Today, CBD is a pretty mainstream supplement. Around 14% of American adults use it, and you can bet that number’s constantly growing!
You might be interested in trying it out, but you need to be smart about it.
To make sure you’re getting a good quality CBD product, you need to look for third-party lab reports. This will prove that the company’s really providing you with something that’s safe.
But how do you read those lab test results? read on to find out!
The Components of CBD Testing
As you’d expect, third-party testing involves investigating what components CBD products are made up of. Here’s what you should expect to find on these reports.
Cannabinoids
Naturally, the most abundant cannabinoid found in CBD products is CBD, or cannabidiol. However, depending on the type of product you get, there might be other cannabinoids present. These will be listed as weight percentages and concentrations (mg/mL).
With full-spectrum CBD oil, you should expect to see THC, but in amounts of less than 0.3%. Other cannabinoids you’ll find on the report are THCV, CBDV, CBG, CBC, CBN, THCA, CBDA, CBGA. With the last 4, there should be non-detectable (ND) levels.
With broad-spectrum CBD oil, there should be ND levels of THC. And if you’re purchasing CBD isolate, then the CBD weight percentage should be over 99%. Other cannabinoids should be at ND levels.
Terpenes
Not all CBD products will be tested for terpenes. So if you see no terpene testing on the report, that doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t any in the product.
All 3 types (broad-spectrum, full-spectrum, isolate) of CBD oil will have terpenes in them. These are compounds that give CBD its color and taste, as well as some health benefits.
On the test, the terpenes will be listed as parts per million (PPM) or weight percentages. Do note that 1 PPM is equal to 0.0001 weight percentage.
If you’re looking for a CBD product that has more of a sedative effect, look for higher percentages of terpenes like myrcene and linalool. On the other hand, the terpene pinene helps with memory.
Microbes
Because CBD comes from a plant, microbes might come with the product as well. You’ll want to look for products with ND levels of microbes to ensure you’re staying safe.
Heavy Metals
As you might already know, heavy metals are bad for your health. Here are the acceptable limits of each type:
- Arsenic: 1.5 PPM
- Cadmium: 25 PPM
- Mercury: 15 PPM
- Lead: 5 PPM
Pesticides
Pesticides can be harmful to your health, so you want to choose a product that has ND levels for pesticides. Don’t accept any levels, no matter how low they are!
For a good example of what CBD lab reports should look like, check out the ones Ananda Hemp has.
Read CBD Lab Test Results Right to Purchase Good Products
If you were apprehensive about trying CBD, we hope that by teaching you how to read lab test results, you’ll feel more confident in browsing products. When you know what to look out for, it’ll be easier to spot any CBD products that might not be so good for you!
Want to learn more about CBD, hemp, and marijuana? Then make sure you check out our blog page!