CBD or cannabidiol is one of the compounds (Cannabinoids) of Cannabis Sativa species. CBD oil is extracted mainly from Hemp plants for industrial or medicinal usage. The recent legalization of Cannabis products and advancement in the research on Cannabis have led to a spike in its popularity. CBD oil is one of the most sought after Cannabis products due to its various beneficial properties, its non-psychoactive nature, and its minimal THC levels.
While the extraction of CBD oil happens on an industrial scale, one can try it personally for an experiment. All the CBD products we consume have CBD oil in them. If one can extract raw CBD oil, he may add it to various foodstuffs like recipes, tinctures, drinks, etc.
Methods to extract CBD oil
Generally, CBD products vary due to their extraction methods. The most used ways for CBD oil extraction are:
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Extraction
The process with Carbon Dioxide utilizes CO2 to isolate the CBD oil from the herb elements. The Carbon Dioxide used in this process contains attributes of both fluid as well as a gas element.
In this Carbon Dioxide extraction, a group of pressurized cells is employed to expose the Carbon Dioxide to immense stress and very moderate heats, ending in the derived CBD oil having huge amounts of cannabidiol.
At the beginning of the extraction process, a cell will contain pressurized Carbon Dioxide, and another cell has to contain Hemp. Then, Carbon Dioxide goes from one cell to the other.
Carbon Dioxide causes the breakdown of Hemp, which leads to the separation of oil from the Hemp. At last, both the gas and the extracted oil are pushed to another cell where Carbon Dioxide finally dissolves. Thus, we are left with only CBD oil.
Carbon Dioxide Extraction technique has the fame of being the safest and most effective way of deriving CBD oil. This method is also the most practical because it has the best productivity in terms of concentration of the derived oil. You can also regulate the compression levels to get different kinds of CBD oil.
Distillation with steam
In this process, the vapor affects the CBD extract in a way that it parts from Hemp. The Hemp plant element remains in a container and hot water steam is pushed into this container. This steam helps to isolate CBD within the container. Next, the isolated CBD vapors are condensed into liquid form. This CBD-mixed liquid is segregated to obtain the desired CBD oil.
This manner of CBD oil extraction that involves steam is more of a conventional and economical method. But it is not as practical as the Carbon Dioxide extraction process because the concentration levels of the derived CBD oil is inconsistent.
The lack of solubility of Cannabinoids in steam at temperatures lower than 180 degrees Celcius has pushed people to try newer and even more efficient methods for extraction. The fact that this procedure also requires the people involved in it to be a lot more careful goes against its usage.
Extraction with Solvents
The method of CBD oil extraction with solvents is quite similar to steam separation. But here, you need to use a solvent instead of water to extract CBD oil. In this process, the solvent and CBD oil gets mixed. Then, the solvent is isolated, and we obtain pure CBD oil.
Solvents are more practical than water steam. One just needs to be careful about the toxic elements present in the solvents used. One can use either natural solvents or hydrocarbons.
It is important to note that natural solvents are always safer to use as they do not contain any toxic substances. Some of the natural solvents, such as ethanol, can bring an odd flavor to the oil. So, be mindful of that.
Extraction by Olive Oil
The CBD oil extraction method involving Olive oil is one of the most traditional ways in use. Many CBD enthusiasts see this method as the most efficient one. Besides, this process is not much costly and is a lot safer than the other methods. What’s interesting with this extraction process is that you can do it very easily on your own.
This process requires the Hemp plant substance to be heated to a certain degree so that the compounds of the Hemp plant get activated. Next, Olive oil and the plant compounds are heated together, and CBD is obtained.
In this process, the Olive oil does not separate from the CBD extract. Hence, the end product is not as pure as it is in the other methods. Naturally, one needs to have an increased dose of the CBD oil that is extracted through this process.
Having described the extraction method with Olive oil, one must note that the CBD oil obtained in this method needs careful preservation because it may perish quicker than other variants.
The best way for extracting CBD oil:
All the methods mentioned above have their advantages and disadvantages. Among all the options, the Carbon Dioxide extraction process is the most-trusted method to produce rich CBD oil. This method is also very safe and free of toxic elements.
At the time of buying CBD oil, you must be aware of the extraction process since that has a significant role to play in the effectiveness of the end product. Sometimes, other extraction methods can also be used, and they are totally safe to use, provided all the quality parameters are maintained.
Other important things about extracted CBD oil
The CBD oil obtained through any of these processes contain other cannabinoids along with CBD. This kind of CBD oil is termed as full-spectrum CBD oil. Full-spectrum oil is much better than isolated CBD oil as it has many beneficial chemicals and curing elements for the human body.
The CBD oil derived from Hemp through such processes contains less than 0.3% THC, which is the legally permissible limit. For people who wish to go with absolutely zero THC, there are CBD isolates that are actually a more refined version of the extracted CBD.
CBD has become one of the essential wellness substances, and there are reasons for it. CBD treats many health issues, including anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. CBD oil lets us utilize the goodness of CBD in multiple ways. One can consume CBD oil directly or use it through tinctures.
Whether you have decided to consume full-spectrum CBD oil or isolates, you can enjoy it through a whole host of CBD products such as gummies, protein bars, chocolates, pills, vapes, etc. CBD oil is also present in skincare products. So, you can use it as lotion or face cream. No matter which extraction process you go with, what matters finally is the correctness of the method and the utility of the product.