CBD and Sleep: The Latest Science and the Benefits of Cannabinoid Balance Sleep+
As we all know, getting good sleep and enough good sleep is one of the most important things for our...
Read moreAs CBD’s popularity has grown over the last couple of years, you may have noticed a huge increase in the amount of CBD products you can buy in stores, as well as the number and variety of locations you can buy them in. There are now many a checkout line that lo and behold have CBD brownies or oil or body cream right by the register! But while that may be highly convenient, it certainly doesn’t mean that these are the best products to invest in—or even that they’re actual CBD products. We want to make sure you know how to tell the difference between real CBD products and what’s fake.
Here’s what to watch out for when checking out CBD products and brands that are new to you:
Questionable Testing Disclaimers
In one of our earlier posts, we gave some tips on how to buy the best CBD products, and one of our main criteria is to choose products that advertise third-party lab testing. Some companies test products in-house, which is always something to be wary of—companies will often exaggerate results if testing and advertising for themselves. Third-party testing, on the other hand, ensures credibility and should provide you information on the cannabinoid content and sourcing in the testing analysis. NOTE: Be sure to double-check that the information and cannabinoid content listed on the product’s packaging and in the testing analysis is the same. Crazily enough, often they are not! Big red flag!
Hemp Seed Oil, aka Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil = NOT REAL CBD
CBD is derived from the hemp plant, so it can confuse consumers newer to CBD products when they see labeling that says “hemp seed oil” or “cannabis sativa oil.” But there’s quite a difference! The best quality CBD comes from the flower of the hemp plant, which has the highest CBD levels and offers the greatest benefits, whereas hemp seed has only tiny amounts of CBD and almost negligible medicinal effects.
Not Enough Information
Top-notch CBD companies know the importance of providing customers with plenty of information. That not only includes third-party testing analyses, but also their CBD’s origin—hemp or marijuana (and the percentage of THC in the product if derived from marijuana), the source location of the plant, which extraction process they use, and the concentration of CBD. If a brand does not list this information on its products, you can safely assume it’s not the most reputable CBD brand and would be better to choose otherwise. (See our guide on growing quality hemp to learn more about the best practices and processes of production for good products.)
Cheap, Cheap, Cheap
As the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true…it probably is. Good quality CBD products won’t break your bank, but they shouldn’t be so cheap that it’s a steal, either. A too-low price tells you that that product isn’t sourced as it should be, produced in quality conditions or tested properly. Buyer, beware of the “good deal.”
If you pay attention to these indicators and steer clear of products that fall under any of the above categories, you’ll be easily guided to the better brands and products out there. But if the thought of spot-checking or having to “test out” brands you find sounds laborious or unnerving to you, it’s not a bad idea to stick to some of the more tried-and-true brands we’ve tested out already. Here are some of the top companies selling high-quality CBD products right now:
We love these CBD brands and know that they are real and have the highest quality production and sourcing of any CBD brands out there. Over the next few months, we’ll be going more in-depth on each one of them to tell you more about why we think they are doing things right. Keep watching this blog to see more!
