CBD belongs to the cannabis family. Recently CBD oils have gained much popularity, and many people want to know about the oils and how they are made.
In this article, we will shed light on the CBD extraction process.
CBD Extraction
When anyone asks the question, what are CBD oils, and where do they come from, the answer should start with the CBD extraction process. There are numerous ways to extract CBD oils from the cannabis plant. Extracting CBD oil from the plant is the purest means to extract the oil without introducing other elements.
Commonly used methods are:
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Extraction
The most widely used method for the extraction of CBD is by the use of supercritical carbon dioxide. When we use the term supercritical, it means carbon dioxide contain properties of both gas and liquid state.
During the CBD production process, CO2 is exposed to high pressure and low temperature. Initially, there will be CO2 in one camber at low pressure, whereas the cannabis plant will be in the second chamber.
As soon as CO2 is transferred from the 1st to the 2nd chamber, oil extraction from the hemp plant starts. Lastly, both CO2 and oil are poured in the third chamber, where CO2 evaporates, leaving behind CBD oils.
- Steam Distillation
The next method is the steam extraction, in which steam helps to separate CBD oils from the hemp plant. A glass flask containing the hemp plant is connected to another flask with an inlet. The second flask contains boiling water.
As soon as the water converts into steam, it separates oils from the plant. And these CBD vapors are then gathered in the tube where it condenses into water and oil.
This method is used for centuries but is not much common. But keep I mind that this method also contains a specific risk.
- Solvent Extraction (Hydrocarbons and Natural Solvents)
It is similar to the steam distillation process. However, instead of steam, this method uses solvents to separate CBD oils from the plant. Therefore it forms a final mixture of CBD oil with solvent.
When comparing the two solvent extraction method is more efficient than the steam distillation process. Besides, it is also a cheap one. Solvents, including naphtha, petroleum, propane, or butane, are used as hydrocarbons.
The critical point here is that its solvent residue is harmful and can cause cancer; therefore, they must be entirely eliminated during the evaporation process. Therefore to avoid this risk, natural solvents are also used. However, with natural solvents concentration of CBD is lower in the CBD extract than it was in other methods.
Which is the Best CBD Extraction Method?
Each method has its pros and cons. However, by far, the most beneficial process is CO2 extraction. It gives the best quality of CBD oils and is also the safest method. Besides, their residue is also not toxic. Although the equipment required in the CO2 extraction process is expensive, it still produces the highest concentration of CBD.
Final Words
Hemp plants contain CBD oils. And when we talk about what CBD oils are made of, it means we are talking about the CBD extraction process. It uses CO2 extraction, steam distillation, or solvent extraction methods. However, out of all of these, CO2 is the best one.