Forms of CBD and Extraction Methods

Have you ever wondered how CBD is made? No… Well, that’s the essence of today’s piece. In today’s article, we will be talking about the various forms of CBD and the extraction methods of CBD.

You must have come across individuals who consume CBD flowers raw. While it can be very unpleasant, it also doesn’t avail the individual of all the benefits of the plant. You see, for the cannabinoids in cannabis to be effective, they must be decarboxylated (applying heat).

Decarboxylation causes the plant to release all its useful properties and become easily absorbable by the body. Smoking hemp causes it to decarboxylate instantly but what if you don’t like to smoke? That’s where CBD extracts come to the rescue.

What’s CBD Extract?

CBD extract is raw CBD that has been extracted from the hemp plant. It comes in various forms and can be used in various products including oils, beverages, tinctures, gummies and edibles.

So, how is CBD extracted from hemp?

CBD Extraction Methods

The three most used extraction methods by CBD companies are the solvent, CO2 extraction and Solvent-less extraction methods.

Solvents – these are CBD products extracted using hydrocarbons such as isopropyl, ethanol, butane, etc. It is the least most expensive methods of extraction but the most dangerous due to the highly flammable contents of the liquids.

The final product is not the purest as the process also extracts the chlorophyll in the plant causing it to have a slightly bitter taste. Besides the extremely dangerous process, solvent end products have also been found to contain impurities that have been deemed toxic.

Solvent less – this extraction method makes use of organic oil as carrier oils for the extract. The hemp is heated with the oil and the process causes it to release its properties into the oil. This process of decarboxylation is repeated until all the chemicals are extracted from the hemp.

This process is the most simple, safe and quite cost effective. However, there are issues with preservation. Because olive oil and most organic oils are perishable, care has to be taken with storage. The end product must always be stored in a cool, dark place.

CO2 Extraction – this is the most advanced method of CBD extraction and is the preferred method for companies today. CO2 extraction brings a much safer and higher quality product to their consumers. It also does not remove the beneficial contents of the plant as much as other methods do and it has a much lower chance of having contaminants. But, it can be very expensive to implement. If you can manage the cost, this is the most recommended methods of CBD extraction.

A Wrap - Which CBD Extraction Method is Best?

While there are pros and cons to each extraction method, we feel that CO2 extraction is by far the most beneficial.  It consistently produces the highest quality concentration of CBD and is one of the safest extraction methods, leaving behind no toxic residue.