You’ve probably wondered why hemp oil found in dispensaries and supermarket is so much more expensive than our CBD oil. There are few reasons for this, but the major reason is that those oils you find in stores are hemp seed oil which uses a different extraction method from CBD oil.
The oil produced by Hemp seeds is extracted by cold pressing the seeds, this procedure is cheap and easy to implement, requiring no specialized equipment or solvents. The resulting product lacks many of the health benefits of the CBD based products we produce. To better illustrate the benefits that accompany our method, let’s look at some of the different ways of extracting hemp oil.
- Cold Pressing method
We touched upon this method in the opening. Through cold pressing, hemp seeds are pressed or grounded together at a temperature lower than 120°F; this method retains the seeds flavor and nutritional value. Hemp seeds are nutrient-rich and make for an excellent addition to your diet, but they contain only a minuscule amount of cannabinoids. CBD oil is obtained in greater abundance from the stems and stalks of the hemp plant.Hemp seed oil is regularly used as a base for CBD supplements to make the oil extracts less thick and more comfortable to consume. Thus, the cold pressing method is an effective technique, just not useful for gathering CBD.
- The Rick Simpson Method
This method of extracting CBD oil makes use of naphtha and petroleum as solvents. It is an efficient method for gathering active compounds. However, the products produced tend to have a much lower concentration of CBD and terpenes and higher concentrations of THC. Thus, the Rick Simpson method is an ineffective method of extracting CBD oil. On top of that, this method exposes the CBD oil to harmful residues from the solvents which may harm the consumer’s immune system.
- Ethanol or Olive oil extraction
Olive oil and ethanol act as far safer solvents in the extraction process than naphtha and petroleum, they also offer an effective method of extracting a full range of cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant. However, ethanol will extract chlorophyll from the plant; this will leave the final product with a disagreeable taste and unappealing green color. It is possible to remove chlorophyll through a filtering process, but this process will also eliminate much of the CBD extract. Olive oil also has its issues. On the bright side, this extraction process is simple and only requires you to heat the oil up to 200°F and then to filter the resulting extract. The problem with olive oil is that the extract can never be concentrated. The extract would contain CBD, but you would need to consume massive amounts to receive any of the benefits.
- Critical CO2 extraction method
Lastly, we have the method which we use for our products. The CO2 extraction method is admittedly more expensive, but it is hugely effective at obtaining CBD oil and completely non-toxic. This method necessitates a certain amount of expertise and intricate equipment. However, the safe solvents used produce an incredibly pure and potent CBD extract. The CBD oil produced is a full spectrum product rich in healthy cannabinoids. The resulting oil is amber in color and completely transparent. It is without a doubt the best extract that can be obtained through any of the other methods listed here. For more information on our CBD extraction method see our Education page.
For a wide range of high-quality CBD oil-based products produced using CO2 extraction, look at our online CBD store.
