If you’re starting out with CBD, and wondering what the difference is between Broad Spectrum CBD or CBD Isolate, we’re here to help. Read on to find out which CBD is right for you.
From finding out about the active ingredients in your CBD oil to the meaning of terpenes and explaining the ‘entourage effect’, this article is here to help you understand exactly what’s in your CBD, how it works with your body and which is the best CBD oil for you.
We started Jersey Hemp because we wanted to deliver the best CBD and hemp extract that our plants have to offer to support the people who choose to buy from us.
We believe that it’s important as many people as possible are educated about what’s in the CBD oil they choose.
So read on to have all your questions about Broad Spectrum CBD answered.
Broad Spectrum CBD vs CBD Isolate – What's the difference?
When you’re shopping for CBD, you might have come across products labelled as Broad Spectrum or Isolate (if it just says CBD it's usually Isolate). While these terms might sound similar, they’re actually quite different and explain how the CBD has been extracted, and what’s contained in your CBD oil.
Within the hemp plant, there are nearly a hundred naturally occurring compounds called cannabinoids. The most well known of these are CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
THC is the compound that causes psychotropic effects of ‘getting high’ – hemp plants actually contain very little THC compared to cannabis plants that are grown for medicinal use.
As part of our extraction process here at Jersey Hemp, we remove the THC to non-detectable levels to keep it within approved government limits.
Cannabinoids are compounds that interact directly with our body’s endocannabinoid system, a network of receptors (called CB1 and CB2) that maintain vital functions throughout the body.
CB1 receptors are found in the regions of the brain responsible for processes like memory, high cognition, emotion and motor coordination, and CB2 receptors are found throughout the central nervous and immune systems. CBD binds primarily to the CB2 receptors, which is why it affects the body differently to THC which can produce mind-altering effects.
Once CBD has been extracted from hemp plants, producers like Jersey Hemp can choose to refine the extract to contain only specific cannabinoids, like CBD or others.
The contents of that refined extract are what determines whether the CBD extract is Broad Spectrum or Isolate.
What is CBD Isolate?
Isolate (in scientific terms) is the purest form of a compound, which is formed by extracting only that compound and no others.
So think of CBD isolate as the purest form of CBD, produced by removing all the other compounds found in hemp plants, including terpenes and other cannabinoids. CBD isolate will also contain no detectable THC.
What is Broad Spectrum CBD?
Our Broad Spectrum CBD is an extract that contains all the compounds found naturally occurring in hemp plants, including terpenes, essential oils and other cannabinoids.
Even though hemp CBD has extremely low levels of THC naturally, our processes remove the THC to non-detectable levels, so it’s safely within government-approved levels.
What are Terpenes?
Terpenes are chemical compounds naturally present in plants that contribute to the plant’s unique taste, smell and colour.
Think of the citrus tang of a fresh orange when you squeeze it, or the smell of blueberry jam on toast. Terpenes are what make lavender and roses so memorable, and they are the basic elements in essential oils.
Keeping this ‘broad spectrum’ of all the compounds and molecules found in the hemp plant allows those cannabinoids, terpenes and essential oils to work together naturally to enhance the actions of each individual cannabinoid.
This is normally referred to as the ‘entourage effect’.
