Not all CBD is created equal.
Our co-founders—Eric and Zach— and our staff have extensive personal and professional experience with CBD. They’ve amassed years of experience researching and meeting with hemp growers, CBD producers, politicians, and mingling with the wildly diverse range of players in the hemp industry—good and bad.
In a nutshell, they know what constitutes good and bad CBD products. And it’s their mission to pass that knowledge on to you. Here’s a breakdown of how CBD should measure up:
Where the hemp is sourced is KEY.
Hemp is a “bioaccumulatior.” That means whatever is in the soil around it, is going to end up in it. If it’s grown in or near pesticides or heavy metals, it will absorb all that junk, and so will you if it’s in your CBD.
For premium quality CBD, look for hemp sourced in the U.S. or Europe.
- The U.S. hemp farming industry is still small, but there’s an increasing number of high-quality farms doing things the right way. To ensure your hemp isn’t grown in or around dangerous contaminants, look for certified organic, organic compliant*, eco-farmed or food grade hemp.
- The more established European hemp industry is well-regulated with rigorous product testing standards.
Check the Extraction Method of your CBD.
Unfortunately, some extraction processes involve toxic chemicals. There are companies selling low-quality CBD that use solvents like Hexane and Butane. That’s why it’s important to know how your CBD was extracted.
How do you know which methods are okay?
There are two safe and organic solvents used in extraction. These are the methods to look for:
- Ethanol—considered the safest method of extraction for human consumption and believed to yield the highest volume of cannabinoids.
- Supercritical CO2—a more complex refinement process that requires more expertise, but also ensures that the CBD maintains its purity and comes out cleaner and healthier.
Look for Hemp-Derived CBD
Hemp is defined, according to the federal government since the 2014 Farm Bill, as cannabis containing 0.3% or less THC. Products with anything above that must be sold in a licensed cannabis dispensary.
Pay attention to the type of CBD
Is it full spectrum, broad spectrum or isolate? At The Hemp Haus, we recommend full spectrum and broad spectrum CBD because their whole-plant goodness provides optimal relief and well-being.
Is there 3rd party lab testing?
Be sure to ask this question. Lab testing ensures that the product is what it claims to be.
Here’s what lab testing reveals:
- Total cannabinoid content (CBD, THC, and all the other cannabinoids like CBG, CBC and CBN). Also, how many active cannabinoids are present. In a non-intoxicating product, you always want 0.3% THC or less.
- Terpene breakdown (what other good plant compounds are contributing to the overall effects of your CBD).
- The product is free of residual solvents (from extraction), heavy metals, toxins, pesticides or bacteria.