by Angie Pohlman, Wellness Category Manager
I’m sure most of you have heard of CBD—the now famous cannabinoid has been stealing the spotlight from its sister, psychoactive THC. You can find CBD everywhere—from your local grocery store to gas stations. How do you choose from the sea of brands, each one claiming to be the best, most pure, most potent, safest. How do you know? How can you be sure you are getting the right product for you?
I encourage you to do your own research and talk to your doctor before considering CBD.
Certificate of Analysis
The number one thing you can look for in a CBD company to find out if they are selling you what they are advertising is a Certificate of Analysis (CoA).
This is the best way to know what is in the bottle. A CoA is a laboratory-produced report that lists components and potency of some key cannabinoids and/or terpenes. If they are claiming to be full spectrum, the CoA will have a ton of lines listing many components. If it’s an isolate, it may only have CBD listed. Not all tests look for the same things, but nearly all CoAs will give you the CBD and THC content—which may be all you are looking for. Ideally, this test is done by a third party.
Most companies that offer a CoA will say so on their packaging or website, but sometimes you will need to contact them to get that info. Some companies, like Functional Remedies, allow you to search their website using their lot number to get that particular CoA; most others offer them by request.
Other things to consider when you are looking at CBD
Delivery: Do you want to use it topically or internally? Do you want to take a softgel or would you prefer an oil? Would you take a yummy gummy or chocolate or would you rather make a smoothie? The options are endless.
Attributes: Think about what is important to you for things you consume. Do you prefer organic? Do you want it to be alcohol-free? From hemp grown domestically? Full spectrum (contains many/most of the components of the plant) or an isolate (an isolate would primarily have CBD, may use alcohol or some other form of extraction)? Would you prefer THC-free? Most of this should be explained on the bottle or their website, but you may have to dig.
Potency: Oftentimes, CBD supplements will have the total amount of CBD listed on the front of the bottle. If you’ve ever picked up a bottle that says 250 mg CBD or 1,000 mg CBD, that is referring to the total CBD content of the container. Turn the bottle around and look at the supplement facts; often that area will give you the amount of CBD per dose. For most folks, starting with a low dose (1mg) is a good place to start.
Hopefully this is helpful, and a good place to start!