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When you start shopping for a full spectrum or broad spectrum product, one of the first choices you will have to make is between a CBD isolate and a distillate. Until recently, the only CBD distillate you could find was whole-plant distillate. Now, there are new options available as well.
What Is CBD Isolate?
If you buy a CBD isolate, you are only getting a compound known as cannabidiol (CBD). CBD isolate is deliberately manufactured so that it will only contain CBD. The extraction process removes everything that is not CBD. This means that CBD isolate does not contain any terpenes or other cannabinoids.
You can find CBD isolates in a variety of different products. There are CBD gummies and oils made with CBD isolate. Depending on who you buy your isolate from, it will be 99 percent pure or higher. If you are buying from a reputable supplier, your isolate should not include any additives, heavy metals or contaminants.
If you are worried about taking a drug test, a CBD isolate may be a good choice. Because CBD is isolated from other cannabinoids, there is no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the product. As long as the isolate is actually pure, it should not get you high or cause a failed drug test.
Pure isolate should not have any taste or smell. Because it does not include any taste or smell, isolate is a popular additive for CBD edibles and oils. If you dislike the taste of hemp in your edibles, isolate is a good choice.
What Is CBD Distillate?
Meanwhile, a CBD distillate contains the benefits of the entire hemp plant. The only thing removed is the THC. This means that CBD distillate contains a full spectrum of cannabinoids, terpenes, fatty acids and vitamins. Even though it contains more of the cannabis plant, a CBD distillate will not get you high and is completely legal to have. It undergoes an added processing step to remove any THC that remains from the plant.
CBD distillate is an incredibly popular option because of its many healing benefits. Because it contains a spectrum of cannabinoids and plant-based compounds, it offers more benefits for users. Some scientists believe that the different cannabinoids and terpenes in hemp can play off of each other to produce an entourage effect. In essence, they believe that the sum of hemp’s parts produces an effect that is greater than each compound can achieve on its own.
Different cannabinoids are present in cannabis in different amounts. The following cannabinoids are popular because of their potential healing benefits.
Cannabinol (CBN)
Like most cannabinoids, scientists are still working to learn more about CBN. Currently, they believe that it can help people with insomnia. It has sedative effects that make it ideal for someone who needs a sleep aid. Currently, scientific research seems to indicate that CBN is the cannabinoid responsible for the hemp plant’s relaxing and calming effects.
Cannabigerol (CBG)
CBG is a non-psychoactive compound found in the hemp plant. It is a precursor to several other cannabinoids like THC and CBD. According to the current research we have on hemp, CBG seems to help with health problems like muscle cramps, depression, pain and anxiety.
Cannabichromene (CBC)
In the future, you may start seeing headlines that tout the benefits of CBC. While many people focus on THC and CBD, CBC has remarkable properties and a number of health benefits. It has some anti-proliferative qualities, which means that it could be used as an anti-cancer drug. This compound also contains anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, antimicrobial and pain-relieving benefits. Some studies even show that it can help with migraines, anxiety and depression.
These compounds are only three of hemp’s many cannabinoids. At the moment, researchers have found at least 113 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Hemp also contains terpenes that give the plant its distinctive odor. Other than providing a unique scent, terpenes may have other benefits. For example, linalool is thought to help with sleep quality, which may explain why the linalool in lavender is so popular in sleep aids.
Using CBD Distillate Versus CBD Isolate
As you look for the right CBD product, you will need to consider if CBD isolate or CBD distillate is right for you. The main difference is that an isolate contains just a single chemical that is known as CBD. Meanwhile, distillates contain the whole plant and use the entourage effect.
Until recently, the only distillate you could buy was made with the whole plant. With this option, you would get a product that had all of the benefits of the whole plant, and the quality of the plant determined the quality of the oil. Unfortunately, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has responded harshly to high-quality, balanced products like this. If cola buds have higher than 0.3 percent THC in their laboratory tests, they are considered illegal according to the Food and Drug Administration’s guidelines.
Thankfully, this process has gradually started to change. Now, THC can be extracted from a full spectrum oil. This allows manufacturers to create a broad spectrum oil instead.
While having only CBD is not harmful and contains some benefits, it is definitely not the way that nature intended these products to work. Hemp plants have developed over thousands and thousands of years to work a certain way. Today, scientists know that many of the compounds in hemp work together to create an entourage effect.
On Real Tested CBD, you can see which products are just CBD isolates because they only appear in the results for CBD and nothing else. In comparison, you can often find high levels of CBC in plants that have both low and high levels of THC. While the price of CBD isolate is as cheap as $0.04 or $0.05 per milligram, distillates sell for a minimum of $0.10 to $0.20 per milligram. The price is directly related to the product’s quality, so you really get what you pay for. In general, broad spectrum products will be the most expensive because they have to go through an additional step in the manufacturing process.
The product you choose depends on your personal needs. While the price is a factor, it is better to look at factors like which product will actually achieve the results that you want. Most people buy a distillate because they believe it has stronger effects. Distillates are able to use the entourage effect, but a CBD isolate cannot. If you are purely looking for a product with less THC because you need to take a drug test, you may want a CBD isolate instead. By doing your research and trying different products, you can find an option that works well for your needs.
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