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How To Read CBD Labels & Know What To Look For: Ingredients, Serving Size & More
Updated: May 23, 2023
How To Read CBD Oil Labels
The buzz about CBD is everywhere. It is now characterized as one of the most potent, and safest natural supplement that can be used to manage and relieve the symptoms of many conditions. However, it is important to note that you have to be careful about the quality of the product you buy.
To put things into perspective, this "lawlessness" of quality CBD products start with the fact that there are no "black and white" regulations governing this industry. No agency making sure that what's on the label is actually in the bottle. So to know what to look for is simply empowering yourself to lessen the chance of getting stuck with a product that doesn't "foot the bill", as the lack of regulations leave you open to losing a lot of money, and can cause you to not experience the real benefits of CBD.
To better assist you in selecting the right CBD product for your needs, you can start by taking an in-depth look at the label. As you take a look at the CBD products available on the market, you might come across some information that is confusing or misleading.
For a person who is new to CBD, it can become overwhelming to navigate through CBD products as some companies use marketing tactics to sell their products and labels just do not line up with what is really in the product.
So it is up to you to investigate the product and decide which products are worth your time and money.
Broad Spectrum, Full Spectrum, or Isolate
Following this current CBD craze, you have probably run into products labeled as Broad Spectrum, Full Spectrum, or Isolate. This is because the label should definitely indicate the type of product. It is important that you are informed about the different terminology on these products.
When a product is Broad Spectrum, this means that it has the natural beneficial cannabinoid and terpenes but NO THC. Due to it's "NO THC" presence, this type of CBD oil has rapidly become popular and taken the market by storm as it is hassle-free when to comes to it being transported or shipped across state lines and the globe.
As for a product labeled as Full Spectrum, it also has the beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes, however, it will have THC. Hence, it can be a little tricky legally when it comes to this product being shipped or transported through regions that have a zero-tolerance for THC. If derived from hemp, the THC in this product should only be up to .3%.
Isolate products will have "pure" CBD with no THC and NONE of the other beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes that "pure" CBD needs to balance it out to render medicinal benefits. If you would like to learn more about the terminology read our blog about the different types of CBD.
Ingredient List
During your hunt for that perfect CBD oil, you might come across some unexpected ingredients in your product of interest. In tinctures and in a sublingual, you will mostly see that the base will be olive oil, hemp seed oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil or MCT(medium-chain triglycerides). MCTs makeup about 60% of the total "good" fat content in coconut oil and are acknowledged for their ability to support healthy cognition and energy levels, support the heart and your metabolism.
As you get deeper into CBD products, you will most likely encounter ingredients like orange, peppermint or Tumeric. These ingredients add a nutritional factor and also give the oil a different flavor profile. Some oils have a mild taste and others taste earthy. So if you prefer a mild or earthy taste, you should be fine as you can choose to go with one of the flavor enhanced oils or experience the natural flavors of the plant in the unflavored oil.
Keep in mind that as you are reading the product ingredients, you want to stay away from synthetic flavor, artificial food dyes, and unnecessary preservatives. "Rule of the thumb" is that the ingredient list should be as short as possible. If you do not recognize it or can't pronounce it, you should avoid consuming it orally.
CBD Content
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to determining the amount of CBD in a product and how much you are getting in a serving.
One of the key things on the CBD product label is the amount of CBD (hemp extract) in the product. This number is usually in a larger bold print (250mg, 500mg, 100mg, 2000mg...) and indicates the amount of CBD in milligrams for the entire product, not the dose or serving size. So look for milligrams per milliliter(mg/ml) instead. That would determine the CBD concentration of the product.
Batch Number
When selecting a CBD product, it is wise to locate the batch number on the product. This number is highly important as it links your CBD product to a third-party laboratory test. The lab tests of every batch help with transparency and consistency. While third-party lab reports are generally accurate, you can shop with confidence knowing that a simple QR code on the product will also link the product to the test for that batch. There can be batch variances from even the most reputable brands. Batch testing allows you to see these varying differences between batches so you can make a conscious decision when purchasing a product.
It is very important for a product to have a batch number since it is nearly impossible to trace back the raw material used in the production process without such. Meaning the company that sold the product will have no way to tell you the raw ingredients you are consuming.
Misleading Label Examples In The Industry
Here are a couple of misleading examples we have seen on the marketplace and tips on how to avoid falling for these gimmicks.
1) Just because a label may say 1000mg Formula, this does not mean that there is 1000mg in the product being used. It is very important to look at the net weight or servings per container and match these numbers with what is on the lab results. For example if a lab result states 17mg per gram, you must ask the company how many grams are in the finished product to determine how many mg of CBD you are actually getting.
2) Bigger is not always better. The standard oil tincture size in the industry is a one-ounce bottle. Just because a bottle is bigger does not mean that there is technically more CBD inside of the container or that it is more potent. For example, a bottle that states 2000mg per one ounce (30ml) would be equivalent to a bottle stating 4000mg per two-ounce (60ml) container. We have seen some companies on the marketplace overcharge simply based on the volume sold. You as a consumer are paying for the active milligrams of CBD, not the volume.
3) If you see an outrageous amount of active CBD per container at a relatively low price, oftentimes it is too good to be true and the company is selling hemp seed oil, which has little to no medicinal benefit. It is important to note that as of November 2019, Amazon does not allow CBD products to be sold on their platform. Although you will see a lot of CBD results come up if searched and they often use verbiage such as full-spectrum, THC-Free, etc. These products are NOT CBD and are simply a gimmick.
4) We also have seen companies put hemp oil and CBD on separate lines of their supplemental facts. You are paying for the CBD in the bottle so the hemp oil mg is relatively pointless and should not be factored in when determining how much CBD is in the product you intend to use.
Our goal of this post is not to call out any company in particular but to instead inform you the consumer so you are able to achieve the results you are looking for. So the next time you are thinking about purchasing a CBD product, inspect that packaging. Remember, what you put in, is what you get out.
We hope this article has been useful, but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out as our team will be more than happy to respond. You can reach us via phone at 954-533-0089 or via email at info@gogreenhemp.com
If you are a business owner or store and would like to get in contact with our sales team send us an email at wholesale@gogreenhemp.com
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