CBD oil is one of the world’s most talked about food supplements.
Often mistaken for cannabis oil, CBD oil is actually made from hemp plants. Therefore, CBD oil only contains trace amounts of CBD oil and so is not psychoactive.
The active ingredient in CBD oil is CBD, which is a cannabinoid.
In this article we’ll take an in-depth look at the nature of CBD oil, what it is made of, and the different kinds of CBD oil.
What is CBD oil made of?
CBD oil is made from hemp plants.
Hemp plants, part of the cannabis sativa plant family, contain under 0.2% THC, and are CBD-dominant.
CBD oil is made by extracting the CBD from hemp plants using a method called supercritical CO2 extraction.
This involves using liquid CO2 to extract the CBD from the rest of the plant matter. The result is a dark green-brownish thick paste that can be used to make oils, and other CBD products.
However, there are distinctly different types of CBD oil. Some undergo further processing to create very different CBD extracts.
The two distinct types of CBD oil are full spectrum CBD oil and CBD isolate.
Related: Is CBD oil the same as hemp oil? The difference between CBD oil and hemp oil.
What is full spectrum CBD oil?
Full spectrum CBD oil contains a full spectrum of the compounds that naturally occur in hemp plants.
These include terpenes, essential fatty acids, flavonoids, essential vitamins and minerals and chlorophyll.
Full spectrum CBD oil is usually also whole plant CBD oil – made from the whole of the hemp plant, rather than just the stalks and leaves, for example.
Full spectrum CBD oil is made by the process mentioned above – supercritical CO2 extraction. This process means that the other cannabis compounds besides CBD are retained in the extract in small quantities.
Related: What is raw CBD oil and how is it different?
What is CBD isolate?
CBD isolate is a 99% pure CBD extract.
After supercritical extraction, it has been processed further using chromatography to contain no other organic material besides CBD.
The result is a fine white powder or crystal, that is water and oil soluble. To make CBD oil from isolate, the powder is dissolved in carrier oil, usually hempseed oil.
However, CBD isolate can recrystalise over time, causing the CBD to settle at the bottom of the oil.
It contains no other organic material, and so does not contain terpenes, fatty acids, flavonoids, or any of the phytochemicals mentioned above.
What is CBD?
Now you know about the different forms of CBD oil and how they are made, let’s take a look at CBD itself.
CBD is a cannabinoid, like THC. There are other cannabinoids too, such as CBN and CBG.
What are cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are a class of phytochemical that naturally occur in hemp and cannabis plants.
There are currently at least 113 known cannabinoids that have been extracted from cannabis sativa.
THC is the cannabinoid in cannabis plants that is psychoactive. CBD, however, is not psychoactive.
What does CBD oil contain?
So, we have briefly touched on some of the plant chemicals naturally occurring in hemp plants.
Below is a summary of the main active ingredients in full spectrum CBD oil.
Remember, CBD isolate is 99% pure CBD and therefore does not contain any compound besides CBD.
Related: Can you add CBD oil to food? 10 delicious ways to add CBD oil to your diet.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are a class of plat compounds naturally occurring in hemp and cannabis plants.
CBD is a cannabinoid, as is THC. There are many more lesser-known cannabinoids such as CBN and CBG.
So far, there are at least 113 known cannabinoids that have been extracted from cannabis sativa.
Terpenes
Terpenes are a class of compound that give many foods, flowers and herbs their smell and aroma.
Essential oils are rich in terpenes, which gives them their powerful scent.
Fatty acids
Fatty acids are the building blocks that make up the fat in our bodies and in the foods we eat.
The types of fatty acids that are not made in the body and therefore must be obtained through the food we eat are called ‘essential fatty acids’.
Hemp seeds are naturally rich in omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are a class of plant compound that give a lot of fruits and flowers their colour.
They produce red, orange, yellow, blue, purple and pink tones.
Where to buy whole plant, organic, full spectrum CBD oil H2
At Aura CBD Oil UK we provide thousands of people around the world CBD extracts made from the highest-grade hemp plants nature has to offer.
Our entire range of CBD oils, pastes, balms and edibles are made with 100% organic, full spectrum, whole plant CBD extract.
If you have any questions about CBD oil or what we do at Aura, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can email us at info@auracbdoil.com, or send us a message on Facebook.
If you liked this article, be sure to check out our blog where we upload new content every week to keep you informed about the world of CBD.
