How To Read CBD Labels
What ingredients should I avoid?
Over the years, the CBD industry has grown tremendously from its underground roots and into the limelight creating a major buzz around these products. Whether hemp or cannabis-derived, CBD has become a familiar cannabinoid for those looking for a supplement with calming and relaxation benefits. With a variety of products emerging and many options to test out, the question we want to ask ourselves is, what exactly is in the CBD products that I’m taking? It is important to know where your products are coming from and the quality of the ingredients that the company is using. There are some ingredients to look out for on your CBD product label to make sure you are getting exactly what you’re looking for. Let’s look at some of the ingredients you should avoid.
Hemp Extract or Hemp Oil
Using CBD oil is the most common way to get a daily dose of CBD because it is easy to use and has a high absorption rate. The biggest misconception found on CBD oil labels is that the product is a “hemp extract” or “hemp oil”. Although CBD is derived from hemp, the terms “hemp extract” and “hemp oil” refer to hempseed oil which has little to no CBD content. Hempseed oil can be used as a carrier oil for the infusion of cannabinoids and is common for companies to use because of its health benefits. Simply put, hemp seed oil and cannabinoids are two different ingredients and will be identified on a CBD oil label individually. Depending on the type of CBD that is infused in the carrier oil, (which can be Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum or CBD Isolate) must be specified with an amount or concentration of CBD in the product.
CBD Vaping Thickeners
With vaping becoming the next best thing for smokers, it has also been popular in the CBD and THC world. Vaping CBD is more common than ever, but on the other hand, it is one of the products that you need to be most careful with. Vitamin E acetate, also known as tocopherol acetate is one of the thickeners that is added to vape juice and has been found to cause lung damage. Now that Vitamin E acetate has been identified to be hazardous, it is beginning to be avoided in vape juice products, however, still be aware of the ingredients in your products before purchasing. Another ingredient that is being used as a thickening agent is MCT oil or coconut oil. Although it may sound like a ‘healthier’ substitute to the acetate, vaporizing any oil should be avoided as this too may cause lung damage. Keep a look out for oils in your vapes and keep MCT and coconut oils only in your CBD tinctures for ingesting.
CBD Topical Preservatives
Topicals are the most common for having ingredients that we are familiar with because they are in other products we use; however, we should avoid these ingredients because they are harmful to the skin. Artificial colours, perfumes and parabens are some of the ingredients that should be avoided in your CBD products. Artificial colours can contain starches and metals that can be absorbed into the skin becoming carcinogenic to the body. Finding products with plant-based colourants is a healthier alternative to artificial colours. Perfumes should be avoided as they too are carcinogenic and can cause allergic reactions to the skin. If you prefer a scent in your CBD topical, try looking for products that are infused with essential oils because not only are they naturally appealing, but they also provide health benefits too!
What do the numbers on a CBD oil mean?
As mentioned before, it is important to understand that a CBD oil needs to identify a concentration of CBD for it to be considered an effective CBD product. CBD oils come in different size bottles ranging from 30 to 120 milliliters.
Directly on the front of the CBD oil label will tell you exactly how much of a concentration of CBD can be found in the entire bottle. See the example below for the total concentration of CBD found in the following 30ml bottle:
With simple math (dividing the concentration of CBD by the size of the bottle), you can calculate how much CBD is in 1ml of CBD oil.
To make things easier, companies tend to provide a breakdown of concentration on the label to help you get started with your dosing. Check out the example below of a breakdown of concentration:
In the bottle, there will be a pipette or dropper which is used to measure your CBD oil concentration. The pipette will have increments of numbers ranging from 0.25 to 1ml. These numbers are used to help identify your CBD dose. All concentration breakdowns on the CBD oil label will refer to the measurements found on the pipette. Follow the breakdown on the label to measure out your oil with the pipette and administer your oil sublingually (under the tongue). The last important number that can be identified on a CBD oil label is the percentage of THC found in the product. Different types of CBD may have little to no CBD content and it is important to take note of that on your CBD oil label. For example, a Full Spectrum CBD product will identify as <0.3% THC which is telling you that there are traces of THC in the product. A CBD isolate, on the other hand, will show 0% THC which means, of course, that the product is THC-free.
How do I determine the potency of my CBD oil?
Ever hear the saying, “not everything is what it seems?” Well, your CBD oil label may show the type of CBD and its concentration, but is it truly how much CBD is inside that bottle? The best way to help identify the potency of your CBD product is to request its Certificate of Analysis (COA) from the company that produced the product. A certificate of analysis is a third-party lab report that shows the purity and potency of the CBD in that product. See below for an example of a certificate of analysis:
It may be a little confusing to look at a certificate of analysis at first, but the best way to read the COA is by category. Referring to the COA above, you will find cannabinoid content on the left-hand side, which will show you exactly what cannabinoid is found and its concentration. Below the cannabinoid profile is the concentration of CBD in that product. That number should match the concentration on the CBD oil label. Other factors that can be identified in a COA are the extraction method, terpene profile and whether the CBD is free of heavy metals, pesticides and solvents. If you cannot find a COA on the website of the company you are purchasing from, be sure to inquire further so you can make sure your product is pure and free of harmful substances.
After reading what ingredients to avoid, how to determine what is in your CBD oil and learning about the transparency of a product, you should be prepared to decide on the type of product you are looking for. Understanding ingredients you should avoid will help to make a conscious decision on what you are putting on or into your body. You should always test out products at small doses before using them fully that way you can be cautious about any adverse effects. Finding a CBD product with a thorough label identifying exactly what is in the product will provide peace of mind and make the product easier to use. Always consult a physician before trying any new supplements you may be unsure of. Lastly, purchasing products from companies that are transparent about what is in their CBD is important when finding a pure, all-natural product. We hope this helps you get on the right track to finding what CBD product is right for you!
