Legalization has paved the way for entrepreneurs to start CBD companies and online CBD stores, but with all this choice, you want to ensure you’re buying high quality CBD oil.

It’s fantastic that we have all this choice when it comes to buying CBD products. However, the one downside to this choice is that not all products are created equally. Some CBD products are much better quality than others, which means you’ll have to do a little research before you can be confident that you’re using a quality CBD oil.

Below, we’ll review some of the important indicators of high quality CBD oil, so you know what to look for before you buy it.

The Importance of Full Spectrum CBD Oil

Full spectrum CBD oil is made using the whole cannabis plant. This is important because the plant contains a variety of therapeutic compounds, including cannabinoids (CBD and THC), flavonoids and terpenes. 

Full spectrum CBD oil contains all of these therapeutic compounds, including small amounts of THC. You won’t get ‘high’, because the THC levels are low. However, the THC will enhance the overall effects of the CBD oil.

The therapeutic effects of a well-formulated CBD oil are more powerful when CBD is combined with the cannabis plant’s other compounds, such as terpenes, THC, and flavonoids. This allows the various compounds of the plant to work together to achieve the Entourage Effect.

More CBD per dose isn’t always better. Even if the label claims that you’re buying a superior product because the oil only contains CBD, you may want to avoid these formulations as they’re not full spectrum. Hemp and cannabis products work best when they’re full spectrum, allowing the Entourage Effect to augment and enhance your experience. 

This doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice CBD content, as terpenes only make up a small fraction of full spectrum CBD oil. However, the Entourage Effect may still have a significant impact on what health benefits your CBD oil provides. 

High Quality CBD Oil and Mental Health: Why Terpenes Are Essential

If you’re using CBD oil for mental health reasons, it’s crucial that you find the right strain with the right terpene content. 

For example, the terpene ‘myrcene’ can soothe anxiety and promote relaxation. This could be a priority terpene for you if you have anxiety and are always buzzing around, trying to find the next thing to use up your ‘energy’ (which is really just jitters). Larger amounts of myrcene are associated with the couch-lock feeling we can get from Indica-type cannabis. On the other hand, this feeling may not be suitable for you if your problem is not being able to get out of bed.

But how do terpenes work? A study on linalool and beta-pinene, two other terpenes found in hemp and cannabis strains, found that they work by increasing serotonin signaling. Serotonin is that familiar mood-boosting neurotransmitter typically deficient in depression. The most well-known source of linalool is lavender, which has shown anti-anxiety benefits in a number of studies. 

Pinene is found in pine trees’ essential oil, and could be partly responsible for the “high” we get when spending time in nature. In fact, some health professionals in Japan and Scotland now “prescribe” time in nature to boost mental health. Both alpha- and beta-pinene slow the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays essential roles in cognition. Even better, alpha-pinene opens up your airways, improving physical health in cases of asthma and mental health by giving your brain an oxygen boost. 

Spotlight on Super Lemon Haze

Super Lemon Haze CBD oil is one of the more zesty strains, taking out the Cannabis Cup twice for its lively, creativity-boosting feel. If you don’t like the couch-lock or feeling as though you’re about to fly into outer space, and instead want an energy boost or creativity boost, try Super Lemon Haze from Wunderkind Extracts.

The phytochemical profile of Super Lemon Haze includes limonene. Limonene-rich terpene profiles are more energizing and uplifting, characterizing the common feeling we get from Sativa dominant strains. It has been shown to increase both serotonin and dopamine. While serotonin makes us feel happy, dopamine helps to translate these feelings into action. Dopamine is essential for focus, motivation and memory, partly by making the effort you must take feel worthwhile. In fact, a study involving hospitalized, depressed patients found that diffusing lemon essential oil (also rich in limonene) led to most patients no longer needing antidepressants. Overall, limonene adds a citrus zest to CBD oils, citrus and everything else it is found in. 

Super Lemon Haze is also rich in beta-caryophyllene, a peppery terpene with no direct psychoactive effects. Instead, it’s a strong anti-inflammatory. Beta-caryophyllene can help protect the stomach lining; and control bacteria and fungi. Gastrointestinal tract inflammation often comes from an imbalance in the gut bacteria, also known as dysbiosis. This can lead to systemic inflammation if it impairs the integrity of the gut wall. Undigested food and intestinal bacteria can then move in and trigger an immune response, raising inflammation throughout the body. These effects may contribute to beta-caryophyllene being the top non-cannabinoid anti-inflammatory substance in cannabis, as it hits several targets of digestive tract inflammation. 

What Else Should You Look For in a Well-Formulated CBD Oil?

Always look for the origin of your CBD oil before making a final decision. As Australian naturopath Alexandra Preston wrote in her book, Infla-Menses, “Some terpenoids, such as linalool and myrcene, are unfortunately destroyed by irradiation, which is required for government medical programs in Canada and the Netherlands.” She adds that hemp plants generate both cannabinoids and terpenes more when there is poor soil fertility and high sun exposure.  

What’s more, researching who is formulating and testing your CBD oil matters, and how it’s done. Wunderkind products are triple-lab tested, meaning every batch is tested three times for ingredient percentages and contaminants. This way, we know you’re getting what you paid for. 

At Wunderkind, we don’t cut corners anywhere. Our full spectrum CBD oil is CO2 extracted from the highest quality, US-grown hemp flowers available. It retains the most cannabinoids and other phytochemicals, such as terpenes, to create the augmented experience known as the  “Entourage Effect”. Only trace amounts of THC can be found in our products, so it’s all legal. All of our extracts are hand-selected from lab tests to ensure the highest percentages of cannabinoids.

When it comes to CBD oils, the “best” product is different for every person. Your needs depend on not only the cannabinoids, but also the terpenes. What’s uplifting and motivating for you may be overstimulating to someone else, or a strain you feel is a real downer could be calming to the next person. In any case, there are several markers for quality CBD oil we must all look out for. Choose a full spectrum oil made from high-quality flowers, and ensure that the product line is developed by an expert in the field, and tested for purity in every batch.