How To Read & Understand CBD Labels

The  2018 Farm Bill, made CBD derived from industrial hemp legal on the federal level. Since then CBD has skyrocketed in popularity and can be found in nearly every retail location in the United States of America. More and more people everyday are turning to CBD for daily relief from numerous symptoms from anxiety to insomnia. There is simply no denying that CBD has a place in the veteran community. With the demand of CBD products extremely high, there are more, and more options entering the marketplace daily. Unfortunately, not all CBD is created equal and quality varies greatly. In this article we will walk you through step by step, on how to read CBD labels and important attributes to look for when purchasing CBD online.

What Is CBD?  

CBD, also known as cannabidiol is one of over 100 different cannabinoids that can be found in the cannabis plant family. CBD is very different than THC, even though they are both part of the cannabis plant family. CBD derived from hemp has little to no THC, meaning that it will not get users a high, intoxicated experience. Instead users can experience the medicinal benefits associated with CBD, without any unwanted psychoactive effects.

How does our body process CBD?

This is a relatively dense subject, but in a nutshell every mammal naturally has an endocannabinoids system which is made to process cannabinoids through CB1 and CB2 receptors spread throughout the body. These receptors work with your endocannabinoid system and are able to absorb the CBD and bring the body back to homeostasis.

How To Read CBD Labels & How To Know What To Look For

CBD product labels can be a little overwhelming at first, with all of the different terminology and different strengths and sizes. Unfortunately, the CBD labeling process is not universal, and verbiage can differ greatly. You also have to be wary when shopping the CBD marketplace because these products are relatively unregulated at this time, so pick your source wisely!

Is It Really CBD?

Any CBD product you are looking for should have CBD or cannabidiol mentioned somewhere in the nutrition or supplement facts panel. Also it is important to note that at this time CBD cannot be sold on Amazon, 99% of these products are simply hempseed or hemp oil. Hemp oil IS NOT CBD and has little to no medicinal value compared with CBD derived from hemp. Unfortunately, there are sellers in the marketplace that use marketing terms such as “full spectrum” or “anti-anxiety” to give buyers the impression that these are CBD products, but unfortunately, almost all of them are not.

Once you determine that the product actually contains CBD, it is important to look for the origin of the hemp used in extraction. Hemp grown in the USA almost always is higher quality than hemp sourced from China or Germany, where cultivation and extraction standards are lower and the ground is oftentimes contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals. These type of harmful substances do not belong anywhere near your body.

Batch Numbers & Traceability

Traceability is very important in the CBD space. You always want to make sure the brand you choose has full traceability from seed to sale to ensure you know exactly what batch of raw oil is used in the finished product you plant to consume. You want to make sure the containers, label or box that your product came in has a batch number (not UPC scan code). This batch number should also have an expiration date within 24 months, if your expiration date is longer than 24 months we would recommend double checking your source, as CBD becomes less effective after that time. This batch number should have a number that can also be found on third party laboratory results that are publicly posted on the brands website. Third party laboratory results are important to ensure you are receiving products that are both safe and effective.

Ingredients & Transparency

 The CBD products you plan on using should also have an ingredient panel that is easy to read and follow. You want to make sure you know exactly what you are putting into your body. You should also make sure you know what type of CBD you are putting in your body, whether it be isolate, broad spectrum or full spectrum. To learn more about the different types of CBD we highly recommend reading an article about the different types of CBD.

 One company that takes pride in transparency and safe products is GoGreen Hemp. GoGreen Hemp is one of the oldest and most trusted sources for clean and effective CBD products. All of their products are third party laboratory tested and only use organically grown hemp.

We hope this article has been beneficial in your search for the right CBD product the first time around!