What Is Hemp CBD & How Is it Extracted?

CBD oil is a product you might assume is naturally occurring and just bottled and sold. In reality, the process to get CBD oil is more complex. Get to know three of the ways CBD products are created, and learn about the difference between a hemp-based product and cannabis products.

What Is Hemp CBD?

It’s a common misconception that CBD can get you high because it comes from the cannabis plant. But this is just a myth. A hemp plant, unlike its marijuana counterpart, contains much smaller traces of THC and much higher traces of CBD, leading to the ability to create hemp CBD that produces no psychoactive effects.

At Frontier Jackson, we sell only hemp CBD products, which typically contain less than 0.3% THC and come specifically from hemp plants. This is different than cannabis oil, which is derived from marijuana plants and contains higher amounts of THC and small amounts of CBD. Oils extracted from marijuana plants, while still a cannabis product, are illegal in most states.

How Is CBD Extracted from Hemp Plants?

Creating hemp CBD doesn’t happen by chance. It takes some doing. There are three methods used to create both full spectrum CBD products, as well as high concentration CBD products known as isolates. Here’s how it works…

Ethanol Extraction

The most common process for extracting CBD from hemp is through ethanol extraction, which has been deemed “generally regarded as safe” (or GRAS) by the FDA.

The way to get CBD from the hemp plants using this method is by having an ethanol solvent passed over ground up plant material. This pulls the CBD—as well as most other beneficial materials like terpenes and flavonoids—from the plant, leaving behind a more rounded CBD oil that includes more of the beneficial properties of the plant. This method is used extensively when developing full spectrum CBD products.

CO2 Extraction

CO2, or carbon dioxide, extraction is a popular method for extracting CBD from hemp due to the minimal risk of bringing contaminants into the finished product, such as toxic solvents. And like ethanol extraction, it has been deemed GRAS by the FDA.

The way that CBD is extracted from the plant is by using a supercritical CO2 process that forces a solvent through ground up plant material. As the CO2 solvent moves through the hemp plant, it brings with it CBD, essential oils, and other beneficial compounds like terpenes. Finally, the solvent is removed and what’s left is an oil that’s high in CBD, as well as other beneficial nutrients that make up a full spectrum CBD.

At Frontier Jackson, we only sell hemp CBD products that have been produced using CO2 extraction methods because it’s one of the safest, cleanest extraction methods available. CO2 is a naturally-occurring compound that helps to extract cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other beneficial properties of hemp without ever being heated above 90 degrees. This helps to make sure the components of hemp aren’t compromised during the extraction process, creating the highest quality hemp CBD products.

Isolate Extraction

For some companies, there’s one additional extraction process typically used that’s known as isolate extraction. This process accompanies CO2 extractions but is completed after the initial process, where you have oil that is rich in both CBD and other plant materials. To get the CBD isolate, labs will use a technique called centrifugal partition chromatography (or CPC). In the simplest terms, labs dissolve the additional material from the CBD oil using centrifugal force, leaving behind only CBD rich oil once the process is complete.

How to Know You’re Getting the Right Product

When searching for products, labels may not always say “Hemp CBD Oil,” instead you may find “hemp extract.” The term “hemp extract” lets you know that what you’re getting is made 100% from hemp plants.

Knowing this is important because, under the 2018 Farm Bill, the production, cultivation, and sale of hemp products—in our case, hemp CBD—is protected by federal law. Even though some states have not clarified their own laws to ensure that hemp CBD that contains less than 0.3% THC is legal to sell and possess, ensuring you’ve purchased a product that is made from hemp extract will give you peace of mind.

Looking for high-quality hemp CBD products? Frontier Jackson is here for you. Try one of our CBD oils, gummies, or topical ointments today to start on a path toward a more balanced, healthier lifestyle.