As you probably already know, CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the many phytocannabinoids present in the cannabis plant. However, it’s not just any phytocannabinoid. Together with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD is one of the active ingredients that give the cannabis plant its unique properties. They are very similar, but CBD doesn’t produce the psychoactive effects that THC does.
Due to its calming and anti-inflammatory effects, CBD has become an equally popular ingredient for wellness as well as for treating some ailments, such as chronic pain, inflammation, and anxiety, among others.
In the cannabis industry, the industrial hemp plant is the main source of CBD because it naturally contains a high concentration of CBD and very little THC. The CBD market, in particular, is filled with different CBD products, and one of them is CBD isolate powder. It’s considered a fairly new product, but it’s very versatile and easy to use.
CBD isolate powder is essentially pure CBD, so let’s talk about how you can use it and how to measure out your doses.
Everything You Need to Know About CBD Isolate
In a nutshell, CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD. It’s extracted from the hemp plant material through several different cycles of extraction, filtration, and purification. The extraction processes used are most commonly carbon dioxide (CO2) or ethanol-based extractions. These processes remove all the plant compounds present in the extract, like chlorophyll, waxes, other cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes, and everything else.
What remains will be a 99.9% pure CBD extract in the form of a white powder that is flavorless and odorless, and it’s the most concentrated form of CBD.
What CBD Products Are Made With CBD Isolate?
CBD isolate powder is the basis for most CBD products you can find in a dispensary. It’s used to make CBD tinctures and oils, gel capsules, edibles, such as gummies, and CBD sticks, but it’s also used for vaping in the form of vape juices. Additionally, CBD isolate powder is used in topicals, like balms and creams for therapeutic purposes, but also in cosmetics for soothing skin inflammation.
How Can I Use CBD Isolate Powder?
In addition to its versatility, another big upside of CBD isolate powder is that it’s more affordable than other CBD products. If you dose it properly, you can add it to almost anything and consume it that way.
The easiest method is to consume it sublingually, or place it directly under your tongue, as this allows for a nice and fast absorption. You can also add it to smoothies or juices, or even tea and coffee.
However, to increase its bioavailability, it’s best to combine it with a fatty substance. For example, if you take your coffee with milk or creamer, the fats in it will help your body absorb CBD better without any loss of potency. That said, you can also make your own CBD oil by using CBD isolate powder (it’s very simple, we included the guide below).
How Do I Measure the Amount of CBD Isolate I Need?
Since CBD isolate powder is a concentrated form of CBD, a little can go a long way. First, you should know that one gram of CBD isolate (1000 mg) contains more or less 990 mg of CBD. It may seem intimidating if it’s your first time using CBD isolate powder, but there are tools to help you measure the dose of CBD that you need.
For easier dosing, you can purchase milligram measuring spoons. These are thin plastic spoons that you can easily find on Amazon, and they come in different measuring sizes, so you’ll always know just how much you’re taking.
If you want to be even more precise with your CBD dosage, you can get a microgram measuring scale, though this is not necessary as CBD is very forgiving with the doses. Unlike THC, CBD is usually very well tolerated and causes few side effects.
What’s the Difference Between CBD Isolate, Broad-Spectrum, and Full-Spectrum CBD?
A lot of people are confused about the three varieties of CBD products, mostly because they’re unanimously referred to as just “CBD.” But this excludes the key differences between CBD isolate, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum products. Let us explain:
- CBD isolate refers to the pure CBD extract that doesn’t contain other compounds naturally found in the plant, such as cannabinoids and terpenes;
- Broad-spectrum CBD refers to a product that contains CBD plus other cannabinoids and terpenes, but it doesn’t include THC;
- Full-spectrum CBD refers to a product that contains CBD plus all the cannabinoids and terpenes found in the hemp plant, including THC. However, legally, the industrial hemp cultivated in the US can’t contain more than 0.3% THC, so full-spectrum CBD will only have 0.3% THC.
Therefore, CBD isolate and broad-spectrum CBD are THC-free, while full-spectrum CBD contains trace amounts of THC.
It’s believed that compared to the other forms, full-spectrum CBD delivers the full benefits of the hemp plant due to the synergistic effect of the cannabinoids working together, also known as the entourage effect.
However, many people can be sensitive to THC or they just want to avoid it, so they opt for other forms of CBD. Individuals who have allergic reactions to terpenes tend to choose CBD isolate as it’s the purest form of CBD.
How to Make Your Own CBD Oil With CBD Isolate Powder
Making your own CBD oil with CBD isolate powder is very simple. The following recipe will give you a CBD oil with 33 mg CBD per milliliter.
You’ll need:
- 1 gr (1000 mg) of CBD isolate powder;
- carrier oil (most people use MCT oil because it’s odorless and flavorless, but you can also use olive oil, grapeseed oil, or coconut oil);
- small measuring cup or an oral syringe;
- 30 ml amber dropper bottle (avoid clear bottles as light degrades cannabinoids);
- small scoop or spoon for the CBD powder.
To make the oil, measure out the CBD isolate powder and put it in the bottom of the glass bottle. Next, measure the oil and pour it carefully into the bottle and over the powder. Screw the lid with the dropper and give the bottle a shake.
The CBD isolate powder will need some time to fully dissolve if you leave it like this, but you can also put the dropper bottle in a glass of warm water to speed up the process. Once it’s dissolved, you have yourself a CBD oil and you can use it however you please.
The Takeaway – CBD Isolate Is a Very Versatile Product That’s Easy to Use, so It’s Worth Trying
CBD isolate powder may be a fairly new product on the market as such, but it’s the basis for a lot of CBD products and it’s incredibly versatile. It may seem foreign to you since it’s in powder form and it’s very concentrated, but CBD is, in general, a very well tolerated compound, so there’s little room for concern when it comes to dosing.
You can use CBD isolate powder in so many different ways, starting with the simplest form of consumption like placing it under your tongue, to making your own CBD isolate oil. Measuring it is easy with milligram measuring spoons, so you will always know how much you’re ingesting.
