For almost a century, cannabis was completely ignored by the general public. Sure, a lot of counties banned any sort of production or consumption. Those who didn’t do it simply did not pay attention to it. In the last couple of years, we’ve seen that this was one of the biggest mistakes.
It’s because of all the benefits it provides, not just in the medical field, but in some others as well. Still, the medical ones are probably the most prevalent. One of the most popular ones out there is CBD oil. In case you would like to take a look at a couple of these, visit Happy Garden.
For those who don’t know, CBD oil is done through extraction from the plant itself. We’re talking about a complex procedure that needs to be done carefully to take all the oil from it. Now, we would like to talk about the best extraction method that can be used. Let’s take a look at what we’ve gathered on this topic.
What is CBD Oil Extraction?
Before we talk about the most efficient methods, we would like to talk about the extraction process itself. Basically, this is a procedure that extracts the liquid from the hemp. After that, the liquid is turned into a form that can be used for a wide array of different products like creams or oils.
It is achieved by isolating the CBD from all other compounds that can be found in the plant. The more successful this process is, the higher percentage of the compound can be in the potential product. Sometimes, this process includes some other compounds, not only Cannabidiol.
If you know that there are more than a hundred compounds in the plant, then you can understand how precise this process needs to be. Plus, it tells about how competent the professional needs to be. As you can presume, we’re talking about a procedure that requires certain skills on the behalf of a professional.
What are the Best Methods?
Now, let’s take a look at a couple of methods.
1. Subcritical
The first one we would like to talk about is known as subcritical extraction. The conditions for this approach are low pressure and low temperature. Since this is the fact, the time for completing this procedure could take somewhat more time than other ones.
However, you can see a clear benefit because it leads to the decline of chances of isolating even some of the smallest compounds out there, like terpenes. It is used for creating some, let’s say, lighter products, which can be used by those who do not enjoy when the effects are too effective.
There’s something you need to be aware of about this approach. It is pretty a touchy process. So, the person who is overseas and handles the whole operation needs to be as careful as possible. The only, let’s say, downside, is that it cannot isolate some of the heavier compounds.
2. Liquid Solvent
Next, we want to discuss liquid solvent extraction. It means that this type uses some liquid solvents, mainly alcohol, to create the environment for effective extraction. When it comes to the types of alcohol you should use, we would focus on two of them, grain and isopropyl alcohol.
Some would ask why alcohol is used for something like this? Well, the answer is pretty simple, alcohol is effective when it comes to dissolving all the compounds found in this plant. Thankfully, this is not an expensive method, and it doesn’t require too many conditions to be on the level you need it to be.
If you have enough expertise on this subject, maybe you can do conduct this procedure in the comfort of your home. Pretty much the only recommendation we want to make is that you should use distillers to enhance the quality of the substance. Thankfully, these are not too hefty.
3. Supercritical
A supercritical approach means that the liquid has a form of CO2. Therefore, the method requires a higher temperature and an additional pressure to CO2 until it becomes “supercritical”. That’s the reason from where the name of the method has arisen.
It’s because CO2 has two properties, liquid, and gas. The goal of applying this pressure and temperature increase is that the extraction will be done without denaturing any other compound, which is essential for having the best possible quality that can be used for making various CBD-infused products.
What needs to be said is that this is an approach that requires quite hefty equipment to conduct this process. That’s why we wouldn’t recommend anyone to utilize this procedure without having the equipment that can make this happen. Make sure you pay attention to this aspect.
4. Food Safe
Last but not least, we want to talk about the commonest method called food-safe oil extraction. It means that the procedure needs any other plant out to carry it out properly. For instance, you can use coconut or olive oil. One of the advantages is that this is a good one to use by amateurs.
It’s because this process doesn’t leave too many particles as a result. Plus, there are absolutely any dangerous chemicals as a result. We are talking about edible oils, after all. Therefore, the procedure itself is both gentle and natural, and those who practice it don’t have anything to worry about.
What needs to be said is that a food-safe solution is simply not as effective as some other ones. You need to know that it requires much more time. Some would even compare the products that come out of this process as tinctures. If you ask us, we are not sure that this claim is true.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, this extraction is can be both complex and simple, depending on which one you choose. But when it comes to choosing the most efficient one, we would say the subcritical method. Under certain conditions, you can get all the compounds you want, in a relatively short period.
