If you are wondering about FDA CBD regulation you’re not crazy, it does not yet exist. The Farm Bill of 2018 made CBD legal on the federal level, though the CBD labeling laws have not yet been clearly defined. For consumers like us, this means that it is imperative that we know what to look for and how to look for it in terms of getting healthy and helpful CBD products. The first step is ensuring that the product has been 3rd party lab tested. Many companies pride themselves on a lab-tested product, though they often don’t offer up the actual results. When it is there, sometimes CBD companies’ product labeling process makes it impossible to decode the lab’s findings. There are some important things to look for when trying to identify the best CBD oil based on lab data. The more you know, the better equipped you are to use this magical product to your benefit.
Full Spectrum vs. CBD Isolate
One of the first things to look for is the cannabinoid content. It is helpful to have the skills to cross-check that the product has the amount of cannabinoid in the oil that they say they do. For example, if a product has 30 servings and they say it is 300 mg per bottle, that would mean it has each serving has 10 mg of CBD. There are quite a few variations of the cannabinoid percentages, just like irregularities in pharmaceuticals, as each batch has mild discrepancies. You will also find that some lab results show “other cannabinoids” which can include THC. This is important because these additional chemicals that occur naturally in all cannabis products are what make the CBD oil full-spectrum.
The alternative to full-spectrum CBD is called CBD isolate. Full-spectrum CBD oil benefits, are usually greater than CBD isolate because you are able to receive what is referred to as the entourage effect. This is a synchronicity that occurs when there are a variety of cannabinoids that can work together to create a more abundant impact. Often times, a trace amount of THC is present in full-spectrum cannabis products. The amount of that chemical is what makes cannabis products illegal on the federal level, and in some states, on the local level. CBD isolate means that the product purely includes CBD and no other cannabinoids. Many people go the route of Broad Spectrum, which means there can be a variety of other cannabinoids, but the THC is excluded.
What a good terpenes definition?
The natural oils in cannabis plants that make up the smell, color, and flavor are known as terpenes. Not only for aesthetic purposes, but terpenes also benefit the body medicinally. They are truly the root of the therapeutic qualities of CBD. There are eleven unique terpenes that all add something special to the entourage effect, including pain relief, anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory, sedation, gastroprotective qualities, mood elevation, and so much more. The way that the cannabis flower grows naturally, there are different balances of each of these hugely important elements in each strain. Another important thing to look for on the label is the CBD extraction process. One way of isolating the CBD is through CO2 extraction, but this often removes the majority of the terpene content.
Heavy Metals
CBD lab testing results are imperative to understanding the content of heavy metals in your products. Because cannabis is so hearty and really drinks from the soil, the growing medium is so important. If the soil is tainted with impurities, chances are, your medicine will be too. The metals that CBD oil is tested for are arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead. Trace amounts of heavy metals sometimes occur in these products and are not generally problematic. Any significant contact with the above metals is pretty dangerous, and enough of a good reason to not buy a product that could contain them. A.K.A., this testing is important.
