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We are actually going to recommend our competitors to you.
With the rise in popularity and increased knowledge surrounding the health benefits of CBD, there has been a sudden influx of CBD products on the market. Knowing what to look for and where to find the best products can be tough and take a lot of research. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you buy with confidence and ensure you’re getting all the benefits that CBD has to offer.
Let’s start with a brief overview of CBD
There is a lot of confusion surrounding CBD and its relation to its wilder counterpart, marijuana. Both are from the cannabis plant but offer very different effects. Marijuana often has a mix of both CBD and THC. However, THC is the part of the cannabis plant that causes you to have psychoactive effects or feel ‘high’. The more THC a product has, the higher you will likely feel. CBD, however, is another strain of the cannabis plant that offers medicinal benefits to the body and does not cause any psychoactive effects.
We source our own CBD products from the Cannabis Sativa L. strain of hemp containing below 0.3% of THC. Because of this low level of THC, there are no psychotropic effects that can be derived from our products. This leaves our products with only medicinally beneficial ingredients that can be used in a broad array of homeopathic and integrative health applications.
While this might not be a total deal breaker, it is cause for concern and will require you to do some further research into the company. If a lot of their focus is based on marketing then there’s a chance the company may be spending the majority of their capital on promoting their product rather than on the actual product itself. Producing a CBD product, or any health product for that matter, requires a significant investment of knowledge and capital (and we would add in ethics) in order to ensure the quality of the product is at a level that is safe for consumption, which includes both the ingredients and the way the product is manufactured. If a large percentage of a company’s money is spent on marketing (especially a new company) that likely means they are skimping on other areas of their business, like quality control, innovation, hiring the right people, etc.
Take a look at the company’s website and social media pages. Do they show any actual videos or images of the production process? If so, do the images look legitimate or could they be stock photos? If a company is actually extracting and producing their own oil, trust us, they’ll want to show it off. If a company doesn’t show this then it is likely that they aren’t producing their own products. This is a major cause for concern since they won’t have a role in overseeing the quality and process of the actual products their selling and thus, cannot fully ensure that their products are of a certain quality and standard. Certificates of Authenticity (COA’s) and third party testing only has meaning and validity if done properly and tracked by a company who controls the entire process. More on that in the next section.
Most CBD companies will state that they provide third party testing on all of their products for quality, potency, and purity. This is notable; however, it can also be misleading. That’s why it is important to find out how they conduct their testing. Is it conducted per 55-gallon drums or is it done by the liter/gallon? Bulk third party testing is not as safe or effective as by the liter or gallon. Third party testing in bulk quantities can cause skewed results so if you are looking for the purest and best quality CBD products available, then look for companies that test in smaller batches.
Raw extract oil is the most common form of CBD available. It contains all the medical properties of the hemp plant including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Raw CBD oil often has a lower advertised concentration of CBD compared to isolate but don’t let that fool you. Due to the phenomenon called the “entourage effect”, raw CBD oil is believed to carry the most therapeutic benefits because it uses all of the hemp plant. A CBD Isolate is different than raw, as it only contains the isolated CBD compound without any terpenes or flavonoids. Initially believed to be the better, that theory was proven untrue by the Lautenberg Center for General Tumor Immunology in Jerusalem In the 2015 study. Researchers have discovered that CBD is actually more effective when used with other compounds of the hemp plant, which is why we recommend buying a broad spectrum oil made with raw extract rather than an isolate. To make the buying process even easier, we’ve compiled a list of some great CBD companies that we recommend. Of course, our top choice is botanCBD, but we understand if you’re looking for something a little more local…
We are passionate about doing things the right way. We’re also not the only ones. We care more about the bigger picture of making people’s lives better than we do about competing.
We aren’t comfortable calling out some of the shadier companies, because at the end of the day, people are just trying to put food on the table and their hearts are probably in the right place.
But, we’ll gladly point you to some other great companies who are utilizing similar methodologies and ethical practices to ours.
At botanCBD, we believe we have the finest Kentucky grown hemp products on the market. But lots of other states and regions grow great hemp as well. Each region is unique and hemp crops vary in many ways, even each growing season, allowing for different experiences for every plant and every person. Think wine and coffee. The soil, sun, even amount of rainfall and how closely the plants are grown together all factor into the end product. So, naturally, you may want to try oils form lots of different regions!
Our top picks for the rocky mountain state are Ned
helloned.com and Charlotte’s Web cwhemp.com. Both take a holistic approach to their CBD products. If we had to pick one, we would go with Ned as they are small batch and slow crafted and their story as to why they started their company is phenomenal.
For those across the pond, Plus CBD pluscbdoil.com is a great choice. They carry a wide range of CBD products and are fully traceable from seed to shelf
Frog Song Farm is another great option for Full Spectrum CBD products. Family-run, this company puts a lot of love and care into their products.
We recommend these companies because they are all in the business for the right reasons and meet both our production and transparency standards. They may not be doing everything the same way as us, but if you prefer to buy local or just want some other companies to compare us to, these ones are a great place to start. If you still want to give us a try, great! You can use code WHEELIN at checkout and get 10% off your first order with us.
If you want to try someone else first, we’re good with that too. We will be here when you’re ready.
