It’s understandable if your head is already spinning. The CBD industry is filled with 1000s of different products . To make things even more confusing, these products are marketed in a variety of different ways — often without consistency from brand to brand.

As a consumer this can make it a challenge to identify the specific hemp-derived content in a product. This is a big deal, as these specifics play a BIG role in the effectiveness and accessibility of CBD. Luckily, a little education goes a long way.

By digging in and identifying the spectrum of a CBD product you’ll be able to make educated shopping decisions. This will help you find the most effective products for your needs while avoiding any potential substances that you don’t want in your products.

Keep reading and we will walk you through the three primary spectrums of CBD products, the advantages and disadvantages of each, how to identify them, and how to pick the right one for your needs.

Table of Contents

• How is CBD made?
• Understanding the different CBD spectrums
• Choosing the right spectrum of CBD oil for you

How is CBD made?

Before we talk about spectrums, it’s important that you understand how CBD makes it into the final product.

It all starts with hemp. This non-psychoactive type of cannabis contains a wide variety of compounds, including cannabidiol or CBD. These valuable compounds include phytocannabinoids and terpenes and are responsible for the health-boosting benefits of CBD oil.

This guide will help you make an educated shopping decision when choosing CBD oil products.

CBD products are made by extracting an oil from the flowering portion of the hemp plant. This crude extract contains cannabinoids, terpenes, fatty acids, and other plant materials.

The processing performed on an extract removes various components from the crude extract along the way. Some processes remove some generally unwanted components like chlorophyll from an extract, while others remove significant cannabis compounds like terpenes and cannabinoids.

Depending on the desired final form, this extract may undergo various processing steps before making it into a product. This is a very simplified explanation, but if you’d like to learn more see Big Sky Botanicals’ article on how CBD is extracted and processed for an in-depth explanation of the topic.

Comparing CBD spectrums

A standard has emerged since hemp was legalized. By looking at a product’s cannabinoid and terpene profile, we can group CBD products into one of three three primary spectrums, based on what remains after extraction:

Full-spectrum CBD

When an extract contains a complete profile of cannabinoids and terpenes in relation to the original plant material, this is called full-spectrum. This type of extract has not undergone any additional processes to alter the presence of these compounds. It is closest to a ‘whole-plant’ product.

It is important to mention that products will contain a trace amount of THC. The content should not exceed 0.3% by weight per the federal regulations established by the 2018 Farm Bill.

As a result, full-spectrum products contain the maximum therapeutic potential when compared to other spectrums. The tiny amount of THC won’t make most consumers ‘feel high,’ but it could still take full advantage of the entourage effect. This is when multiple cannabinoids work together. However, full spectrum products should not be used by those who wish to avoid THC for personal or drug testing reasons.

Identifying full-spectrum CBD: When verifying lab reports for full spectrum products, you’ll find both major and minor cannabinoids present, including THC, as well major and minor terpenes present. The CBD content on the ingredients list comes from an oil source.

Broad-spectrum CBD

Relative to full-spectrum and CBD isolate, broad-spectrum is the newest spectrum on the block. It was made possible by specialized processing called chromatography. This process takes a full-spectrum extract and removes only the THC.

Many compare the effectiveness of broad-spectrum to that of full-spectrum. This is because removing only the THC has a negligible benefit impact while greatly increasing the accessibility of the product to a wider audience that are seeking a THC-free solution.

Identifying broad-spectrum CBD: When verifying lab reports for broad-spectrum products, you’ll find both major and minor cannabinoids present, excluding THC, as well major and minor terpenes present. The CBD content on the ingredients list comes from an oil source.

CBD isolate

The most ‘pharmaceutical’ and furthest from ‘whole-plant’ of the spectrums is CBD isolate. This spectrum is created by distilling a hemp extract. This works by boiling off the and capturing the cannabidiol molecule – isolating it from all the other compounds in the plant.

The result is a white crystalline substance which you’ll find sold as a standalone product or used as an ingredient in products like tinctures and capsules.

Because CBD isolate lacks all other terpene and cannabinoid content, it is relatively the least effective when compared to full or broad-spectrum. It was widely sought after before broad-spectrum came along because of it’s THC-free accessibility.

Identifying CBD Isolate: When verifying lab reports for CBD isolate products, you’ll find only CBD present on a cannabinoid report and no terpenes. The CBD content on the ingredients list comes from a crystalline source.

Always verify the CBD spectrum via third-party lab reports

As you can see, the spectrum plays a BIG role. Unfortunately, not all companies clearly publish the spectrum of their products. For example, some CBD packaging only identifies products as ‘THC-free.’ And some inferior quality products are mislabelled entirely.

That said, regardless of if a company promotes the spectrum of their products or not, you should always, always, always verify the cannabinoid and terpene content via third-party lab reports.

Using the above definitions, look to the labs and ingredients lists for verification on your product contents. If the company doesn’t provide labs, or you can’t easily verify the cannabinoid and terpene content,  we suggest you look elsewhere. It’s essential to ensure you know what is in the products you’re taking, and providing these lab reports is expected of quality hemp brands today.

Learning how to read lab reports can be confusing at first, but it’s easy when you get the hang of it. Check out the Big Sky Botanicals’ guide on reading lab reports to learn more. There you’ll also find a section about how to clear up the common confusion around products that are full or broad-spectrum, but the lab reports look like CBD isolate.

How to choose the right spectrum of CBD oil

Now that you understand the differences between the various spectrums, the final piece of the puzzle is to determine which spectrum to choose. Follow the steps through these primary considerations to determine which spectrum is right for you:

1. Consider THC Exposure

First, and perhaps most importantly, is to consider if you’re able or want to consume THC. In general, we talk to two primary groups of people that want to avoid THC:

• Those who are drug tested for THC. This includes workplace screening and others who are screened professionally for marijuana. These tests typically look for the presence of THC. Even though full-spectrum contains at most a trace amount of THC, there are reports of positive drug tests from full spectrum CBD products. Choosing a THC-free alternative is always recommended.
• Those who don’t want to consume THC. There are many that just simply don’t want to consume THC. This can be due to political, religious, personal or other views. And for a handful of people, even trace amounts of THC can cause grogginess or other unwanted side effects.

The topic of drug testing is more complex than we can cover in this guide, which is why we wrote a complete guide to drug testing and CBD on the Big Sky Botanicals website.

If you’re OK with THC exposure, full-spectrum is still in. If you can’t then full-spectrum is out for you.

2. Consider effectiveness via the Entourage Effect

Research shows that whole-plant extracts like broad or full spectrum work well at lower doses and have a broader therapeutic window than CBD isolate. Isolate generally requires higher and more precise doses to be effective.

Because of this, you’re better off with a full or broad-spectrum product over CBD isolate. The effectiveness benefits of these whole-plant products outweighs the misleading low cost that drives CBD isolate sales today.

3. Consider your use case

While it’s pretty clear by now that that full or broad-spectrum should almost always be picked over an isolate, there are cases to look past them.

CBD isolate shines in specialty use cases — namely as a standalone dab product or to be sprinkled on top of marijuana flower to increase CBD potency. In both of these cases the crystalline isolate works well.

Cooking with CBD isolate may be one of the few other exceptions, but a well-made broad or full spectrum CBD product will have a very mild taste and avoid much of the grassy bitterness that can sometimes be bothersome in inferior CBD products. 

To sum up, if you find isolate as an ingredient in your a CBD product — like tinctures, capsules, or balm — then look you should probably consider using a full or broad-spectrum alternative. 

4. Find your preferred CBD spectrum

Our final piece of advice is to take all of this knowledge and apply it as you shop, but ultimately what works best for you works best for you.

In talking with clients, we find people can react in vastly different ways to the same product. Generally spectrum advice helps, but ultimately finding the product that aligns best with your life is key.

Have you found your preferred CBD spectrum? Let us know in the comments below which you prefer and why!

The post CBD Spectrums: Choosing Full-Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum, Or Isolate appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

If you’ve followed our reviews before, you probably know we love CBD gummies. There’s just something about indulging in a little treat, and knowing you’re getting the benefits of hemp at the same time. As soon as we tasted these chews from Fab CBD, we realized they’re some of the best gummies available. 

These chews come in a fairly standard candy shape, looking like tiny people or bears, in an assortment of colors. Each chew is coated with sugar and has a sweet, slightly tart fruit taste. We love the packaging too — the Fab CBD Chews jar is perfect to toss in your bag or backpack, keep in a desk drawer, or on your bedside for whenever you need some CBD relief. 

Fab CBD paid us a fee and offered us free products in return for our honest opinion. If you purchase a product from one of these links, we’ll receive a percentage of sales. Read more about sponsored content on Ministry of Hemp.

Read on to learn more about FabCBD Chews and see our official review.

Creating reliable quality hemp supplements without gimmicks

Together, the Fab CBD team represents over 25 years of experience in creating natural supplements. They’re dedicated to creating simple, affordable and quality hemp-based supplements that anyone can feel comfortable taking. 

All of the hemp used in Fab CBD products was grown in Colorado under organic conditions. They lab-test all their products using one of the industry’s best labs, and make the results easily available on their website, which we always appreciate. Their products are clearly labelled, and we appreciated the short ingredients list for a gummy candy. 

While Fab CBD Chews are vegan, you’re not compromising any flavor. Everyone we shared one with said they tasted delicious. Since they’re made with CBD isolate, there is no “hempy” flavor; other Fab CBD products offer the full spectrum hemp experience. We found these chews to be relaxing and a great way to supplement our regular CBD ingestion throughout the day.

Our only “complaint” about these gummies is that they taste so good we want to snack on a handful but, at 25mg CBD per chew, one was enough each time for our reviewer.

Fab CBD Chews Official Review

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• Highlights: Fab CBD Chews are a sweet-tart vegan gummy treat that makes it easy to take relaxing CBD isolate anywhere and anytime throughout your day.
• Strength: 25mg CBD per gummy, 30 gummies per bottle (750mg total)
• Price: $59
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders of $89 or more.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Flavor & Texture: These chews have a wonderful sweet flavor with a subtle tartness that makes them even more delicious. The texture is softer than a typical gummy but with a pleasant chewyness.
• Ingredients:  Hemp-derived CBD isolate with Organic Cane sugar, Pectin, Citric acid, Ascorbic acid, Natural flavors, Natural colors [organic concentrated apple, organic carrot, organic black currant]
• Other: Fab CBD offers a 30-day money back guarantee for unsatisfied customers.

On November 25, 2019, Ministry of Hemp conducted our own lab test of this CBD gummy, using a third-party lab. Download test results here.

Fab CBD uses hemp grown under organic conditions in Colorado in all their products. They also offer full spectrum CBD oil, CBD topicals, CBD pet treats and other great products.

The post Fab CBD Chews Are Delicious, Vegan Relaxing Gummy Treats appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

We loved trying TryTheCBD’s delicious and effective vape cartridges. Vaping CBD is one of the most popular ways to take this beneficial supplement. However, not all CBD vapes are created equal. Some CBD vapes include ingredients like propylene glycol, which can irritate people’s throats.

TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges combine CBD isolate grown under organic conditions, with plant-based terpenes to increase the flavor and effects. Their new formula contains no propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, or MCT oil. Instead, the CBD and terpenes are mixed into a special carrier liquid called TEC Temper, which is a blend of special additional terpenes designed to reduce inflammation.

The result is an extremely smooth vaping experience, without the typical harshness that can leave your throat irritated. These vape cartridges come in a variety of flavors, each designed to mimic a popular strain of psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”) without any THC. The result is flavorful and relaxing, without the high. We tried TryTheCBD’s Gorilla Glue #4 and loved the subtle flavor and relaxing effects.

TryTheCBD paid us a fee and offered us free products in return for our honest opinion. If you purchase a product from one of these links, we’ll receive a percentage of sales. Read more about sponsored content on Ministry of Hemp.

Read on for our full review of TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges, to learn more about their great features.

TRYTHECBD OFFERS GREAT FLAVORS IN AFFORDABLE, PREMIUM DESIGN

In addition to the unique TEC Temper carrier fluid, TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges offer a number of other appealing features.

These cartridges have a standard threading that fits into almost any vape battery, but inside the cartridge is anything but standard. High-quality ceramic coils and leak proof engineering make these cartridges more durable and give CBD consumers a better vaping experience.

TryTheCBD is a Colorado company that uses all Colorado-grown hemp, produced under organic conditions with no GMO ingredients. All their products are also gluten free. We appreciate that TryTheCBD makes third-party lab results available right in the product listing.

In addition, at $59.99 for 500 mg of CBD, this is a good value for a high-capacity disposable cartridge full of high-quality cannabidol.

TRYTHECBD VAPE CARTRIDGES OFFICIAL REVIEW

• Highlights: TryTheCBD makes their Vape Cartridges with a specialized, terpene-bassed carrier oil designed to reduce inflammation and prevent irritation of the throat.  
• Strength: 500mg disposable cartridge, also available in 300mg cartridges
• Price: $34.99 – $59.99
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping is available on orders over $99.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Flavor & Feel: Subtle but delicious and terpene-rich flavor profile. Gorilla Glue #4 has an earthy, faintly sweet and piney flavor. Effects are very relaxing, easing muscle soreness, chronic pain and agitation in our reviewer.
• Ingredients: CBD isolate in TEC Temper carrier fluid, plus Botanical Terpenes.
• Other: Available in several great flavors. We loved their “OG Kush,” too. Pre-filled disposable vape pens are also available.

TryTheCBD uses hemp grown under organic conditions in Colorado in all their CBD products. They make a full range of CBD supplements, some of which contain full spectrum CBD, including CBD tinctures and CBD pet products. Learn more about the differences between full spectrum and CBD isolate.

The post TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges Offer Pure, Smooth Vaping Experience appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

From a vape juice better than anything you could buy premade to a special batch of grandma’s famous brownies, the possibilities are almost unlimited. With so many options, the question quickly becomes: How do you want to consume your CBD?

Do you need instant relief from pain or are you treating a skin condition? Are you suffering from seizures or do you just need a little help getting to sleep at night? No matter your needs, you can use CBD isolates to create customized treatments not commercially available.

Learn more about the difference between Full Spectrum CBD vs CBD Isolate

Read on for more about how to use CBD isolate, and our reviews of the best CBD isolates available online.

CBD DIY: HOW TO USE CBD ISOLATE

More important than all the options CBD isolate affords end-users, it allows us to control exactly what goes into or onto our bodies and the quality of all the ingredients used. For example, many CBD topicals include added herbal or botanical ingredients that, while pleasant to smell, can irritate sensitive skin or even exacerbate some conditions. Using an isolate, you can create your own topical with only the ingredients that work for you.

With merely a gram of CBD isolate, a few ounces of oil (sunflower, hemp, coconut, avocado, etc.) and a little bit of heat, you have your own high-quality CBD mixture. Add it to food, rub it on your skin or simply consume it straight. It’s as simple as melting butter in a pan.

When it comes to CBD, DIY is king. Too often, the compounds we find in commercially available products are mislabeled or created using sub-par ingredients. With so many great companies producing high quality CBD oil products, there is no reason to settle for overpriced and questionably sourced CBD.

HOW TO DAB & VAPE USING CBD ISOLATE

One of the quickest ways to consume CBD is by dabbing isolate. You will need a glass water pipe (better known as a “bong”), a quartz nail attachment, a dabber to hold the CBD and a butane torch or electronic nail heating element (an e-nail). The initial investment is about $100 to $200, depending on the equipment. E-nails are more expensive, but much safer than using a butane torch for some users.

Simply heat up the nail and place the CBD on it using the dabber while simultaneously inhaling off the water pipe. As soon as the CBD touches the hot nail, it vaporizes and can be inhaled directly into the lungs.

In states that have legalized psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”), CBD can be added directly on top of a bowl of cannabis flower or to THC containing extracts to increase the therapeutic effects. THC and CBD work together synergistically to regulate the effects of each other. For users who experience anxiety when they consume marijuana, CBD can help to reduce anxiety and mellow out the “high.”

CBD isolate also offers a cheaper and higher quality alternative to pre-mixed CBD vape juices and pre-filled vape pens. Users simply need refillable tank style vape, a bottle of vegetable glycerin, a bottle of propylene glycol and vape flavor additives. Commercial vape juice manufacturers add all sorts of sugars and sweeteners to their recipes that end up shortening the lifespan of vape coils and increasing particulate matter exposure.

HOW WE PICKED THE BEST CBD ISOLATES

In order to be included in this review, companies needed to either publicly post third party lab results or provide them upon request. Because quality and purity of hemp are such important factors when choosing CBD isolate, any company that didn’t provide third-party lab results was immediately removed from our list.

Next, we looked at transparency. Companies needed to provide information, either publicly or upon request, about the source of their hemp and the extraction method used to create their isolate. Finally, we judged each company on their customer service. While most companies quickly responded to our requests, a few didn’t reply at all. We dropped companies that didn’t reply after multiple inquiries from our list.

Upon receipt of our orders, we judged each isolate according to its smell, taste, look, consistency and packaging. While we considered the effects of each CBD isolate, they are all 99%+ CBD and there is little to no difference in the effect of each. All CBD isolate should have the same mellow, non-psychoactive, relaxing and pain-relieving effects. Choosing between these brands comes down mostly to personal preference.

Our reviewer used these CBD isolates during an especially long, physically exhausting period in his life. CBD helped to combat the effects of fatigue and soreness. For the purposes of this review, we used a glass water pipe, a quartz nail, a titanium dabber and a butane torch to vaporize and inhale the CBD directly.

Here, in no particular order, are the brands we believe offer the best CBD isolates available online:

• • Medterra Med99+ CBD Isolate
  • Lazarus Naturals Cycling Frog Isolates
  • Ambary Gardens 99% Isolate CBD
  • Bluebird Botanicals CBD Isolate

Click above or continue reading for our complete review of each brand.

CBD ISOLATE OFFICIAL REVIEWS

Medterra Med99+ CBD Isolate

• Highlights: Med99+ CBD Isolate from Medterra left no residue and tastes good, with relaxing effects but has a noticeable earth smell compared to other isolates.
• Special Offer: Use coupon code MOH for 10 percent off your order
• Price: $34.99 per gram
• Customer Service & Shipping: Responsive to email inquiries. Shipping is $2 First Class Mail
• Extraction Method: CO2 extraction.
• Hemp Source: Kentucky
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Appearance, Scent & Flavor: Crystalline, white powder with slight earthy scent. Mildly piney flavor.

Medterra’s CBD hit all the marks in terms of our requirements. They quickly responded to our inquiries and clearly post all third-party lab results on their website. Medterra’s isolate is a solid deal for quality CO2 extracted, domestically grown CBD.

Lazarus Naturals Cycling Frog Isolates

• Highlights: Cycling Frog from Lazarus Naturals offers a great value with their high-quality, relaxing yet inexpensive CBD isolate in both raw form and with unique added flavors.
• Special Offer: Use coupon code MoH10 for 10 percent off most items
• Price: $30 per gram
• Customer Service & Shipping: Very responsive to email inquiries. Shipping is $8 UPS Ground, free shipping on orders over $50
• Extraction Method: Kosher alcohol extraction
• Hemp source: U.S.
• Independent Test Results:
  • Potency and residual solvent
  • Chemical residue
• Appearance, Scent & Flavor:  All varieties taste similar, piney and smooth with very light fruity undertones on the flavored varieties.
  • Raw CBD isolate – white powder with no discernable odor
  • Hawaiian Citrus isolate – off-white crystalline powder with tropical citrus scent
  • Valencia Orange isolate – off-white crystalline powder with fresh orange scent
  • Lemon Lime isolate – off-white crystalline powder with lemon-lime scent

Lazarus Naturals’ flavors its different varieties of CBD isolate using plant terpenes. We were impressed by our experience, but further testing is required to determine the full potential of these products. Though the flavors are very mild, they would likely become stronger if you used the isolate for cooking or in vape juice.

Lazarus Naturals stands out for their clean extraction method, outstanding customer service, and discounts offered to veterans and the disabled. If you want to try all four flavors, they offer a sample pack with one gram of each flavor for only $100.

Ambary Gardens 99% Isolate CBD

• Highlights: 99% Isolate CBD from Ambary Gardens is a bit more expensive than other options, however their isolate is made from organic hemp grown by the company. Dabbing this CBD was relaxing and it tasted very smooth.
• Price: $60 per gram
• Customer Service & Shipping: Responsive to email inquiries. Shipping is $7.99 flat rate or free local pickup.
• Extraction Method: Open ethanol wash with vacuum after-purge
• Hemp Source: Kittredge, Colorado, grown in-house
• Independent Test Results: Potency, more tests available on request.
• Appearance, Scent & Flavor: This isolate tasted piney and extremely smooth. These crystalline shards of isolate had an earthy odor that did not affect the flavor.

For what you are getting, the price is great. Ambary Garden’s extracts their CBD from organic hemp grown on their own farm on Colorado. Of the five brands of CBD isolate we tested, Ambary Garden’s had the smoothest flavor when vaporized.

Bluebird Botanicals CBD Isolate

• Highlights: Bluebird Botanicals CBD Isolate is a scentless, pure white powder with a mildly piney flavor and relaxing effects. We appreciated this company’s transparency and quick customer service.
• Price: $39.95 per gram
• Customer Service & Shipping: Responsive to email inquiries. Shipping is $5, but free on orders over $49
• Extraction Method: Ethanol extraction and winterization.
• Hemp Source: Colorado
• Independent Test Results:
  • Potency and terpene analysis
  • Mycotoxin and pesticide analysis
  • Heavy metal analysis
  • Residual solvent analysis
• Appearance, Scent & Flavor: White powder with no discernable scent. Mildly piney flavor.

Overall, this isolate is clean, potent and pure, leaving behind no residue when vaporized. Bluebird Botanicals offers a good product at a good price backed by top-notch customer service.

CONCLUSION: QUALITY MATTERS IN CBD ISOLATE

While this is in no way an exhaustive list of CBD isolates, it is a place to start and weigh your different options.

Whatever source you find, make sure they have third-party lab tests available upon request. Brands should clearly state the origin of their hemp and the extraction method used. If not, you should contact customer service or find a different source.

If you want ideas for other quality, vetted companies, the r/CBD subreddit is an invaluable resource with information about nefarious companies and unsafe products.

The post CBD Isolate Reviews: The Best CBD Isolates Available Online appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.