Choosing Quality CBD Products
If you're new to CBD, there's a good chance that you are feeling overwhelmed with the number of products on the market. We want to share what we have learned along the way to help you better understand how to navigate products and find ones that work for you. It can be challenging and overwhelming to research and find a quality product. Here’s a basic guide on how to quickly identify quality CBD products:
Hemp Origin & Processing
Complete disclosure of the origin of the hemp and the location of processing should be readily available. Companies with quality products will transparently disclose where the hemp is grown. Support companies with organic and sustainable growing practices within the USA to guarantee a quality product free of impurities and chemicals.
Quantity of Cannabinoids
We recommend carefully evaluating the price of the CBD product in comparison to the milligrams of CBD per bottle. The price often reflects the quantity and quality of cannabinoids. Cannabinoid profiles and concentrations should be easy to find and review. CBD is only one of the many beneficial cannabinoids found in hemp. Quality products must list the CBD quantity in addition to other beneficial cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. Consumers should carefully consider the cannabinoid content to determine product potency and efficacy. Unfortunately, many companies reduce the amount of CBD in their products to keep cost low.
Hemp Seed Oil vs Hemp Extract Oil
In contrast to hemp extract oil, hemp seed oil is extracted from only the seeds of the industrial hemp plant and contains omegas but only a very small and often undetectable quantities of cannabinoids. Hemp seed oil is significantly cheaper and does not contain the powerful cannabinoids that are found in whole plant hemp oil extract. We recommend choosing full spectrum hemp extract for the maximum health and wellness benefits of the entourage effect, that is, unless you are concerned with consuming trace amounts of THC. If you do not wish to consume THC, then choose either a broad spectrum or CBD isolate oil.
Lab Test Results
3rd party lab testing should be readily available for review. Look for testing that includes cannabinoid quantities (including CBD), heavy metal and pesticide testing. All 3rd party testing should be easy to find and correlate with a batch number or QR code on every product. We do not recommend purchasing any CBD product that you cannot find test results for.
Beware of Extravagant Medical Claims
CBD is not approved by the FDA to treat, diagnose or cure any medical diseases or illnesses*. Companies that promote products by promising to cure serious medical illnesses should be avoided.
We know CBD is powerful and many research studies are in process to evaluate and prove that CBD can be used medically. However, medical claims should not be made by companies until having complete FDA approval and with research to back it up.
*EPIDIOLEX is the first and only FDA‑approved prescription cannabidiol (CBD). It is approved to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), Dravet syndrome, or tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in patients 1 year of age and older.
