With so many options for adding CBD to one’s diet, how do we choose?
Heat is known to damage the cannabinoids and terpenes in Cannabis, and results in the loss of some of the integrity of the plant. While CBD and THC are not damaged by heat, there are potentially 111 other cannabinoids that can be destroyed. And the more we learn about Cannabis, the more we realize that keeping the structure of the plant intact, can result in more benefits for our health.
Some solvent based methods require high heat for extraction and that includes: Naptha, Butane, and Alcohol.
While Co2 appears to be most toxic free of the solvent based methods – high heat is not required – it can be over aggressive and damage a portion of the plant. Many of the cannabinoids and terpenes won’t survive the process.
What are terpenes?
Terpenes are the fragrant essential oils within Cannabis. With their value initially discounted, it seemed to be an unimportant extraction loss. But as we learn more about the plant’s function, we find that terpenes may in fact help with the delivery of THC and CBD. They may be responsible for how well our body metabolizes CBD.
The least known method, and possibly the most viable, is the paste method. It involves taking plant material, with added oil, and cooking over low temps for lengthy periods. This delivers a product that escapes high heat damage, preserves a majority of the cannabinoids and almost all of the terpenes.
While there are applications where CBD Oil created using Co2, Butane, or Alcohol solvents may be the best option (vaping, certain medical applications, and some foods), there is a method that does a minimal amount of damage to the plant. And that is the ancient CBD Paste method of delivery.