With CBD taking the mainstream market by storm, there are more and more people curious about the miracle compound. There is a lot of confusing terminology surrounding the CBD world, including terpenes, cannabinoids and full-spectrum. So what are terpenes and what is CBD oil?
To put it in simple terms, terpenes are the compound that gives all plants, fruits and herbs their distinctive aromas. If you’ve ever peeled an orange, that delicious fresh smell is the result of terpenes. They are a combination of organic hydrogen and carbon found in trichomes in the cannabis plant. Cannabis has a variety of incredible terpenes that give the herb it’s distinctive aroma and taste, including myrcene. Different strains mean different terpenes which mean different aromatherapeutic benefits.
The term CBD, which is short for cannabidiol, is very different from terpenes. CBD is only found in the cannabis plant, whereas terpenes can be found all across the botanical and natural world. Like terpenes, CBD is known to have certain physical and mental benefits when consumed, including relieving stress and improving insomnia. Both CBD and terpenes have various benefits, but when used together in a premium CBD extract, the synergistic entourage effect is produced.
The type of CBD you decide to use and the means you use to consume it could have a drastic effect on feeling those effects. Premium companies, like HighKind, ensure that all of their CBD oils are full-spectrum. This means they use specialised techniques to expertly extract 100% from the hemp plant, pulling all of those beneficial terpenes and minerals. This process can significantly improve the CBD experience.
Everybody has a unique cannabinoid system and can react differently to CBD’s unique effects. Unlike cannabis with THC, CBD isn’t psychoactive. You won’t get the traditional ‘high’ or the paranoia common with cannabis and you’ll keep those hugely helpful benefits.
There are three core types of CBD oil that you’ll encounter when you begin your CBD journey. These are full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolates. For people who are new to CBD, these three can be confusing at first, but the differences are huge.
Full-spectrum means that the extract has been taken from the entire plant. All of those spare minerals, nutrients and terpenes are swept up, making full-spectrum the optimum choice for those looking to make the most of their aromatherapeutic benefits. All of these nutrients act together to optimise the CBD experience.
Broad-spectrum CBD sits in between full-spectrum and isolates. They use all of the other compounds found in the cannabis plant and preserve them in the extract (as well as removing the THC), but they don’t reach the same heights as full-spectrum CBD does in terms of the entourage effect.
CBD isolates are a little bit different. They are technically the purest form of CBD you can buy and are produced by singularly extracting the compound from its original environment and then isolating it from all other compounds. If you go down the CBD isolates route, you’re missing out on a lot of the nutrients, minerals and terpenes you’d usually get in full-spectrum products.
There’s a lot to learn if you’re new to the world of CBD. Give yourself some time to get used to the terminology and discover a flavour profile that suits your tastes. If you’re looking for those special aromatherapeutic benefits, full-spectrum CBD oral drops are always the way to go.
