Full Spectrum CBD vs Isolate vs Broad Spectrum

If you have looked into CBD products, you have likely seen three different types of CBD for sale – Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum, and Isolate products. But what spectrum is being referred to?

In addition to CBD, hemp plants contain dozens of cannabinoids and terpenes – not only CBD but CBG, THC, CBN, CBC, myrcene, pinene and many more organic compounds. This ‘spectrum’ of cannabinoids and terpenes can contribute to the “entourage effect” whereby various cannabinoids and terpenes can work synergistically to enhance the effects of each other. We believe that this spectrum is crucial to enjoying the benefits of each individual plant and strain, as opposed to isolating individual cannabinoids.

Full Spectrum, Isolate, and Broad Spectrum are terms that refer to how much a hemp extract has been refined. All hemp plants are full spectrum and then when an extraction is made it can be further refined to isolate certain parts of the plant.

Full Spectrum

We only sell this type of CBD product. When a product is full spectrum, it means that it is not altered in any way, preserving the Full Spectrum of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids exactly as it occurs in the plant. This includes trace amounts of THC (below the federal limit of 0.3% by weight). This is not enough THC content to cause a psychoactive effect (ie a high) but it can cause a person to fail a drug test. From strain to strain, the effects of the products are highly varied due to the different levels of compounds in the ‘entourage’ of that strain. That variability is what makes hemp so versatile for different uses which is why we mostly sell products that reflect that particular hemp plant in its purest form.

Isolate

CBD Isolate is CBD that has been extracted from a plant and then processed a variety of ways until all that is left is pure, crystalline CBD with no other compounds from the plant. This means that there is no THC at all, and no other cannabinoids or terpenes or flavonoids. CBD isolate is typically a white powder that has no taste or smell. Products made with CBD isolate can be useful for those who are subject to THC drug testing but they do not allow for the full entourage effect that is specific to Full Spectrum products. Isolated CBD has become a large-scale commodity and it is what is most often used in cheaper (i.e. lower quality) CBD products that are on the market. For this reason, we're excited to bring a new gummy which is Isolate, specifically for our service men and women!

Broad Spectrum

A broad spectrum product is one that contains isolated CBD as well as other isolated cannabinoids such as CBG and CBN, and compounds from the plant such as terpenes which have therapeutic benefits of their own. Generally these products do not contain THC but sometimes do. It is helpful to think of broad spectrum as a ‘middle ground’ between full spectrum and isolate – not completely full spectrum and not completely isolated CBD. We do not sell any products that are Broad Spectrum.