcohol or butane and this dissolves the plant material. Because of this, the cannabinoids and other compounds like terpenes, waxes, nutrients seep into the solvent. After this, the mixture is filtered to remove the unwanted fibers and cellular materials. This filtrate is then heated in a vacuum leaving behind the cannabinoid-rich oil. The biggest advantage of this method is that it is cheap and you can get good quality CBD oil if high-grade alcohol or hydrocarbon solvent is used. However, its biggest disadvantage is the risk of toxic residue in the final product. The other drawback is the loss of 10% cannabinoids and the presence of chlorophyll resulting in bitter-tasting green colored oil.
CO2 Extraction: Carbon dioxide extraction is the most preferred method because of the highly pure end product without any toxic residue in it. Supercritical CO2 is used here, it is the pressure and temperature at which it shows the properties of both gas and liquid. Hence, it is a good solvent and this is passed through the grounded plant material extracting all the cannabinoids contained in it. The biggest advantage of this method is that the pressure and temperature can be fine-tuned to adjust the solvation process, so you can completely eliminate THC. Also, it gives the highest yield of CBD, so the efficiency is high compared to other methods of extraction. However, the disadvantage is the equipment required is expensive, so it is suitable for industrial processes only.
Dilution And Flavouring
The extracted pure CBD oil does not have a palatable taste and many consumers don’t like it. So, manufacturers either dilute it to reduce the harshness of the taste or use flavored carrier oils to mask the bad taste. The dilution is also required to adjust the CBD strength of the oil to accommodate the different needs of the consumers.
We hope that the information discussed in the making of CBD oil will help in your purchasing of the product for your requirements.