Cannabidiol or CBD is a compound occurring in cannabis plants.
What is CBD extraction?
To get high-quality CBD oil, it is necessary to take proper care during the method of extraction. Using the wrong extraction method can make the well-grown plants with high CBD percentages yield the worst oil quality. The technique can affect the purity and potency of CBD oil.
Choosing the best method of extraction
When you need to know the best extraction method, you are far from getting a simple answer to your question. There are several different methods available for the extraction of oil from CBD plants.
With the advent of new techniques being developed, several factors can come into play when deciding the best extraction method. Check the Element Earth CBD Shop collections to discover products that have been made using the safest extraction methods.
Reasons to extract CBD
One of the reasons you need to consider the extraction of the oil from the plant is to prepare a product concentration that is fit for human consumption. Chewing the raw form of cannabis is highly unpleasant, and to activate the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, heat application is essential.
The dried form of cannabis can cause decarboxylation partially, and smoke through inhalation can help.
Organic extraction
The process begins with locating a good and reliable plant source from which it requires extraction. More and more companies are focusing on organically-grown hemp. Be sure to choose a company that adheres to genuine sources during the extraction of CBD oils.
Using solvents
The process of using solvent extraction requires the use of butane, propane, alcohol, or isopropyl to extract CBD.
It is one of the cheapest methods of extraction that is quick and fast. However, it is filled with risks as the liquids are highly flammable. In this method, the plant waxes containing a few nutrients become dissolved. With this method’s help, you can extract cannabinoids and chlorophyll, which can make the products taste bitter.
The liquid solvent process begins with plant trimmings and flowers placed in a container. After that, the solvent becomes soaked and stripped of cannabinoids. Finally, the evaporation process makes the oil form of cannabinoids ready.
Apart from being a process filled with risks, the residual solvent becomes toxic if not entirely removed during the step of evaporation. Research reveals that traces of petroleum and Naptha hydrocarbons form residues in the CBD products extracted with the solvent methods.
Advantages and disadvantages of the solvent method
Here are the pros and cons of the solvent method to know.
- Usually, the solvent extraction method enhances CBD oil yield compared with the rest of the extraction methods.
- The procedure is cost-effective as it does not require more complex machinery than the other forms of extraction.
- As CBD oil’s yield is high in this case, it is one of the best methods of producing cannabidiol concentrates on being made into CBD isolate.
Cons
- The high inflammability of the solvents makes this process dangerous.
- Depending on the solvent used and its concentration, the cannabinoids may become damaged, which may lower the final product’s efficacy.
- The trace amount of solvents and chlorophyll present in the extract can reduce the CBD oil’s purity during the process.
Hydrocarbon extraction
- One of the most standard methods of extracting CBD is using hydrocarbon, which involves volatile solvents, such as butane or propane, to obtain CBD. After the extraction, the residual solvent removal takes place with the application heat.
One of the concerns involving the extraction procedure is the solvents’ volatility, so it is a less popular method of extracting CBD oil.
- CO2 extraction method: With the fast-rising popularity of CBD brands, CO2 extraction is one of the most convenient and advanced ways of concluding the procedure. On the other hand, it is costly and complicated among the rest of the extraction methods. However, the success of the process removes chlorophyll and makes the extract safe for consumption.
The fact that the process is not cost-effective makes it a significant investment for the CBD companies. However, high-end companies are eager to use this extraction method to bring a potent and high-quality product for the consumers.
The process does not remove the other practical contents when compared with the other methods. Finally, the extract you get does not have any contaminants.
In the CO2 supercritical extraction method, the level to which CO2 is heated reveals a high concentration of CBD, although the risk to the extracted cannabinoids is more. On the other hand, in the subcritical method, the level to which CO2 is heated reduces CBD yield with a lower risk of damage to the cannabinoids.
Finally, in the mid-critical process, the level to which CO2 is heated reduces the result further and drastically reduces the extract’s purity.
Pros
- With the CO2 extraction method, you can get a pure concentration of CBD.
- The extraction process is safe as CO2 does not contain toxic properties.
- It is a proven and effective method of extracting CBD oils.
Cons
- To get CBD oil using the CO2 extraction method, you need complex and intricate equipment.
- The process reduces the yield of CBD when compared to the other forms of extraction.
Steam Distillation method
In the steam distillation method, steam extracts CBD oil from the hemp plant, which remains in a glass flask containing an inlet and outlet. Usually, the channel connects with another glass container below the plant flasks, including water that needs to boil, and the outlet connects to the condenser tube. Here is what you need to know about the steam distillation method.
- When the water becomes heated, the steam travels upwards into the plant flask for segregating the oil vapors containing CBD.
- The vapors become captivated in a tube, which further condenses into water and oil.
- The oil and water mixture undergoes distillation for the extraction of CBD oil.
The steam distillation method of extraction is a proven technique for the extraction of CBD, but it is not as popular as CO2 extraction due to its ineffectiveness. Steam distillation usually requires large quantities of hemp plants and is far more challenging to extract. You can read the label carefully while ordering hemp extract tincture or your requirements.
CBD extraction with olive oil
The process of extracting CBD oil using olive oil is one of the popular methods as it can be accomplished at the commercial level but at a small scale. However, people may also try to follow the extraction method at home, although it may require a lot of expertise. In this process, it is essential to activate the chemical compounds in the hemp flowers through heating, also known as decarboxylation.
After completing the process, it is necessary to add olive oil to the mixture and heated up to a specific temperature for about two hours, which leads to the extraction of CBD oil. The solvent needs to stay cool and dark after extraction as olive oil containing CBD extracts can perish faster. Using
Pros
- The extraction of CBD using olive oil is safe.
- The process can be performed at home with a good level of expertise.
- The method of extraction is complicated and simple.
- The process is less expensive.
Cons
- The extraction method can be used on a large scale and is elaborate.
- The CBD oil extracted through this method is not pure or can be used for several purposes.
- The storage measures need to be very effective to prevent the destruction of CBD extract.
Extracted CBD oil
After the extraction of CBD oil from the help flowers, further procedures turn into CBD isolate. For becoming an isolate, it is essential to remove the impurities, such as D-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. However, the CBD extract can stay in the same condition as a broad-spectrum extract. Whether it remains as an isolate or a full-spectrum isolate, the following are its uses.
- You can mix the oil with juice, syrup, and other agents to create gummies.
- The oil can also combine with several ingredients for making edibles, such as chocolates, cookies, or cakes.
- The oil can blend with flavoring agents and glycerin to form vaping liquids.
- It can also be turned into creams, topical solutions, and skin salves.
When selecting hemp extract tincture or other CBD products, you need to check on the company’s extraction method as it indicates the value and quality of the products. Often, companies use third-party laboratories to test the concentration of CBD in the products. Be sure to check the products at https://elementearthcbd.com/ before purchasing the products.