Choosing the Right CBD Oil: How to Have an Eye for Quality
Updated: Jun 13, 2022
The caliber and effectiveness of CBD oil can vary from brand to brand, but if you learn to spot the telltale signs of quality, you’ll know when you’ve struck gold.
Always look at the label first. Trustworthy CBD companies will tell you exactly what’s been added to their oil (usually MCT oil). If you don’t see an ingredient list right away, it’s best to be suspicious, or at least see if you can find any other info on the company’s website before you buy.
The label should also tell you the amount of THC. Legally, most CBD products are required to contain less than .03% THC, which is why CBD doesn’t provide the euphoric high typically associated with THC.
Make sure you see “third-party lab tested” somewhere on the packaging or the website. Third-party lab tests monitor levels of pesticides, herbicides, and solvents –– none of which you want in your oil –– and allow companies to establish trust and transparency around quality, potency, and purity.
Ideally, you’ll see the phrase “whole-spectrum” on the label, too. At San Benito Hemp, we use a revolutionary extraction process that’s a little bit similar to what a perfumer might use to extract aromatic compounds in the gentlest possible way. It’s solventless and doesn’t require high pressure or high heat, which means it preserves the delicate compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids) that contribute to the entourage effect and make CBD oil so effective.
Speaking of extraction methods: always make sure you can find information about them. CBD isolates won’t contain any THC at all, which can be great if drug testing is a concern, but they’re also stripped of many of the beneficial compounds discussed above.
CO2 and butane extraction methods are often promoted as “safe” or “clean,” but if you could avoid using harsh chemical solvents in the first place, why wouldn’t you? We’ll stick to our solvent-free method and our belief that hemp plants should be treated as gently and respectfully as possible from soil to oil.