Have you ever wondered how CBD is obtained? Although it is increasingly common to buy CBD oil for its potential benefits, there is still a lot of confusion and mystery about how these products are made.
Today at Cannactiva we explain how CBD is obtained, why the “famous” supercritical CO2 extraction process is so good, and many other interesting facts about extracting CBD from the hemp plant.
What is CBD?
CBD or cannabidiol is one of the hundreds of cannabinoids produced by the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa). Unlike THC, CBD has been shown to have no psychoactive properties and no addictive potential. On the contrary, this compound is being researched for its many benefits and potential therapeutic applications.
Where does CBD come from?
Specifically, CBD is the main component of industrial hemp extract. Hemp is a variety of cannabis with a very low THC content (below 0.3% THC).
How is CBD obtained?
The CBD found in CBD products is obtained by extracting resin from the flowers of the hemp plant.
To obtain CBD, hemp plants grown from EU-certified industrial hemp seeds are used. These plants are grown organically and without pesticides, because one of the advantages of hemp is that it is very hardy, and there is practically no need for chemicals when growing it.
CBD extraction begins with the hemp harvest. When hemp plants are in full flower, their flowers are at their peak of resin production, and this resin is rich in cannabinoids (mainly CBD) and also in aromatic compounds called terpenes.
Once harvested, the CBD-rich flowers are carefully separated from the rest of the plant matter, such as leaves and stems, which contain fewer cannabinoids. The hemp flowers are taken to the extraction lab.
How is CBD extracted?
CBD extraction consists of separating the pure hemp resin, rich in cannabidiol and other cannabis compounds, from the rest of the plant material.
There are many methods for extracting CBD. They range from home methods that need no machinery, such as a simple oil infusion, to sophisticated extraction methods using specialised lab equipment. Obviously, the difference in the end result is marked: only with specialised equipment is it possible to keep the properties of the original plant almost intact and obtain the most concentrated and potent CBD extracts.
Supercritical CO2 extraction
Supercritical CO2 extraction is the most efficient way to extract CBD and the one that produces the highest-quality, safest products on the market. However, this type of extraction is only possible with advanced lab equipment.
This extraction technique uses carbon dioxide (CO2), which is heated slightly and subjected to high pressure until it reaches a point called the “supercritical state”. In this state, CO2 behaves like a gas and a liquid at the same time, and becomes a solvent with a high diffusion capacity, ideal for efficiently extracting CBD from hemp flowers.
Supercritical CO2 extraction is the most advanced method and the one that produces the highest-quality CBD oils on the market.
This method makes it possible to extract as many components as possible from the plant material at relatively low temperatures, and to obtain an extract rich in cannabidiol, but also in other components naturally present in the original hemp plant, such as minor cannabinoids and terpenes.
The result is a full spectrum CBD extract (see all the benefits of full spectrum CBD), which is rich in CBD and also contains other minor cannabinoids present in hemp, such as CBDV, THCV, CBC, CBG and CBGA, as well as terpenes.
It has been shown that the cannabinoids and terpenes in hemp work in synergy with CBD, enhancing its properties.
This synergistic effect is known, and scientifically studied, under the technical name of the entourage effect of cannabis.
Besides how efficient this method is at obtaining high-quality CBD, supercritical CO2 has many added advantages: it poses no toxicity risks, it is safe to use and it is environmentally friendly. Carbon dioxide is a gas that is harmless to health, non-toxic, non-flammable and sustainable. This eliminates the risk of toxic residues in the final product, which guarantees the safety of the extract.
However, it is important to note that supercritical CO2 extraction is a complex process that requires specialised equipment and expertise, so it cannot be done at home.
If you want the highest quality and safety in your CBD products, you should look for CBD products that use this type of extract. You can find CBD products obtained with this method at trusted shops that specialise in CBD products, such as Cannactiva.
Other types of CBD extraction
The supercritical CO2 method is the most widely used on the market because of its high quality and safety. Other extraction methods include:
- Extraction with solvents such as ethanol or butane to extract cannabinoids. It is less safe because flammable products are used, and there is a risk of toxic residues in the final product.
- Extraction with oils or glycerine, which is often done at home. These methods have the major drawback of being inefficient at extracting the resin from the plant, resulting in products of very variable quality.
* You may be interested in: Types of cannabis extractions
Turning CBD extract into finished products
Quality control
The result is a full spectrum CBD extract. The first step after extraction is lab testing and quality control to measure its CBD content.
This process also ensures that THC levels are within the permitted legal range and that there are no traces of pesticides or heavy metals.
Making CBD oils
This CBD extract is used to make CBD Oil 30% Raw. This type of oil has a strong aroma, due to its high content of waxes, chlorophylls and bitter compounds naturally present in hemp resin.
This type of oil is best suited to people looking for the highest possible presence of natural hemp compounds. However, other people find its aroma too strong and prefer purified oil.
Purification
The CBD extract then goes through purification processes, which remove impurities and produce an almost translucent oil, without the bitter aroma of the raw extract.
It is worth clarifying that purification keeps hemp's full spectrum of cannabinoids. In other words, it is a filtering process that respects, and does not affect, the properties of Full Spectrum CBD.
Most CBD oils on the market are purified, because they are the best tolerated by customers. Oils of this type are characterised by being almost translucent.
This CBD extract is then turned into a range of finished products, such as CBD oils, CBD creams and CBD skincare, ready to use.
Third-party lab testing
Cannactiva's CBD oils are regularly sent to third-party labs to guarantee product quality and to make sure the oils contain the CBD concentration stated on the label.
Cannactiva: experts in producing high-quality CBD
At Cannactiva we are committed to bringing you the best of hemp, which is why we control the production of our CBD at every step of the process. From seeds of the best genetics to organic growing and the most advanced extraction methods.
In every drop of Cannactiva CBD you will find passion for a job well done, knowledge, technique and quality control that guarantee the maximum effectiveness and safety of our products.
We use Full Spectrum CBD exclusively in all our products, including creams, CBD oils and pet products, because we believe it is the most effective.
Experience high-quality CBD in all our products!
