Tips to Look For When Buying CBD

CBD Softgels

Hemp, CBD, those are household names of late, but how can you be sure to be buying high-quality CBD (or even CBD at all) in an industry lacking government regulation and well-developed acceptance processes?

If you buy CBD and take it for the first time, look for these five essential factors. If the CBD checks out, it’s a great product!

Here's a great list of tips when buying CBD

Tip #1 - What Type Of CBD Is Being Used

If you don’t know what type of CBD you’re purchasing, you can’t be certain of what you are buying. Isolates, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum are distinct categories that might affect everyone differently:

  • If you’re shopping for the purest form of CBD, you’ll want to choose a CBD isolate. The CBD is isolated from the raw plant with no other compounds added.
  • If you want more hemp benefits without THC, go for broad-spectrum CBD. This contains everything except THC, including small cannabinoids and terpenes, which add their own health benefits. These products may also be marketed as containing “0% THC”.
  • In the event that you wouldn’t fret a little THC, you might need to look at full-spectrum CBD. These items utilize the cannabis plant’s full profile of active ingredients, including modest quantities of THC (under 0.3%) however not typically enough to prompt a sensation of being “high.”

You always want to know how much THC to expect before you purchase anything

Tip #2 - #Transparent and simple labeling

Before you start checking the ingredients list or the product’s potency, you have to first check that all that information is readily available.

If any of the products you are looking at doesn’t have these details, you should look for other products that has this useful information:

This information is useful, but does the bottle communicate what you want?

  • Type of CBD – an ambiguous term like “CBD” doesn’t give enough information since there are differences between full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolates.
  • The amount of CBD as an active ingredient, which will be listed as milligrams (mg), usually by grams or capsules or milliliters per dropper (usually for CBD oils).’
  • Ingredients – A full ingredients list with active and inactive ingredients.
  • Suggested use – Recommended serving size, when to take it, and how often to take it.

It is one thing to have information, but does the bottle tell you what you need it to?

Tip #3 - Organic, All-Natural Ingredients

A full ingredients list is a wise start. However, it’s easy to get lost if each item is unfamiliar, foreign, and potentially toxic.

In contrast, some companies will list natural ingredients, so you’ll be confident. Simple ingredient lists are typically best, but sometimes you may find some items you don’t instantly recognize.

These standard ingredients should not cause you to be concerned:

  • CBD oil has consists of CBD and carrier oils. Common carrier oils include grapeseed, MCT (often coconut-derived), olive, or hemp seed oil. The most common carrier oils include MCT (often coconut-derived), olive, grapeseed, or hemp seed oil.
  • Other Active Ingredients – Another active ingredient is an ingredient that improves state of sleep, like chamomile and Melatonin. The effects of CBD are enhanced by these additives.
  • Flavors and colors – If you can, your CBD products will be flavored and colored with natural ingredients, but you may see some artificial flavors.

Tip #4 - Grown in the USA with Contaminant-Free Hemp

When it comes to CBD, the what can be just as important as the how and where—where it was grown.

Cannabis plants receive their nutrients from soil and water, which means they can absorb any harmful pesticides. If you want CBD that is safe and pure you need it to come from pure and safe pesticide-free hemp plants.

How do you know that a product is safe and compliant? Thankfully, there are a number of regulatory boards that verify a supplier’s CBD is safe and compliant. Keep an eye out for the following stamps of approval:

  • Follows all the rules and guidelines of the state’s Department of Agriculture as well as the regional hemp pilot program
  • Certified by the U.S. Hemp Authority; includes verified farming practices as well as compliance with all relevant regulations and adherence to high quality
  • Uses great suppliers and distributors that are GMP certified

Just because all U.S. hemp is grown in the same place, it doesn’t mean all of it meets national standards.

In reality, hemp plants grow better in specific climates. The ideal conditions to grow hemp include:

  • Humid environment
  • Mild weather
  • A soil with high nutrient content and moisture holding potential
  • At least 25-35 inches of rain per year are expected during the season
CBD Lab Testing

Tip #5 - Analysis Certificates for Third-Party Lab Testing

A company that is unwilling to go the extra mile to prove its safety and purity is not worth dealing with. Here is what you want to look for in a Certificate of Analysis:

  • Where – Ensure that the company uses an independent, third-party laboratory that has been ISO-certified.
  • When – Check that lab results are recent to ensure the amount of CBD availability
  • What – Confirm the product is pesticide-free and must be free from any other claims the company made on the ingredient list.

As a general rule, no Certificate of Analysis means Zero CBD

Choosing CBD You Can Trust

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to buying CBD. So make sure you read the labels good, do your research, and always trust your instincts when it comes to red flags.