How is CBD Oil Extracted?
CBD or cannabidiol is one of the many compounds present in a cannabis plant. It has a multitude of benefits, including relieving pain, anxiety, easing nausea, and treating other side effects brought about by cancer treatments.
The component goes way back as a trusted source of medicine from ancient times. CBD continues to gain popularity as researches continue to discover new ways that the product improves our lifestyle.
CBD extraction methods can have a significant impact on the delivery of CBD and also on your health. As such, it's natural for people to wonder about the best way to extract CBD.
The first thing to understand is that there are numerous extraction methods. It’s essential to understand the methods so that you can have an easy time choosing a trusted company and a product that can offer you the right benefits.
CBD extraction methods
Before you embark on CBD extraction, you will need to start with a plant source that is rich in CBD. This is because the environment of cultivation can have different effects on the strains, components, and flavor of cannabis plants. While extracting CBD, a safe environment is essential, and so is chasing a healthy and effective method.
The reason you want to start the extraction process is to separate cannabinoids and to come up with a highly concentrated solution that is suitable for consumption. After extracting CBD properly, the THC component is left out, thus leaving you with pure CBD. Now, let's take a look at some of the various CBD extraction methods:
1. Using a liquid solvent
The solvent liquid can be alcohol, butane, ethanol, or isopropyl. It is the commonly used method of CBD extraction. However, one should be cautious because the technique is hazardous due to the use of highly flammable liquids. Moreover, the method destroys plant waxes, which have a broad range of health benefits. Another negative feature of this form of extraction is that it removes chlorophyll along with cannabinoids, which can cause a bitter taste.
- The process starts by trimming the cannabis plant materials and placing them in a container.
- The liquid solvent passes through the material where it strips the cannabinoids off and transfers them into the liquid.
- The mixture is heated to extract CBD; the solvent liquid evaporates, leaving behind CBD oil.
2. Using carrier oils
This process is more common among CBD enthusiasts who like to make their own CBD oil rather than commercial CBD producers. This form of extraction has been around for a very long time and is generally a simple, cheap, and safe method to produce CBD. The only negative part about this is that it's highly perishable and requires refrigeration for increased shelf life.
- The carrier oil extraction requires you to decarboxylase the raw materials. The process involves exposing it to a specific temperature for a given period to activate various chemicals in the plant.
- The next step calls for the addition of carrier over the plant material, and then it's heated to extract CBD.
The process does not call for the separation of the carrier oil from the cannabinoids. As such, you will not get a highly concentrated product, which means you will indeed ingest more of it to get full benefits.
3. CO2 extraction method
This is one of the most expensive and complicated processes of extraction. It's also the latest and most advanced on the market. The good news is that if done properly, it's quite safe, potent, and void of various impurities such as chlorophyll.
Other than the fact that it is expensive, the process does not pose any downfalls. It produces a high-quality non-contaminated product that delivers all the health benefits of CBD. The extraction method also allows for proper adjusting temperature and pressure so that the specific isolate collects in its purest form.
The process of C02 extraction requires costly equipment known as "closed-loop extract". It has three chambers. In the first chamber, there is solid and pressurized dry ice, in the second chamber, the dried hemp plant material, while the third holds the final product.
- To start with, you pump C02 from the first chamber to the second chamber with the plant material.
- In the second chamber, it takes on a superficial form between a gas and liquid, which runs through the cannabis plant to extract cannabinoids.
- The next step involves pumping it into the third chamber, where C02 evaporates and rises to the chambers while the CBD collects at the bottom.
4. Steam distillation
Though this method works in the collection of CBD oil, it's not as efficient as the C02 extraction. It requires more hemp material, and extracting pure forms of CBD is quite difficult.
Stem in the distillate causes the separation of CBD oil from the hemp plant. The glass flask has an inlet that connects to a glass container and under it a plant flask with water.
- The water in the container heats the vapor, and it travels to the plant flask, where it separates CBD from the materials to produce CBD oil vapors.
- The gases reach the tubes where it condenses into water and oil.
- The next step involves the distillation of the mixture to produce the CBD oil extract.
What method should you chose
The best way of CBD extraction is CO2 extraction if you are looking to go commercial. It's also the most beneficial because it produces pure concentrated CBD. It provides a safe way to extract a full-spectrum product that has no downside.
Why perform cannabis Extractions?
The separation of CBD allows for the production of a concentrated form of CBD and allows for easy disposal of unnecessary cannabis material. The extracts contain purified marijuana compounds that are more beneficial at a higher ratio.
Concentrated cannabis extract is more efficient in bringing about desired effects. Extraction produces concentrated CBD.
In addition, the process reduces the possibility of ingesting harmful compounds such as microbes.
The decarboxylation process is necessary for the maximum effectiveness of CBD.
Conclusion
The health benefits of CBD oil are numerous, and it can also help promote the quality of life. Therefore, the extraction process you choose to extract this natural compound should give you the purest and highest quality CBD product.
