What is CBD Extraction Process?

Are you interested in CBD products? From oil, cream, pills, edibles, to mention a few, CBD products’ popularity continues to hit new levels owing to their numerous benefits. You can easily be overwhelmed by the options available as you start searching for the right product for you. As such, understanding the basics of that market comes in handy, making it easier to navigate the field and make an informed pick.

What is full-spectrum CBD? How does it differ from the broad spectrum? The easiest way to understand the difference is by learning the process of CBD extraction. Within hemp products lay different chemical compounds, the most popular being THC and CBD. THC is a compound that delivers the high associated with cannabis plants. CBD is the most sought-after compound, delivering a range of health benefits that continue to propel its popularity.

The CBD extraction process entails harvesting the chemical compounds and isolating them to generate the needed products. CBD extraction targets leaf stems and flowers as that’s where the compound is in high amounts. The parts are taken through CO2, steam distillation, lipid, or solvent extraction to get the target chemical compound.

What’s the Best Extraction Process for CBD Oil?

Choosing the best extraction process for CBD oil depends on the end product’s quality. Let’s take a look at each process’s basics to make it easier to pick the best approach.

• Steam distillation: The process utilizes steam to separate oil from the hemp plant. The primary drawback is that steam can overheat, damaging the plant and the oils. The steam distillation process of CBD extraction could alter the chemical properties, resulting in a less effective product.
• CO2: This method is also referred to as Supercritical Fluid Extraction. It is the most popular method that utilizes CO2 to separate the chemical compounds from hemp. Supercritical CO2 means that it features liquid and gas states. The primary drawback is that it requires equipment that can cost more.
• Solvent extraction: This is the most cost-effective approach. It is popular among home-based growers and entrepreneurs. The process uses solvents such as olive oil, ethanol, and hydrocarbon to separate the plant from the oil. The challenge with the extraction process is that solvents can be left behind. This exposes the consumer to health risks, not to mention the effect on the extract’s flavor.
• Lipid extraction: The method is gaining popularity, noting that, unlike solvents, lipids help you to get whole-plant extracts. All the nutrients, including essential fats, antioxidants, protein, and vitamins, are preserved. This makes the end product more effective.

From the highlights, CO2 is not only popular but seemingly the best extraction process for CBD oil. Let’s look at some of the benefits that make CO2 extraction the best approach.

Why Does the CO2 Process of CBD Extraction Wins?

CO2 CBD extraction method wins on various fronts, among the top including:

• Cleaner products: Cleaner and healthiest concentrates make CBD oil more effective. As the CO2 extraction method kills insects, mold, mildew, and microbial bacteria, you are assured that the concentration extracted is healthier and cleaner.
• Flavors: CO2 extraction not only results in safer concentrations but also preserves terpene aromas. This means that you get to enjoy the best flavors from hemp CBD — there are no extra chemicals involved, as is the case with solvent extraction.
• Efficiency: Working with chemicals could denature or damage the plant and the oils. The same applies to the steam extraction process as overheating is a possibility. CO2 CBD extraction is gentler. This means that you can efficiently extract the chemical compounds with little to no wastage.
• More compounds: While CBD and THC are the most common chemical compounds found in hemp, others such as CBT and CBC are found in the hemps too. With the CO2 extraction method, you can understand such compounds. This benefit helps in the discovery of more terpene and compounds. Understanding more is an essential consideration as it helps establish how such elements can be utilized to harness the full medicinal potential of hemp.

After extraction, the process CO2 proceeds to winterization, where the full spectrum hemp is refined. The process eliminates unwanted properties such as waxes, fats, chlorophyll, terpenes, and other cannabinoids. The extract then goes through distillation, further eliminating unwanted properties to get CBD concentration levels ranging at least 70%.

Chromatography is the next step, a process that separates the cannabinoids from the molecular structure. This targets the elimination of THC, ensuring that CBD product doesn’t contain the psychoactive compound. The isolation process utilizes a solvent to attract other compounds, resulting in a 99% CBD concentration.

What to Consider as you Select the CBD Extraction Process?

Selecting an ideal CBD extraction process requires you to weigh various factors. The top considerations are:

Production cost

Your budget tells you what you can afford or not. Production cost includes the equipment needed for the extraction and skills. For instance, if a method requires state-of-the-art equipment and skills you don’t have, it can prove costly.

Safety

When you select the CBD extraction process, safety can’t take the backseat. Safety is not all about the materials but also personal consideration. You could be injured while handling the chemicals or cause accidents if you don’t know how to handle the equipment. Understanding safety concerns should be prioritized. This ensures that you select a method you can comfortably handle.

Efficiency

Time is a limited resource. As you strive to get the most out of every minute, considering a process’s efficiency helps. You don’t want to select a CBD extraction process that’ll take you forever only to generate an amount that doesn’t come close to your needs.

Quality

CBD quality determines its effectiveness. From the flavor to the purity levels, quality matters as it affects how you consume the extract. With the CO2 extraction process, for example, you can enjoy 99% CBD extract. This means that there are no other compounds except some residual solvents. Such quality levels are hard to achieve with solvent extraction as the chemicals used could leave significant residues, not to mention affecting the flavor.

Whether you are doing it at home or buying ready CBD-based products, considering the extraction method is advisable. With CO2 extraction and high-quality standard, you are assured of top-shelf products that’ll deliver to your expectation.