What is Broad Spectrum CBD and Why We Chose It?

Due to the lack of regulation in the CBD industry, there are no official definitions when it comes to describing the various types of CBD oils on the market. Moreover, not all CBD companies are using terms correctly.  That being said, there is a growing list of generally accepted standard terminology as the industry develops. In this article, we explain what is broad spectrum CBD, and why we chose it for our product line.

First, Let’s Define the Terms

Cannabis

Cannabis is a plant that contains 113+ cannabinoids with each offering different health benefits.  Cannabis oil can be extracted from either the marijuana or hemp strain.

Marijuana

Marijuana is a strain of cannabis that has a high concentration of THC, the cannabinoid that gets you high.

Hemp

Hemp is a strain of cannabis that has a high concentration of CBD and very low levels of THC.  Both marijuana and hemp also contain trace amounts of the other minor cannabinoids such as CBG, CBN, CBC, etc.

In order for a CBD product to be federally legal, it must be derived from hemp and contain no more than 0.3% THC.

Full Spectrum CBD

Full spectrum CBD oil refers to an extract that contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant.  If the oil is extracted from hemp, the dominant cannabinoid will be CBD, but it will also contain small amounts of the other minor cannabinoids, as well as THC.

When various cannabinoids are present at the same time, they work more effectively than alone, and together they produce a synergistic benefit known as the entourage effect.

Broad Spectrum CBD

Broad spectrum CBD refers to an oil that starts as a full spectrum extract, but undergoes an additional step to remove the trace amounts of THC.  It still contains CBD and other minor cannabinoids, and still produces the entourage effect… The only missing piece is THC.

CBD Isolate

CBD isolate refers to a product that only contains the singular compound CBD. CBD isolate does not produce the entourage effect since it does not contain any of the other minor cannabinoids, amino acids, or other beneficial compounds found in hemp.

How is CBD Oil Extracted from Hemp?

Unrefined hemp extract contains everything extracted from the hemp plant, including the many cannabinoids, terpenes and amino acids, and also THC.

High quality CBD oil is extracted using either CO2 extraction or food-grade ethanol. After extraction, the crude CBD oil is then refined. The solvents are removed but the cannabinoids, terpenes and other phytochemicals are left intact, leaving a full spectrum extract.

To produce broad spectrum CBD, the full spectrum extract undergoes an additional step to remove the THC. Tessera Naturals’ process uses liquid chromatography to selectively isolate and remove the THC, leaving behind the other beneficial compounds that users want from a full spectrum product, but without the chance of ingesting any THC.

Why We Chose Broad Spectrum

Most CBD products on the market are full spectrum, which contains trace amounts of THC. While these trace amounts are not enough to make you high, we acknowledge that even micro-doses of THC has many reported health benefits.

That being said, CBD does not necessarily “need” THC to work effectively. Many people ask us, “Is broad spectrum better than full spectrum?”… our answer is no, they’re just different (albeit only slightly). We feel both are beneficial and neither is necessarily better than the other.

At the same time, we wanted to make sure that our CBD products were widely available to everyone. There are many people that want to take advantage of the health benefits of CBD, but do not want to ingest any THC for a variety of reasons, so we chose to stick with THC free CBD oil as our core product line.

Reasons People Avoid THC

Some people are super sensitive to THC and it can give them anxiety.  Reducing anxiety is one of the most popular reasons for using CBD, so any THC would be counterproductive. 

Others cannot ingest any amount of THC due to their jobs where they regularly get drug tested, such as public sector employees, healthcare professionals or law enforcement.

There are those that are just not interested in THC due to the stigma of marijuana, or they live in an area that has very strict THC laws.

Lastly, some people have said that full spectrum CBD oils have a very strong scent and flavor that they find unpleasant.  Our broad spectrum CBD oil has a very mild hemp flavor that some would describe as “earthy” and very pleasant.

For these reasons above, we felt that removing THC was a small trade-off in order to provide the benefits of CBD to as many people as possible, with just as much benefit, but without the potential legal risks or other “baggage” associated with THC.

Will Broad Spectrum CBD Show Up On a Drug Test?

The short answer is no, you should not fail a drug test by taking broad spectrum CBD from Tessera Naturals as our products do not contain any THC.

That being said, some lab facilities test for a wide spectrum of cannabinoids, not just THC.  Therefore CBD and other cannabinoids may trigger a false positive on a drug test.

Also, some people may metabolize CBD differently and while you can’t really overdose on CBD, we’ve heard that patients who consume very high amounts of CBD (1,000+ mg of CBD per day) can trigger a false positive on a drug test as well.

A Word on CBD Isolate

As stated above, CBD isolate is a singular extracted compound that contains pure CBD only. CBD isolate may be best for individuals who are seeking a high dose of CBD, or for relief from conditions that only CBD can provide.

Other than those few, we feel that choosing CBD isolates to avoid THC is not as effective for overall health and wellness as broad spectrum CBD as it lacks the many benefits that the amazing hemp plant provides.

We believe that nature knows best and that it’s always best to consume products that contain raw ingredients as close to their natural unaltered state as possible.

What You Need to Know When Buying Broad Spectrum CBD

If you’re interested in experiencing the benefits of a full spectrum CBD product, but without the THC, then broad spectrum CBD is the way to go.

Note that many companies choose to define the types of CBD oil differently, some say full spectrum, some call it whole plant extract, we’ve also seen wide spectrum CBD, so it’s important for consumers to have enough knowledge and education to know exactly what is in the product.

Be careful of products that are labeled as THC-free full spectrum CBD. A product cannot be considered full spectrum if it’s missing one of its components. Either the “THC-free” claim is incorrect, or the company is using the “full spectrum” term incorrectly.

Whatever CBD product you purchase, you should also make sure the company can provide a certificate of analysis (COA).  These are independent 3rd party lab tests that verify the contents of the product, showing the potency of cannabinoids and terpenes, including whether there is any THC in the product or not.  Lab tests should also ensure that there are no dangerous contaminants such as pesticides or harsh chemicals.

Also, you should only buy CBD products from a reputable source, either a brick and mortar wellness/CBD store where there are representatives who can explain the products, or an online retailer that clearly explains what type of products they offer.  If you can’t get straight answers, we advise you to go elsewhere.

Beware of “home made” products that are not clearly labeled and may contain dangerous substances, or products that are labeled as hemp oil and contain little to no CBD.  Even professionally labeled products can be misleading or incorrect, such as the CBD oil on Amazon that are actually hemp oil and do not actually contain CBD. 

Not all CBD is created equal, which is why we advise that you don’t just pick up some cheap CBD from a gas station or your local vape shop.

Read 10 Things to Look For When Buying CBD.

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Key Takeaways

• There are 100+ natural compounds in the cannabis plant called cannabinoids, and when they work together, they produce the entourage effect.
• The hemp strain contains all of the cannabinoids and terpenes found in cannabis, including a high concentration of CBD and a trace amount of THC.
• Full spectrum CBD includes the whole plant extract, including THC.
• Broad spectrum CBD starts as a whole plant extract, then the THC is  completely removed.
• CBD isolate contains only CBD and no other cannabinoids, terpenes or amino acids from hemp.
• Broad spectrum provides the benefits of a full spectrum CBD (entourage effect), but without the THC.
• Broad spectrum CBD should not cause you to fail a drug test, but this is not guaranteed.
• Always read labels, review lab reports and make sure you’re purchasing high quality products from a reputable source.