With the industry booming these past few years, CBD businesses have sprouted all over the world and with them, an excess of information and misinformation about what exactly CBD is, and what it does. We’ve come up with an easy-to-read intro guide for you to get to know cannabidiol as we move into the new year. Because our job isn’t just to create well-being products, it’s to help educate people about cannabinoids and if it’s the right fit for them.
If you’re curious about hemp extracts, cannabidiol and their benefits, then read on.
Where does CBD come from?
Cannabidiol is the second-most active ingredient in hemp and marijuana after THC. Whatever plant from which CBD is extracted, it’s exactly the same on a molecular level. Basically, it’s a plant compound that makes up approximately 40% of hemp or cannabis plants. For the sake of this intro guide, we’ll just talk about cannabinoids that’s extracted from hemp, since it’s most likely what’s being produced in the U.S.A
Are CBD and THC the same?
THC is the most prevalent cannabinoid that’s found in hemp and marijuana. While both can have relaxing and restorative properties, THC comes with many side effects like altered perception, distortion and impaired judgment.
On the other hand, Cannabidiol and CBD products aren’t psychoactive drugs and carry no mood or mind-altering side effects. It’s the reason they’re so sought after these past few years as a lifestyle and wellbeing supplement.
Is all CBD the same?
No. Much like all the herbs and spices you buy at the supermarket aren’t the same, nor are the products. It all depends on how they’re made or in this case, extracted.
There are full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and cannabinoids isolate compounds, but we won’t go down that rabbit hole just yet. If you’re interested, you can read about them here.
Any company that wants to make a great product has to start with a great source. Golden Goat and many of our competitors are starting with USA organic hemp and work with local farmers to help us produce top-quality extraction.
What is CBD extraction?
In much the same way you’d extract active compounds from coconuts to make a coconut conditioner, cannabidiol is isolated and extracted from hemp to make CBD oil. There are a few ways to do this, but they aren’t all equal.
Solvent extraction uses ethanol, butane, or similar agents to soak and strip plant trimmings of cannabinoids to then evaporate into an oil. This method is cheap, produces inferior quality and can sometimes even be toxic. Avoid companies who can’t or won’t tell you what their extraction process is.
C02 extraction has become the most widely used and effective way to extract cannabidiol safely and accurately from hemp. It’s the most expensive method, but it provides very high-quality cannabidiol oil that’s free of potentially harmful synthetics and solvents.
Olive oil can also be used to extract cannabidiol from hemp or cannabis, which is popular with the DYI crowd, but it’s not really used in commercial production, so you shouldn’t run into it too often. CBD olive oil can be rich, tasty and satisfying, but doesn’t offer the flexibility of more standard extractions.
What can you use CBD oil for?
cannabidiol oil is used to create just about anything you see on the market including topicals, tinctures, beverages and compresses. As with standard fruit and plant extracts, it’s a distilled concentrate that can be mixed into just about any consumable or application.
Beauty brands use cannabidiol extracts to create creams, shampoos and beauty products which can have many restorative benefits.
Food and beverage companies can offer plenty of delicious options to customers including gummies, tablets, sports drinks and coconut oil that is often used in baked goods.
There’s even a surge of pet products that have gained popularity which include doggy treats and sprays.
What is CBD used to treat?
Although there are a lot more research and clinical trials that need to be performed when it comes to CBDs health benefits, CBD has become greatly relied upon in the wellness community. It has been positively linked to helping relieve the symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, arthritis and sleep disorders, to name a few. There have also been numerous studies that show that CBD can reduce and sometimes eliminate seizures, but long-term studies should be conducted.
Are Cannabidiol products safe to use in any form?
CBD is not a psychotropic but can sometimes have some minor side effects, which can include symptoms like nausea and fatigue. It’s also known to react negatively to some medication, but many of the ingredients that compose CBD products could play a part in those side effects. To make sure, always make sure you know what goes into the products that you use.
Is CBD Legal in the US?
There are many provisions about selling CBD and CBD products online, but it is mostly legal across the United States. Some of the restrictions include not making any medical claims about products, which has greatly impeded some of the less scrupulous vendors out there.
A CBD extract must contain 0.3% or less THC, which is the standard acceptable trace amount required for it to be considered cannabidiol.
How do I know which CBD company to buy from?
You can easily tell when a company is running a “warehouse” website, which is to say they will sell any CBD product in an effort to make money. As an ethical company, we suggest that you use Golden Goat’s modus operandi as your yardstick to doing business with the best. Our processes and production guidelines follow some of the top sellers in the US and are guaranteed to be of the highest quality.
- We use USA certified organic hemp and do business directly with hemp farmers
- We post the results of our lab tests on our website, advertising its purity and its adherence to national and state laws.
- We’re involved in every step of the production process, which is sourcing, testing, creating, and distribution.
We’ll regularly expand and update this guide so you can be assured the best, most recent and most accurate updates on CBD. As experts in wellness and in CBD, we’re always working hard to become thought leaders in our space and keep our audience informed and ready to make smarter decisions when it comes to their health.
Disclaimer:
The information in this article, including but not limited to text, images, graphics, and other material contained herein, is for informational and educational purposes only and is solely intended to be used as a self-help tool. The information in this article and website does not substitute for professional medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis. Always seek guidance and advice from a qualified healthcare provider before undertaking a new healthcare regimen.
