How To Choose CBD That Fits Your Needs?

CBD has come a long way in the short time that cannabis has finally become legal in most states. However, with this progress comes a few setbacks.

As more people turn to cannabis-based products like CBD to reach peak health and wellness, more businesses looking to make a quick buck are capitalizing on this trend and producing less-than-stellar (and potentially unsafe) products.

While we await improved CBD regulations, consumers often face a challenging situation: determining how to select CBD products that can safely and effectively address their most pressing health needs.

Knowing how to choose a CBD product and knowing how to choose the right one can make a world of difference. Responsible consumers must actively seek information, from understanding the sourcing of products to ensuring they get their money's worth in terms of CBD content. They need to know where to look and what questions to ask.

Here at Zatural, we want to make this experience less confusing for beginners like you. In this article, we list seven questions that you need to ask to help you understand how to choose the right CBD product, whether online or offline.

Let’s begin.

1. What Needs Are You Trying To Address?

What most people don’t know is that choosing the right CBD oil product and getting the most out of each requires figuring out what benefits you hope to gain by taking it.

While robust research is still underway to prove the effects of various CBD delivery methods on specific health needs, some best practices have already been highlighted by long-term users.

For example, if you’re trying to quickly soothe any physical and mental discomfort, you may want to take CBD oil, as it's the fastest way to feel the effects of CBD.

If you can afford to wait a little longer before your CBD can take effect, consuming it in oil form sublingually (placing it under the tongue instead of swallowing) can help.

Topical application, on the other hand, is best for addressing physical discomfort since it offers a more targeted route. However, everyone is different, and the time it takes before you can feel CBD’s effects can vary.

Adding CBD to your food or beverage probably takes the longest to work. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it can vary from person to person, between 10 minutes and 30 minutes.

2. THC or Not To THC?

When considering how to choose CBD oil, it's important to know if you can have tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or not. THC is the cannabinoid responsible for causing a “high” sensation in the cannabis plant.

So, if you want to avoid "the high" side effects altogether — especially if you’re planning to get a few things done in between doses — then you’ll have to watch out for products' THC content.

However, it should be noted that CBD products are more effective when they contain THC.

Entourage Effect

This theory is called the “entourage effect,” a synergistic phenomenon that happens when all cannabis compounds work together to create a more potent effect versus when taken alone.

It’s worth noting that a THC level of 0.3% (a percentage that’s considered legal in most US states) is enough to amplify CBD’s potential therapeutic benefits without the buzz. CBD is not yet regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For this reason, choose hemp-derived CBD products since some hemp plants produce low amounts of THC and have the added benefit of being more widely available both online and offline compared to their marijuana-derived counterparts.

If you’re looking for CBD products with THC levels higher than 0.3%, then you have to make sure marijuana is legal in your state (since CBD products with more than 0.3% THC content are legally considered as marijuana under Federal law).

For states where medical marijuana is legal, make sure you do two things: 1) have a medical marijuana ID card and 2) only buy from state-licensed dispensaries.

For states where recreational marijuana is legal, the only requirement is to be over 21 years old.

Again, when choosing the right CBD product, caution should be exercised as some people can be more sensitive to THC than others. The safest route for beginners is to start off with hemp-based CBD products and then work your way up according to your needs and tolerance.

3. Where Does The Oil Come From?

Many CBD products you’ll see online come from hemp. For that, you have to be very picky about where your manufacturer sources their hemp plants.

In the US, most CBD products are made of hemp sourced from either Kentucky, Colorado, or Oregon — all of which have well-proven track records in growing well-regulated hemp plants.

However, some manufacturers source their hemp from overseas. This is where things start to get tricky since these plants have not been subjected to the same stringent standards and testing as the ones from the US states mentioned above.

To be on the safe side when choosing the right CBD for you, it’s always wise to check the product label or company website or ask your local dispensary about where their hemp plants are grown.

If the CBD comes from a well-vetted source, the next thing to check for is what part of the hemp plant the CBD has been extracted from.

When you see “hemp oil” on the label, you’ll have to dig a little deeper and find out exactly which part. Why is this important when choosing the right CBD for your needs?

Because hemp oil from the ​​leaves, resin, or flowers is what’s considered the gold standard as far as CBD health products are concerned. Hemp oil from the seeds is another story since this part of the plant has the lowest CBD content of them all.

While hemp seed oil is great for cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, and the like, they do very little when addressing therapeutic needs.

4. How Much CBD Is There Per Dose?

Don’t be fooled by the high total CBD content on the bottle alone. To make sure you’re getting your money’s worth, check for how much pure CBD there is per dose (milligrams/mg).

The keywords here are “CBD,” as some manufacturers use the term “cannabinoids” as a catch-all buzzword. Remember that both CBD and THC are cannabinoids, as well as 100 others.

This is where your knowledge of the different types of CBD comes in. If you can remember from previous articles, there are three types of CBDs:

• Isolate CBD: Contains only pure CBD.
• Broad-spectrum CBD: Contains most of the cannabis plant compounds, including CBD and THC.
• Full-spectrum CBD: Contains all parts of the cannabis plant, with THC of less than 0.3%.

Choosing the right CBD for you means taking stock of your needs. But for beginners or for those sensitive to THC, it’s always best to start with isolates. 

5. Has It Been Third-Party Tested?

Whether buying hemp-derived CBD online or offline or wherever your CBDs may be sourced, a Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a must. COAs safeguard you from buying low-quality, unsafe, and/or toxic-laden CBD products.

These certificates are done by independent labs that meet very high “ISO 17025” standards and only use testing methods that have been regulated by one of the following organizations:

• Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC)
• American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP)
• U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)

These COAs should be readily accessible by any seller or dispensary. If not, then look elsewhere.

6. Are They Being Overhyped?

Whether it’s CBD topicals, CBD gummies, or CBD Oil how to, choosing one that’s both effective and safe requires consumers not to give in to the hype — especially when it’s undeserved.

For years, the FDA has been cracking down on CBD products that tout themselves as the cure for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and the like. Only prescription drugs can make such health claims since they have been put through extensive tests for efficacy and safety.

As a standard practice, the more dramatic the claims are, the more you should be wary of the product itself and report the sellers to the appropriate authorities.

7. Are They Solvent-Free?

This is especially true for CBD products that you inhale, specifically vape pens. Propylene glycol — a harmless chemical that can also be found in asthma inhalers — is used as a suspension and delivery system for the flavorings in vapes.

But, in order to save on raw materials and increase profits, shady manufacturers have started adding cheaper diethylene glycol — an industrial, highly toxic solvent — into the mix.

This solvent is known to cause “popcorn lung,” which manifests as shortness of breath, wheezing, dry cough, and/or exhaustion. Since tighter regulations for CBD are still underway, you’ll have to do your due diligence regarding what your CBD vape products contain.

Sum It Up!

CBD has come a long way from its Wild West beginnings. However, as responsible consumers, it’s still in your best interests to not take anything at face value.

So, before buying any CBD product, keep these seven questions in mind to make sure that you’re getting all your health needs addressed while staying safe. At Zatural, we aim to make everyone’s CBD journey easy.

To ensure that our customers are only getting the best, all our award-winning, third-party tested products are made from high-quality, organic, and toxin-free hemp plants grown in perfectly well-regulated conditions.

We’d love to play a key role in having all your health and overall wellness needs addressed. To get started, check out our wide selection of CBD oils, topicals, softgels, edibles, and pet products.

Why buy from Zatural?

At Zatural, our customers come first. Our mission is to help increase the standard of health through natural means.

Our products are natural, organically grown, and formulated by a doctor who ensures you are receiving professional-grade ingredients and formulas that work. Zatural is transparent with their customers and upfront about their products.

Customer satisfaction is key, which is why we offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee that allows you to return your product for a full refund if you are not 100% satisfied.

Zatural CBD Products

For educational purposes only FDA DISCLAIMER

*FDA DISCLAIMER -These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.