Five Common CBD Terms To Know

​With all the cannabinoids out there, it’s difficult to know which are responsible for what. 

If you’re new to our products then perhaps you might be a bit confused. In our effort to educate the CBD-buying public about the various kinds of offerings on the market, it is with great pride that we break down the terminology one finds with common products. 

​Have you ever found yourself puzzling over the label of a CBD product, trying to figure out what in the world the words in the description meant?

You’re not alone here.

And as CBD becomes more and more mainstream, it seems like consumers are only getting more confused, and more new products hit the market every day. 

The CBD industry is so new that it’s creating new ways to describe itself as it goes along. But it’s also because there are no regulations or really widely accepted standards regarding how to describe products or ingredients.

Here are the five most common terms you’ll run across. 

1. Raw CBD

What could this mean? All CBD is processed in some way, so raw actually implies something totally different to begin with. 

However, this actually refers to the material that is extracted from the hemp plant itself. Raw means that there was no further heating, filtration or use of solvents in the process. 

This type of CBD product will contain the broadest varietals of compounds associated with the CBD spectrum.

Does this mean it is the best product? Not always.

The most potential CBD in the plant is part of what is referred to as CBDA, which is only activated when the plant material is heated and decarboxylated.  

This brings us to the next term!

2. Decarboxylated

Decarboxylation occurs after extraction when the CBD itself is heated. This process is what makes THC potent in an edible form as well. 
These products are thought to act much faster than their raw counterparts. 

With these products, CBDA is the main focus. This makes for a different varietal, great for treating fast, nausea, inflammation, and pain. 

For those searching for a relief solution, decarboxylated products are the route to take. 

It’s therefore very important to know where the products came from and understand testing reports. This gets the right product to you, without all the confusion. 

3. Isolate

This again refers to the way the product is processed. CBD isolate is refined until only pure cannabidiol remains intact. This is usually blended with what is called a carrier oil. This carrier can be anything from olive oil to coconut oil.  

If you’re trying to be very accurate when you dose, this is a great way to go. 

Flavorless CBD without THC or other cannabinoids is essentially isolated. 

It’s important to keep in mind though, that combining CBD with other cannabinoids may be a more effective route and offers better results. 

4. Filtered and Distilled

To create a distilled or filtered CBD product, the decarboxylated compound is filtered to remove chlorophyll and fat-soluble acids. 

These products are essentially more condensed. Like how one thinks of spirits like vodka and knows there is more concentration of alcohol. Distilled and filtered CBD is more potent. 

However, just having more CBD does make the proportions of other cannabinoids smaller. Often times these are expensive due to their concentration. 

5. Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum, and Complete

CBD extracts that contain other plants compounds like the terpene entourage are thought to be incredibly effective, because of that entourage effect. Other compounds include, CBG and THCV and additionally, CBV and CBC.

These three terms all mean roughly the same thing. 

However, there are no industry standards yet that define what it means to be labeled as such. Therefore it is only satisfactory that a company provide third-party lab results about their products to inform the consumer. This what you know exactly what you’re purchasing.