Chances are you have heard about cannabidiol (CBD) oil – the naturally occurring compound found in the flower of the cannabis plant. You might have seen CBD oil in your local grocery store, like I have. And if you’re anything like me, you care about what is going in your body. Better yet – you like to know how it was made.
In layman’s terms, here is the 4-step process used to create CBD oil:
Cultivate and Harvest the Plants
You guessed it – the first step is cultivating and harvesting the plants. A combine harvester is generally used to harvest these plants. An article written by the ECHO organization states these plants contain naturally high levels of CBD oil and low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive material that gets you high.
Moving on to step 2…
2. Extraction
This process is a little more scientific-y, so bear with me.
CBD oil producers typically use an extraction process called Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (CO2). In a nutshell, a solvent (in this case, a non-toxic fluid CO2), is used to separate and collect the CBD from the hemp plants. This solvent is forced through the ground plant material to extract the CBD, essential oils, lipids, and beneficial compounds. Then, the solvent is removed, producing an oil high in CBD. Got it? You are smart! Moving on…
3. Testing
CBD oil is tested for cannabinoid content reliability before being released to the marketplace. While testing standards vary between manufacturers, CBD oil is typically examined for degradation, damage, and contamination. As a consumer of CBD, I always do my research on a CBD company’s testing practices and CBD reliability before purchasing! Like the CBDistillery says, when purchasing CBD, get in the habit of looking for third-party test results, CBD to THC ratio, and the content of CBD in milligrams.
4. Decarboxylation
Last step! Decarboxylation is a fancy word for the heating process used on the CBD oil that converts the cannabinoids into a form that can be used easily by the body.
If you’re looking for a company that takes product testing seriously, look no further than Better Healthy Living. They are a CBD industry-leading standard for quality and testing practices. Check out their line of outstanding products here.