The CBD market has boomed tremendously over the past few years and has a pretty high suspected growth for the next decade.
With all this hype surrounding this mysterious (and ever so effective) substance, manufacturers and researchers alike are looking for new ways to use and extract CBD.
One of the less common (but not at all less-effective) forms of CBD is CBD distillate. Ever heard of it?
If not, no worries. This article will cover all you need to know about CBD distillate, its uses, and where it comes from.
CBD: A Short Biography
Before we take a dive into what CBD distillate is, let's do a quick review of what CBD is.
CBD stands for cannabidiol and is a substance derived from the Cannabis-Sativa plant, sometimes referred to as hemp. While the two plants are very similar, there are some slight differences.
Cannabis is generally much higher in THC. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the compound found in weed that gets the person high when it's smoked or ingested. For this reason, cannabis is more popular among weed producers and sellers.
Now we're aware that we said that cannabis and hemp are slightly different, but in reality, they're pretty much the same thing. The only real difference is the name (obviously right?).
But why are they named differently? Well, for legal reasons.
Hemp is federally legal in the U.S. for production and selling so long as it has less than 0.03% THC. When hemp plants have significantly higher amounts of THC, its name then changes back to cannabis (or in some situations, marijuana).
So getting back to the topic at hand, CBD is a compound found in both hemp and cannabis in varying amounts. Any CBD product made with less than 0.03 THC is federally legal.
Contrasting CBD vs. THC
So we've mentioned both CBD and THC as substances derived from cannabis plants. Since they both come from the same plants, they should function similarly right? In that case, wouldn't CBD get you high?
Well, yes and no.
CBD and THC both interact with your body's endocannabinoid system (ECS) but in different ways. THC binds to the receptors in your ECS like a lock inside of a key. Once that happens, it produces a high that can be felt all throughout your mind and body.
CBD, however, does not 'bind' to your ECS receptors. Rather it hangs onto other parts of the receptors, which in the end still causes effects. Most of the side effects work alongside the functions of your ECS.
The ECS is responsible for maintaining homeostasis. It regulates hunger, mood, sex, sleep, and much more. With that said, CBD helps promote regulation.
So does CBD get you high? Nope! CBD does not get you high the way THC does.
Okay, So What Is CBD Distillate?
To put things in the simplest way possible, CBD distillate is the purest form of CBD that you can get your hands on. It's known as the purest form of CBD because of how highly refined it is.
As mentioned earlier, CBD is a cousin compound to THC, the substance in weed that gets people high. There is one contingency with extracting CBD from hemp and cannabis though.
When CBD is extracted from hemp plants, it runs the risk of having small traces of THC in it. While the effects of this very minuscule amount of THC are negligible, some people might choose to stay away from it completely.
CBD distillate works to eliminate that worry. It's a heavily concentrated and filtered form of CBD that has close to 0% THC in it. The total CBD concentrate in it varies but is usually around 90%.
The remainder of the percentage is composed of other natural compounds found in hemp that don't produce psychoactive effects. Depending on how CBD distillate was extracted, there is still a chance of having a small amount of THC in it. However, it's usually less than .02%.
CBD distillate can also be bought in full-spectrum CBD distillate. Full-spectrum has an extra boost of THC in there to help enhance the effects felt from CBD oil itself.
Compared to regular CBD or even THC, CBD distillate is very thick. In a way, it's almost like syrup or honey.
Unfortunately, it's not sweet either. Actually, it has no taste or smell.
How CBD Distillate Is Made
Most CBD distillate is extracted from hemp since hemp already has a naturally lower amount of THC than cannabis does. Thus, hemp is the more popular plant that producers use to make CBD distillate.
One thing we haven't mentioned yet that's important to the CBD distillate process is CBD crude oil. CBD crude oil is the original form of CBD that's taken from hemp plants. It's also produced and sold the same way CBD distillate is.
CBD crude oil has more compounds in it, though. These include terpenes, flavonoids, and traces of THC. Occasionally you'll also find specific types of plant lipids in extracted CBD.
Terpenes are what give plants smells. Ever wondered what's responsible for certain flowers their unique smells? The answer is terpenes!
Flavonoids are a diverse group of phytonutrients found in almost all fruits and vegetables.
During the CBD distillate process, all of these are removed from the compound after a distillation process. This distillation process involves liquid solvents such as carbon dioxide (CO2). Some manufacturers may opt to not use solvents though, and instead, use pressure techniques to forcibly remove the unwanted chemicals in CBD distillate.
Other types of distillation methods include wiped film, thin film, falling film, and short path distillations.
Benefits of Using CBD Distillate
People who use CBD distillate will most likely experience the same effects of using CBD crude oil. These effects will probably be amplified even more though since this form of CBD concentrate packs a bigger punch than its traditional CBD crude counterpart.
But don't worry! CBD Distillate still won't get you high. Rather, there are other side effects that you'll likely feel after taking CBD distillate.
The thing to keep in mind here is that these are all tentative benefits of CBD. There aren't any FDA-approved CBD products in the U.S. as of yet- but the compound is showing great promise as a way to treat stress and pain!
Where to Get High-Quality CBD
Interested in trying out CBD or CBD distillate for yourself? Good news! We here at Sauce Warehouse have a wide variety for you to try out.
Our products come in varying degrees. You can try out some of our dab waxes, pre-rolls, or even order the CBD flower itself.
Got any additional questions for use? We invite you to visit our contact page, we'd be more than happy to help you.
