The Case for Full Spectrum Hemp
Do you want all that this plant has to offer or just a fraction? That is the question behind the CBD isolate vs. full spectrum debate.
The CBD community is in question about whether it’s best to have just CBD in your hemp oil or all of the beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes available. We’re here to weigh in on the different variables and why we believe that full spectrum hemp reigns supreme.
Is CBD Isolate more pure
CBD isolate fans say that eliminating everything but CBD from the oil extracted from the hemp plant creates a more consistent, reliable product. Research on the benefits of CBD is burgeoning. More and more about how this substance enhances our body’s systems is being discovered everyday. But because the medical community still isn’t certain about how this newly legalized crop impacts us, some people say that it’s safest to ingest the substance in hemp that is being studied the most. And that’s CBD.
Advocates say that the simplicity of a CBD isolate creates a purer product. What these people fail to recognize is how pure a CBD is, depends on many other factors — but mostly how the hemp is extracted. To create a CBD isolate requires using more processes and solvents than it would for a full spectrum product. This is because once the CBD is extracted, it then has to be sequestered from the other naturally occurring cannabinoids. When CBD is isolated using chemicals (which it so often is), trace amounts of these solvents can end up in your oil. This is why a CBD isolate product is rarely all-natural and organic. It’s also what pharmaceutical companies are working to patent (like the recently FDA approved anti-seizure drug Epidiolex).
Most CBD Isolates are produced on an industrial level scale and the hemp extracted was similarly farmed. The chances of the crop being organic and farmed in a eco-responsible manner are greatly reduced because 1000 acre large scale farm operations typically have less attention and care about farming organically.
Though it sure ends up looking pure, like pure white crystal before it is mixed with a carrier oil to become a tincture, placed in edibles, or in topical creams. If you go the CBD isolate route with your oil, make sure that the company you purchase from uses supercritical CO2 extraction methods. Supercritical CO2 is considered the safest CBD isolate extraction methods.
Advocates of CBD isolates also say that because you’re only getting CBD in each bottle, you have zero chance of testing a false-positive for THC in a drug test. Anyone who is regularly screened needs to be mindful of this. For those who don’t have this issue, having the tiny bit of THC that exists in hemp inside your system shouldn’t be an issue. Getting a false positive of THC on a drug test from taking CBD is incredibly rare.
Some people also prefer the mild taste of an isolate, as opposed to the earthy flavor of a whole plant extract.
A Full Spectrum Experience
When you buy a bottle of full spectrum hemp oil, you get CBD and all of the other naturally-occurring cannabinoids, as well as the terpenes and flavonoids also found in this plant. Although the other cannabinoids and terpenes found in hemp aren’t as prolifically studied, the current peer-reviewed medical consensus says they all have benefits for human health.
The Major cannabinoids present in hemp are THC and CBD. Medical Marijuana contains higher levels of THC whereas Industrial Hemp contains a negligible concentration of THC and higher CBD content. Typically the CBD to THC ratio in industrial hemp is 30:1 which creates a plant rich in beneficial cannabinoids that won’t get you “high”. The minor cannabinoids most present in hemp are CBG, CBN, CBC, CBGV, CBDV, and THCV. Each cannabinoid is being studied for different potential benefits in the human body. Additionally, there are studies being done to show how these compounds work in conjunction together to provide an Entourage Effect.
Also present in full spectrum hemp are terpenes and flavonoids. In our “Relief Now” strain of hemp, the terpenes most abundant are Caryophyllene and Myrcene. Caryophyllene is most commonly found in black pepper and has antidepressant properties while Myrcene is abundant in mango and has anti-inflammatory and relaxant effects. There is plenty of research on these compounds and other terpenes, which are present in all plants, and they too are being studied for their synergistic relationship with cannabinoids and how they enhance their effects when paired. Flavonoids are a less known component of hemp, but undoubtedly have their role to play. There are over 150 cannabinoids and 200 terpenes, as we discover more about these compounds it only makes sense that we will uncover more of the importance of flavonoids as well. There are over 6000 flavonoids found in nature with proven pharmacological benefits and there are about 20 known cannaflavins specific to the cannabis plant.
Full spectrum hemp oil also includes terpenes, which are believed to be packed with medicinal qualities as well. Terpenes aren’t unique to hemp. They are found in many plants, herbs, and even animals. The science around terpenes is still new, but urging for greater exploration of their anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-parasitic biological properties. Terpenes are also thought to create the different flavors and smells in each cannabis strain.
Understanding the Entourage Effect
When all of the cannabinoids and terpenes combine inside of a full-spectrum hemp oil, you get what’s known as the entourage effect — and it’s the main reason why we decided to serve our customers with full spectrum hemp oil. The idea behind the entourage effect is that all of these components together are what create the harmony behind hemp and also allow it to be the potent medicine nature intended.
There are over 200 compounds found in hemp — like phytocannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and fatty acids — that act synergistically together. They function like a beautiful symphony. Research shows that the human body more positively responds to the entourage effect than it does to CBD alone (albeit still highly beneficial).
It’s been said many times that the whole of the cannabis plant is greater than the sum of its parts. The tiny bit of THC in hemp makes the CBD more powerful. The CBD in other types of marijuana makes the THC high less intense. We don’t quite exactly know how all these compounds work together yet, but we do know that they enhance each other because of the entourage effect.
The Verdict is In
CBD isolates have their place. We don’t deny that. However, choosing full spectrum hemp amplifies the power and healing potential of your CBD oil. It’s also more likely to come from an ethical farm, and is less processed and refined – which we are learning from our food that less processing is better.
Our full spectrum hemp is extracted using a low heat and solventless technology so there is ZERO chance of any residual solvents being left behind. Other methods of full spectrum extraction are separating/destroying some of the beneficial compounds while our gentle extraction leaves them all intact.
If you want to learn about how we extract our hemp, visit our Inside Hemp RawZen™ post.