Quarantine out, interesting news in:
The UK is set to become the 5th largest market in the world for medical marijuana and cannabis-related products by 2024, and that will, of course, include the CBD industry. This means that the market will be full (and we mean VERY full) of CBD brands of all provenance, quality, shapes and sizes, and to save you from feeling a bit overwhelmed, we’ve made a list of what to look for when buying.
First things first though. What is CBD?
If you’re reading this article, you might already have a general knowledge of what it is and where it comes from, but just to refresh your memory, we’ve written a whole article about what CBD is, so check it out!
CBD 101 out of the way, let’s dive into what to look for when buying CBD.
1. The CBD Content
This is probably the first thing you’ll look for when buying a CBD product, and also what will primarily decide its price.
Check the quantity of CBD on the front of the bottle, indicated in either mg (like 1000mg) or percentage (like 5%) and ensure it’s the same on the front of the label as it is on the back. The more CBD your product contains, the stronger and quicker the effect, and the higher the cost.
A quick note for first time buyers: though it may seem like a big investment, we recommend starting out with a CBD that’s at the very least a 5% strength. What you definitely do not want to do is start out with a sub-par product that will make you lose faith in the whole industry. If you plan on buying a 2% or 3%, be prepared to take a LOT of it each time you take a dose, which, in the long run, might turn out to be more expensive.
2. The CBD Extraction Method
The way CBD gets extracted is one of the most important factors you must look at when selecting a product. After all, you’re putting it inside your body… and your body is a DAMN TEMPLE people!
The best and safest CBD extraction, and the only one we use at Moxmilk for our CBD, is widely considered to be Supercritical CO2, because it safeguards the integrity of the plant, whilst also not corrupting its molecules, like ethanol extraction would, and ensuring no harmful residues are left behind.
And your temple shall not be spoiled – not by CBD anyway!
3. The CBD Lab Reports
Anyone can tell you that their CBD products are simply the best, but unless you’re Tina Turner, check out their lab reports or third-party testing data, as this will ensure you’re buying the quality and quantity of product stated on the bottle. A brand that won’t publish their third-party testing data might have found inconsistencies with the amount of cannabinoids their products claim to contain, or impurities and contaminants in their CBD, and that does not sound like they care very much for your overall well-being and wallet, we thinks. All of our Moxmilk reports are available for viewing.
4. Ensure You’re Buying Broad Spectrum CBD
CBD is more boyband than solo artist – it does better when it’s with other compounds than all by itself. CBD isolate is just what it sounds like, an isolated product containing a single cannabinoids (CBD) in an carrier oil… which might work for some (ie- people that use very large amounts of CBD for therapeutic reasons), but not as well as Broad Spectrum products that also contain:
- Other cannabinoids like CBN, CBC, and CBG
- Flavonoids
- Terpenes
- Glycerides
- Amino acids
- Omega fatty acids
If you’re feeling extra nerdy, you can geek out on this famous paper by Dr. Ethan Russo, which, for those of you who don’t care much for scientific papers, states that combined consumption of various cannabinoids and terpenes offers therapeutic benefits that are superior to taking a single compound in isolation.
N.B. If you’ve also heard the term ‘Full Spectrum’ when researching your CBD, please note that the UK is generally not allowed to sell ‘Full Spectrum’ products, as they contain up to 0.3% THC, and they are technically only allowed in the US & Canada, and a few other countries in the world like Switzerland, who allows up to 1%.
5. The Provenance Of The Hemp
Food from all over the world? YES.
Friends from all over the world? Also YES.
CBD from all over the world? Eehhhh, perhaps not.
No shade to the emerging markets of the world, of course – just some safety measures: the CBD industry has grown globally at breakneck speed, and this has meant that precautions and regulations have not been able to keep up with demands. Not to mention… there are some proper shady characters out there, just out to make money and sell you any old junk and CBD products that contain NO CBD at all, like this report found.
More to the point: if you buy products that are grown in the USA or Canada, and more recently the UK and a few other parts of Europe, you can have more assurance of their quality and validity, as they come from legislation-heavy markets that allow for very little wiggle room.
6 *Bonus Point* Carrier Oil & Taste
Something that might be worth considering when buying CBD oils or tinctures is the carrier oil they are diluted in, and subsequently the taste they have.
MTC oil (AKA coconut oil) is one of the most popular and premium carrier oils available on the market, because it’s easily absorbed by the body, therefore meaning more of your CBD enters into your bloodstream quicker. Most premium products will use MTC as their preferred carrier oil, also thanks to its very mild taste. It’s the carrier oil we use in Moxmilk CBD products.
Hemp oil is another popular, albeit less premium, carrier oil, and being very affordable and renowned for its skin benefits, it’s often found in skin products containing CBD. It has a very distinctive nutty, earthy flavour.
Olive, avocado, grapeseed and sunflower are some of the other carrier oils you could find for your CBD products, and all are valid choices, depending on your necessities, tastes and budget, and provided they are responsibly sourced.
IN CONCLUSION: If you’re going to invest in your health and well-being, do it right, with a brand you can trust, who will show you lab reports, and be transparent about their products, and refund you if you’re unhappy with them.
English (UK) 
Italiano
0 Comments