What Full Spectrum CBD Oil Means and Why It's Important

There are hundreds of different CBD oils on the market, with each brand offering its own carefully curated CBD formula. There are options to suit pretty much every taste and lifestyle, from flavored CBD oils to extra strength unflavored oils and pre-filled oil droppers.

When choosing between CBD oils, most people tend to focus on the available flavor profiles and the oil’s strength. Much less attention is paid to the type of CBD contained within the CBD hemp oil tincture.

However, the various types of CBD oil can affect both their effects and the user experience that they provide. Taking a little time to understand the options available can make a big difference when choosing the right CBD oil for you.

Where Does CBD Oil Come From?

CBD is derived from hemp plants and is just one of the hundreds of cannabinoids found within the plant. Manufacturers extract CBD from hemp and use it to create a variety of products, including CBD oils.

Every manufacturer has its method for sourcing, harvesting, and extracting CBD. Certain areas of the world are known for cultivating potent and high-quality hemp plants; they have become growing hot spots for many CBD brands.

There are many different hemp plant strains, and each one has a unique blend and ratio of cannabinoids. For this reason, the best CBD oils are made using single-source hemp. This means that all CBD has been derived from hemp plants grown at the same location and from the same strain.

What all hemp plant strains have in common is that they contain a mixture of cannabinoids and terpenes. Extracting these compounds from hemp plants is the first step in manufacturing CBD oils and other CBD products.

How the cannabinoids and other phytocompounds are removed and filtered from the plant determines the type of CBD found in the final product. One of the most common formulations found in CBD oils is full-spectrum.  

What Does Full-Spectrum CBD Mean?

Full-spectrum CBD is the term used to describe CBD oils containing hemp extract that has undergone minimal filtration. This method results in a final product containing all the terpenes and cannabinoids found within the source hemp plant, including CBD.

Full-spectrum CBD oils tend to have a much stronger flavor profile and aroma than other CBD oils as they retain all of the naturally occurring terpenes from the plant. Many brands use hemp terpenes to flavor their products, meaning that article flavorings are not needed.

Other Types of CBD

Two other types of CBD can be found in CBD products; broad-spectrum CBD and isolate CBD. These formulations can result in a slightly different CBD experience.

CBD isolates are considered the opposite of full-spectrum CBD. All cannabinoids, terpenes, and plant compounds, apart from CBD, are removed from the hemp extract during manufacturing. Intense filtration methods are used to achieve such results.

Broad-spectrum is an excellent middle ground between the other two types of CBD. Some but not all compounds are removed in this instance. Manufacturers select the cannabinoids and terpenes that work best alongside CBD and allow these to be retained in the final product. However, one cannabinoid, in particular THC, is removed.

What Are the Benefits of Full-Spectrum CBD?

There is no real, precise answer as to which type of CBD is better. Some people prefer CBD isolate, as they know exactly what they are getting in a tincture. CBD isolate is also considered to be more suitable for mixing with terpene blends to make customized oils.

Full-spectrum, however, is many people’s first pick when it comes to CBD oils. One of the principal reasons for this is that full-spectrum oils contain a variety of cannabinoids that are believed to be able to work together within the body triggering the entourage effect.

That’s why some people find that full-spectrum CBD oils produce slightly more noticeable effects. Full-spectrum formulations also retain hemp’s natural chemistry. For this reason, many people prefer full-spectrum oils as a general health supplement.