There's lots of confusion on the market.
CBD Isolate. Full-spectrum CBD. Hemp oil.
Then there's THC, CBD's cousin.
We have to be careful as there are 100's of CBD brands and they're not all on the up and up.
We'll look at what exactly can be found in CBD isolate and how to make sure there's no THC.
Instances have occurred where people purchase CBD brands only to fail drug tests due to THC levels.
By law, industrial hemp (what CBD comes from) can have up to .3% THC.
The issue is that many people either have allergies to THC or want to use it for their children where ZERO THC is strongly recommended (See THC versus CBD for anxiety).
Let's make sure we understand how to verify levels of THC in CBD products.
We'll cover these topics:
- What is CBD isolate
- Is there THC in CBD Isolate
- How to verify if there's THC in a CBD product
- Do you need THC to activate CBD
- Best CBD with no THC
Let's get started.
What is CBD isolate
Let's walk it back a bit.
You start with industrial hemp which is just a legal definition for cannabis with less than .3% THC.
The so-called full spectrum can have up this legally allowed level of THC.
We avoid full-spectrum because roughly 40-60% of the population has allergy or histamine issues with it.
This speaks to many of the side effects people experience which go away when they change to CBD Isolate.
So we start with all the hemp material.
It then gets furthered processed to remove everything BUT the CBD.
That's CBD Isolate!
It's generally a white, crystal substance with very little flavor, scent, or color.
It looks like sugar for the most part.
The way to get there is very important as CO2 cold processing is much cleaner than butane or other methods that can leave residues of solvents.
We only use CO2 processing for this reason (our whole family takes it).
So...that brings up the question at hand.
Is there THC in CBD Isolate
CBD Isolate should have no THC in it. Zero.
Should is the important word there.
We can only speak for legitimate brands that actually deliver what they claim to.
Studies have shown that many CBD brands have much lower levels of CBD than they advertise and even have THC levels above what's allowed.
Again, it's the wild west out there.
So...we can't just trust what the label or website says. How do we verify that there's no THC in our CBD isolate?
Hello, 3rd party testing.
How to verify if there's THC in a CBD product
CBD isolate should be submitted to 3rd party testers to check a range of different requirements:
- No THC
- No solvents
- No heavy metals
- No bacteria
- No mold
- No pesticides
We actually test ours twice, once at the CBD isolate level and again for the finished product.
Our testing is available at the top of every page because it should be transparent.
If a brand of CBD isolate doesn't provide 3rd party testing readily and easily, run don't walk.
If they won't provide even that basic info, who knows what else is in there.
There's lots of bogus or even dangerous product from China on the market.
Our CBD isolate comes from hemp organically grown in the US at an FDA registered farm.
Like we said...our whole family takes it.
This leads to another question that comes up way too often.
Do you need THC to activate CBD
This is so frustrating once you've spent a 100 hours in NIH research.
It's a common misconception that THC is required to make CBD work.
Couldn't be further from the truth.
In fact, they have almost diametrically opposed effects across a range of different pathways.
For the full scoop, check out:
- CBD versus THC for anxiety
- Why CBD is a must if you use cannabis
- Lawyer Up! Sellers of high THC products
The full spectrum crowd uses the "entourage effect" as a rallying cry for full-spectrum and THC itself.
The term comes from the Godfather of CBD research in Isreal who actually used it to show how CBD would offset the negatives of THC!
A good review can be found here:
In fact, you can check out CBD to help if you're greening out to see just how different they are.
This opposition goes for:
- Appetite
- Anxiety (at higher levels)
- Mitochondria activity
- Immune response
- Steroidal hormones
- White matter in the brain
- And a slew of others
Let's put the entourage effect to rest until research actually shows something different.
All the research on CBD is on CBD isolate. CBD by itself.
So...how do we pick the best CBD isolate with no THC?
Best CBD Isolate with no THC
We listed the basic requirements above:
- Organically grown in the US at an FDA registered farm
- CO2 processed
- 3rd party tested
- No THC
- No Heavy metals
- No Solvents
- No Pesticides
- No Bacteria
- No Mold
Again, we test twice since our whole family uses IndigoNaturals including our teens (see CBD and teen anxiety).
3rd party testing is critical. It should have one section that lists out all cannabinoids (CBD, THC, CBC, CBG, CBN, etc).
It should only show levels for CBD.
Then, there's the question of affordability.
We did a big review of CBD pricing here.
The true measure is the cost per mg of CBD.
We want that around 5 cents per mg currently but many very (very) big brands, will charge multiples of that.
Why?
Because they can and the consumer doesn't realize they're overpaying.
It's a new market after all but that nonsense has to stop.
CBD isolate that have proper testing and sourcing is virtually the same. Only marketing, advertising, and profit margins are pushing those higher prices per mg of CBD.
We're happy to check the cost per mg of CBD for any brand...just them to support@indigonaturals.net
We'll also check for 3rd party testing.
We purposely price ours at 3 to 6 cents to make sure people can afford the benefits of CBD.
Oh….and zero THC. Two ingredients...CBD isolate and MCT oil (coconut oil extract so the liver is busy and more CBD gets through).
Always work with a doctor or naturopath with any supplement!
The information provided here is not intended to treat an illness or substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider.