Mother Nature’s finest hemp and cannabis: it’s what makes CBD products so enjoyable, in our opinion. But how exactly is it made? What’s the process of cannabidiol (CBD) extraction, anyway?
Whether you’re a long-time user of CBD or this is your first foray into cannabis and hemp, understanding the basics behind CBD extraction can potentially make or break your CBD experience. Choosing an all-natural, organic, and lab-verified CBD product ensures you’re selecting from brands committed to being transparent with customers and upholding the highest quality in their products.
PhytosanaCBD here: if you’re wondering how CBD is made — including the CBD extraction process — this article was made for you.
Come along for the ride. In this article, we’ll discuss the following CBD extraction-related topics:
- A few of the most common ways of extracting cannabidiol (CBD)
- What’s needed before CBD extraction begins
- What happens before CBD extraction occurs
- Common methods for extracting CBD
- What to expect after completing CBD extraction
- How we create our products at PhytosanaCBD
5 of the most common CBD extraction methods
| 1. Cold ethanol extraction 2. Supercritical CO₂ extraction 3. Oil extraction 4. Steam distillation 5. Dry ice distillation |
Technical terms related to CBD extraction (what’s needed)
So, how exactly is CBD extracted? CBD extraction occurs through a process called decarboxylation.
Decarboxylation refers to the process of heating hemp or cannabis to release the cannabinoids from within the plant. Like other common compounds — like essential oils, seed oils, and cannabis oils — chemical processes may include the potential to unlock the full potential of hemp and hemp-based products.
To create hemp products like CBD oil, tinctures, topicals, chewable tablets, and gummies, you’ll want to have a tried-and-true extraction process in place.
With that being said, the same extraction process used for essential oils and other seed-based oils is also needed to create psychoactive cannabis extract. As part of being an informed consumer, we always recommend paying attention to which types of hemp compounds exist inside your CBD product to ensure a fresh and quality product.
Let’s take a look at what happens to CBD before CBD extraction takes place.
What happens before CBD extraction occurs
Before CBD is extracted, a hemp plant must first be grown. Hemp plants are made of hemp biomass and hemp flowers.
Once a hemp plant has matured, the plant can be picked, trimmed, dried, and finely grounded. Depending on the extraction method, the CBD plant-preparation process might differ.
In our opinion, part of what differentiates a quality grower is whether the grower uses 100% hemp-derived CBD, that is, CBD that’s undergone lab tests, quality assurance tests, and certificates of analysis before being sold. A company that uses hemp-sourcing protocols also often uses quality measures to ensure a quality product.
Also, you can ask the company how they extract their CBD, which is the topic of the next section of this article.
CBD extraction methods explained: Common ways to extract CBD
So, now that we have a better understanding of CBD extraction in technical terms, what are some of the best ways to extract CBD? Several effective CBD methods exist, such as:
- Olive oil extraction
- Steam distillation
- Hydrocarbon extraction
With that being said, these processes don’t always guarantee a high-quality product. As such, we recommend the following two CBD extraction methods:
- Ethanol extraction
- Supercritical CO₂ extraction
Both methods are safe and are often found in the food industry, as well in the cannabis industry. We’ll focus on these two methods in the remainder of this article.
Ethanol extraction
Super cold ethanol extraction: it sounds like a mouthful, but what exactly does this multi-syllabic extraction process mean? While “ethanol extraction” may sound like a marketing slogan for a savvy new energy drink, it’s anything but.
In fact, ethanol is used in a variety of food-grade products, including nutritional extracts, alcoholic beverages, and cream-based foods. Ethanol also happens to be a natural solvent and an important ingredient in the CBD extraction process.
What’s more, ethanol extraction can be used as part of the process to create delicious-tasting oil for those who appreciate oil-based CBD products.
CBD products that involve ethanol extraction undergo the following four steps:
- Ethanol soaking: the plant material is first submerged in an ethanol solution. If choosing to submerge a hemp plant, being safe — by wearing protective gear and following safety protocols — may offer the potential to create a higher quality product.
- The filtration process: After the plant is soaked, solid plant material must be removed and filtered from the mix.
- Cold, cold, and more cold: The ethanol is then chilled to about -40° Fahrenheit to ensure that key compounds are extracted from the hemp extract. The purpose of chilling is to include the highest quality hemp extract from the hemp plant. Without extraction, the hemp product may be less pure and potent.
- Ethanol evaporation: As CBD oil is extracted, in the final phases of CBD preparation, nearly all of the ethanol is removed, and quality CBD extract is left in its place.
Also, creating CBD products via ethanol extraction carries the potential for offering a more pure CBD product. For example, chlorophyll — the compound that gives cannabis its green color — is also removed through both the ethanol and supercritical CO₂ extraction process.
Removing chlorophyll may also contribute to the taste of CBD products.
Taste, among other reasons, is another reason we prefer ethanol-extracted CBD. Other reasons that many people prefer ethanol-extracted CBD include the fact that ethanol extraction potentially can be environmentally friendly, help retain cannabinoids, and ensure a more consistent, quality product.
Ethanol extraction is among some of the most common extraction methods used in extracting CBD. While we’re on the topic, let’s take a look at another common extraction method, supercritical CO₂ extraction.
Supercritical CO₂ extraction method
Supercritical CO₂ extraction: this method has been around for decades and is used to extract CBD from the cannabis plant. This process uses carbon dioxide to extract compounds from the cannabis sativa plant at very specific temperatures and pressures.
With supercritical CO₂ extraction, CO₂ is heated above 87° Fahrenheit and pressurized above 1,071 psi to extract cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis plants.
Many growers have reported the following potential benefits from supercritical CO2 extraction:
- CO2 extraction may offer safety for CBD growers: Given that carbon dioxide is a nonflammable gas, CO₂ extraction may be a safer way to cultivate hemp products.
- High concentration: Supercritical CO₂ extraction has the potential to offer stronger and more potent CBD, and it may be ideal for people looking for a full-spectrum CBD product.
Supercritical CO₂ extraction works by placing CBD in pressurized chambers while CO2 is pumped into the extraction chamber. The process that involves pressurized carbon dioxide helps growers extract chemicals from the plants.
The term “supercritical” comes from the idea that when solvents are exposed to high temperatures and pressure levels, the solvent moves between intermediate states of solid, liquid, and gas. What’s more, the extraction process helps separate compounds from the cannabis plant that would otherwise — with other cultivation methods — need to undergo extra testing for purification purposes later in the cultivation process.
Once the CO₂ is condensed into a liquid form, the liquid can be reused again for future processing. Hence, supercritical CO₂ extraction may be a potentially expeditious option for developing products further in the future.
The best part about both ethanol and supercritical CO₂ extraction is that the extraction process allows cultivators to separate cannabis components while keeping the remaining mixture intact for future product development.
In other words, both extraction methods leave the potential for cannabinoids, terpenes, and other CBD-based compounds to stay intact after the extraction process.
After CBD extraction occurs: what to expect
While the process of extraction can sound somewhat involved, after extraction occurs, you’ll be left with all the good stuff.
Once the extraction is over, you’ll be able to move to the next step of the growing process in preparation for enjoying your new batch of high-quality pure CBD extract.
But what will CBD extract look like? CBD extract often comes in three different forms.
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Broad-spectrum CBD
- CBD isolate
Full-spectrum CBD often refers to everything and the kitchen sink: THC, CBD, terpenes, and other natural compounds found in the cannabis plant. Broad-spectrum CBD contains more CBD than less, no THC, and a limited amount of other cannabinoids.
Finally, CBD isolate is just the way it sounds: isolated CBD. No THC, just pure 100% CBD can be found in CBD isolate.
You’ll often find CBD extract in formats, including concentrated oils, gummies, chewable tablets, and topical creams. The choice is up to you.
With that being said, we recommend doing your research and always reaching out to a healthcare professional before choosing a specific CBD product for your needs.
But, if you still have questions, you’re always welcome to head on over to our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page. It’s packed with helpful information about CBD for your needs, such as active ingredients, CBD oils for different users, and more.
Psst… here’s a little info about our CBD isolate
We understand that ingesting pure CBD isolate can be a tough pill to swallow, metaphorically speaking. And, with the staggering increase in CBD sales over the last decade (Statista.com, 2022), knowing which products to buy in wholesale or individual sizes can be a challenge.
Fortunately, with our Strawberry CBD Gummies, you can enjoy a flavor-packed CBD experience with the knowledge that you’re buying top-quality CBD. Our CBD Isolate Infused Gummy Squares come packed with chill vibes in every bite. Our strawberry CBD gummies deliver 25 milligrams of chill in every tasty bite.
They’re 100% organic, harvested in soil free of heavy metals and harmful pesticides, and best of all, they’re all-natural, non-GMO. That’s right: no artificial flavoring or binders.
Curious to see what they look like? Check them out on our Instagram page here.
PhytosanaCBD: CBD extraction — the all-natural way
When processing CBD, you’ll have plenty of options. Whether extracting CBD through steam, oil, carbon dioxide, ethanol, or dry ice processes, we believe that the best CBD extraction method is the one that is all-natural and ensures a top-quality final product.
As barrel racers, dog lovers, and regular ol’ human beings, we’re all about delivering you a CBD product extracted straight from its source.
With that being said, all of our products are:
- 100% organic: Our products are harvested in soil that’s free of heavy metals and harmful pesticides
- 3rd-party, lab-verified: compliance-tested for quality assurance purposes
- All-natural and non-GMO: no artificial flavoring or binders, just transparency and natural ingredients in all of our products.
If you’re curious about what we do on our part to pave the way for a better quality, all-natural CBD solution, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to chat!
Contact at (951) 395-5659 or at [email protected]. We look forward to speaking with you soon!
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