Most Effective CBD Extraction Methods
Cannabis is an excellent plant with hundreds of cannabinoids that uplift the body in many ways. Research shows that CBD is the leading cannabinoid when it comes to health benefits. Some people do not want to use THC, another cannabinoid in the hemp plant that has psychoactive effects. There are numerous extraction methods that manufacturers and CBD enthusiasts have developed that help uses CBD in various products.
The famous CBD extraction methods
As we understood the benefits of CBD, it became crucial to use this cannabinoid in various ways. Still, the first step to this was extraction so that pure, organic, and stimulating CBD could become available to all those seeking health benefits!
Over time, manufacturers used numerous extraction methods to ensure quality, pure and efficient cannabidiol. The key was to extract CBD from the hemp plant while restoring its quality to ensure premium production of items that give users full benefits. These extraction methods are as follows:
1. Extraction by solvent
This method involves the use of a solvent, primarily food-grade ethanol or a hydrocarbon like propane. This method begins with soaking cannabis or hemp leaves and plant trimmings in the solvent to extract nutrients such as CBD, along with terpenes and other minor cannabinoids.
The resulting mixture has leaf and plant solids along with liberated cannabinoids and nutrients. Further refining processes then help remove the solids and the final purging of the solvent results in concentrated CBD oil. The last step is to remove the solvent from the concentrate and obtain pure, organic, and stimulating CBD.
The advantages of this process are that it is inexpensive, simple, and does not require heavy machinery and costly equipment. Moreover, hydrocarbon solvents preserve the aroma and flavor of herbs, and the resulting CBD oil is also closest to nature.
Manufacturers have to be careful with this process as ethanol is highly flammable, and any accident can result in damages. Another factor to consider is that if the separation the process is not meticulously followed l, some solvent will remain in the final product. Ethanol can also extract unnecessary substances like chlorophyll, and CBD oil might have an unpleasant taste.
2. Olive oil extraction
Olive oil or other edible natural oils can work as solvents, and on a small scale, this method can yield good results. The raw hemp plant is put in olive oil and allowed to simmer at a high temperature to heat the contents but not burn them. However, the final product will not be CBD oil only as olive oil cannot be removed like ethanol with distillation. The end product is more like a CBD-infused oil rather than pure CBD oil.
The advantages of this method are that you can conduct this at home even! The reluctance towards ethanol and other hydrocarbon solvents is also removed as olive oil has numerous benefits to offer. This extraction method is safe and inexpensive too.
A few disadvantages of this method include the short life of the final product. Since there is no preservation of the final product, it may get stale in a short time. Moreover, the oil is not very concentrated, and the effects of consuming this will be mild compared to commercially derived CBD oil. You will need to consume more of this oil to get the correct dose of CBD. Since many other hemp nutrients are present in the oil, the effect of this product will not be as refreshing as other CBD oils, and the taste will be bitter too!
3. Steam distillation
This process is most commonly used for making essential oils and can be a good choice for CBD extraction. Steam is used to free the cannabinoids from the hemp plant. The vapor is rich in nutrients and can be condensed to collect CBD and other beneficial nutrients from the hemp plant. The vapor condensation gives water and oil mixture that is further separated to get oil full of hemp goodness.
This method may be beneficial if the manufacturer does not have machinery or required equipment. The end product is 100% pure as there is no use of any oil or solvent.
However, steam distillation is not very accurate and may cause a significant loss of precious nutrients and CBD. Another disadvantage is that the yield is low, and you will need a lot of plants to extract a small amount of CBD oil. Steam distillation can damage some cannabinoids that are heat sensitive and cannot withstand temperatures higher than 60 or 65 degrees.
4. The CO2 extraction method
In this method, carbon dioxide is used to pull out desirable components of the hemp plants. This process is most advanced as it uses three chambers to collect CBD and other essential elements. In the first chamber, CO2 gas is compressed at low temperatures as it becomes liquid. The increased pressure in this chamber makes the gaseous state disintegrate into liquid form. Now, the temperature is slowly increased till CO2 reaches the supercritical point at which it possesses the properties of being liquid and gas simultaneously. The CO2 enters the second chamber at this pressure and temperature, where the hemp plant material is present. As carbon dioxide passes the hemp plant, the oil in the plant separates from the solids and water content.
As the carbon dioxide and cannabinoids enter the third chamber, the CO2 evaporates, leaving a rich CBD oil residue.
This method is most widely used and has shown the best results. Manufacturers that use this extraction method boast about it as it denotes the quality and freshness of the CBD products they make. Moreover, this process does not consume time, like olive oil extraction may take days to complete. The CO2 extraction method is popular because of the results and the precision of extracting more CBD than other components that are not needed, such as chlorophyll.
Which extraction method is the best?
Out of the four methods explained, CO2 extraction works best due to numerous reasons. Firstly, this process is fast and does not require a lot of human supervision. If you apply steam distillation or solvent extraction methods, you will need to supervise the process as it may cause undesirable accidents such as fire. Similarly, stirring the hemp plants in olive oil extraction will ensure that the cannabinoids and essential nutrients are pulled out correctly. This stirring will require constant human attention, whereas manufacturers can complete the CO2 extraction method by simply starting the equipment and receiving the final product at the end!
Another advantage of the CO2 method is that it is fast and safe. The equipment requirement is limited and inexpensive. If a manufacturer installs the equipment once, there is no added cost, and the process can be conducted daily.
All CBD enthusiasts can prefer selecting the extraction method, but one thing is for sure that an extraction method that is inexpensive, efficient, and quick must be the best among all!
The CO2 extraction method has many benefits and is suitable for industrial uses where CBD oil is needed in bulk. The mass production of CBD goods is efficiently and cost-effectively executed by using the CO2 method.
The top CBD brands use this extraction method to make potent and innovative products. This selection also testifies that the carbon dioxide method tops all other forms for maximum yield and time efficiency.
Conclusion
For centuries the use of cannabis has helped individuals, but it is notorious for a few side effects that are undesirable in our daily routines. Different extraction methods can drive essential components from cannabis and hemp plants. These methods include steam distillation, olive oil extraction, solvent extraction, and CO2 process. The CO2 method is the best for numerous reasons, including time, efficiency, and cost.