Buying CBD Oil For The First Time
If it's your first time buying CBD oil, the number of products on the market can be overwhelming. If you are buying from a company like ours, which derives its CBD products from hemp, you can easily order online and have CBD oil shipped straight to you in all 50 states and most countries.
However, with a plethora of options and a lack of common knowledge about CBD, it can be very difficult to navigate the marketplace if this is your first time buying CBD oil. To help you feel more confident in your purchase, we have laid out the five main topics you need to consider. If you don’t know how to buy CBD oil, you have come to the right place. This guide on CBD for beginners will cover everything you need to know before making your first purchase.
What Is CBD?
First things first, before we can get into the different types of CBD oil, it’s important that you first understand what CBD is. CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a chemical compound found in the hemp plant. CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis sativa plant, which is then refined into a potent oil. Now, CBD is not the same thing as THC, which is another chemical compound found in the hemp plant. While THC is known for its mind-altering effects (like when you smoke marijuana), CBD does not inhibit the body in the same manner.
CBD supports the body at a molecular level and helps to establish equilibrium. Today, many individuals looking to improve their health and wellness add CBD oil to their daily routine for its many health benefits for the mind and body.
CBD Content: Is This Really CBD?
The most important thing to look for in a CBD tincture is the total milligrams of CBD extract. Just because a tincture is made from hemp extract, hemp oil, or hemp seed oil doesn't mean it contains CBD. Any reputable CBD company should be very clear about how much CBD is in their products so that you have an accurate idea of how much CBD you are getting. The gold standard is if they have their products tested by a third-party lab. Third-party lab testing for CBD oil is very important when it comes to quality. When choosing a CBD product, be sure to look for this verification. The last thing you would want is to buy fake CBD oil and waste your money on something that won’t provide you with any health benefits.
Another important reason to pay attention to total CBD content is for price comparison. A very common mistake is to buy according to size or volume, which only guarantees you will be getting more oil for your money, not CBD.
To see what companies offer the best price for CBD , you can check out our blog on the subject.
CBD Product Type: Full Spectrum Or Isolate?
We have covered the difference between full spectrum and isolate based CBD in detail before, but it is worth revisiting as these are terms frequently used and rarely defined in the CBD space. When extracting CBD from hemp for use in oils, processors have the choice to specifically isolate the CBD or also extract additional cannabinoids and terpenes. Isolate based products are made from near pure CBD extracts (known as CBD isolate), while full spectrum CBD products are made from whole plant extracts which include additional cannabinoids and terpenes from the hemp plant.
Many feel the additional compounds found in full spectrum products have a synergistic effect that aids the efficacy of CBD. This theory is commonly known as the entourage effect. However, due to a lack of research, there is little clarity as to what benefits can be expected and in what situations. Until more research is conducted the significance of the entourage effect is still up for debate.
Taste: Flavored, Unflavored Or Flavorless?
CBD on its own has little to no flavor. However, the hemp terpenes included in full spectrum products can give CBD oils an earthy taste. This doesn't appeal to everyone, so some companies often exclude these hemp terpenes or add new flavors to change the overall taste of the tincture. To help you understand your options, we have covered some of the most common flavoring techniques and what you can expect.
Unflavored Full Spectrum -CBD products which still carry the compounds and flavors naturally associated with hemp. Earthy taste.
Unflavored Isolate (Flavorless) - Carrier oil infused with pure CBD isolate. Little to no flavor.
Flavored Full Spectrum - CBD products which contain natural hemp flavors as well as added flavorings. Tastes like hemp and added flavors.
Flavored Isolate - Carrier oil infused with pure CBD isolate as well as other flavorings. Primarily tastes like added flavors.
Potency: Low Potency or High Potency?
Potency informs you of how much CBD is dissolved in each unit of CBD Oil. Understanding the potency of your tincture is essential when measuring out how much CBD you would like to take. Our tinctures come in two different potencies, standard potency (15mg of CBD per ml) and high potency (50mg of CBD per ml).
You can always take more or less of a tincture to get your desired amount, so determining the right potency for you is largely a matter of convenience. If you find yourself measuring serving sizes too small to be accurate or so large you need to take multiple droppers at a time, then you may want to change potencies.
Size: Small Or Large Bottle?
Once you have determined what kind of CBD oil you want to buy, the last thing you must do is choose a size. Serving size can be expressed in milligrams (mg), which measures the total CBD content or milliliters (ml), which measures the volume of the carrier oil. Because CBD is the key factor here, milligrams is what should be measured to compare value. Milliliters more directly correlates to the amount of liquid, but doesn't necessarily imply anything about the CBD content.
Still Have Questions?
Do you feel confident in buying CBD oil? If you still have questions, send them to us in the comments section and we'll do our best to answer them! You can also check out our CBD product guide to learn more about our products.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Lazarus Naturals shall not be held liable for any direct or indirect damages caused in any way through the use of information, services, or products provided or sold by Etz Hayim Holdings DBA Lazarus Naturals. This disclaimer of liability applies to any damages or injury which may be perceived to be caused by the information or products sold or provided by Etz Hayim Holdings.