For the last few years, CBD has become a much more acceptable part of
modern life. From something that was once niche and considered to be its
own subculture, CBD is pretty damn ubiquitous nowadays.
I figured and had been told, it might help with my chronic
sleeplessness. Sick of lying in bed staring at the ceiling whilst my
partner snored gently beside me, and always up for a new experience, I
figured, why not?
But starting out proved difficult. Like anything that’s proving
popular, the culture around CBD products and the amount of products
available is absolutely mind-boggling. There’s so much choice out there
right now, with companies springing up out of nowhere, and almost no
useful legislation. It’s even up in the air over the legality of some of
these things.
Pair that with the fact that CBD stuff has different effects on
different people (so experimenting is necessary), and you’ve got a
recipe for chaos.
So how do you know what you’re buying, what to actually buy, and what all this jargon means? Read on to find out.
What is CBD oil?
CBD, which you might hear referred to as Cannabidiol,
hemp oil or hemp extract, is a plant extract that’s been created from
the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, grounded into a paste form.
Hemp CBD oil can also be extracted from the seeds, but seed oil is
generally seen as a secondary source.
This is why CBD products have an entirely different legality to the
drug cannabis or cannabis plants, because CBD oils and other products
contain almost no THC, the psychoactive component, so they can’t get you
high. In the UK, CBD products have to have THC content lower than 0.2%.
What are the benefits of CBD oil?
The health benefits of CBD are actually surprisingly varied, but
because it’s only recently come into vogue, we’re still waiting for
serious scientific studies.
There are enough studies out there to know that CBD has therapeutic effects and to back this up, the World Health Organization says that CBD oil is “generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.”
- Alzheimer’s
- Parkinson’s
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Generalized Pain
- Depression and Anxiety
- Insomnia
7 best CBD oils
Blessed CBD
Our top pick for one main reason, Blessed CBD’s premium oil sits at
an amazing 1800mg concentration level and boasts an incredible level of
purity. It’s one of, if not the strongest CBD oils we’ve seen out there
on the UK market, especially at this level of quality.
That means you’re barely going to have to dose to feel the effects.
The oil is not only pure, it’s also full-spectrum CBD oil, with a long
list of cannabinoids and terpene profiles. Plus, Blessed CBD discloses
where and how their hemp is grown because this actually makes a serious
difference.
If you grow a plant in ill–suited soil, with cheap fertilizers and
bad care, the plant isn’t going to have the correct range of nutrients
when you break it down. Which means a weak end product.
On top of the strength of the product itself, we also like the
company and approve of their practices. Unlike a lot of UK-based CBD
companies out there, Blessed CBD operates like a high-level
pharmaceutical company, with high levels of transparency about their
processes and verification on all their products.
That’s why they boast about how pure everything is. They actually
know and show it to you with comprehensive lab results, so you can trust
in their brand.
Finally, you don’t have to worry about going all in with an 1800mg
strength CBD oil as your first one. Blessed CBD also have 500mg and
1000mg CBD oils available, perfect for anyone, seasoned pro or an
absolute beginner.
No matter who you are or what you need your CBD for, we recommend giving Blessed CBD a try.
CBD Pure
A smaller company based out of the USA (which is one of the only real
downsides, as delivery to the UK can take 10-14 days), CBDPure know what
they do best, which is quality CBD oil, and focus on it.
Their range of products is limited, but each one is excellent and fills a distinct niche.
You’ll notice a theme with our favorite CBD products. They’re
generally higher quality, slightly more expensive, and heavily
self–regulated in an industry not known for it. CBDPure follows this
theme, delivering a quality product, no matter what it takes.
First off, they use what’s widely considered the best method of CBD
processing, CO2 extraction, for the purest end result possible. This is
supported by the fact that their products are 100% organic, with no
fertilizers, colorings or other chemicals added during the process.
Whilst CBDPure offers a small range of products, they do come in both
tincture and capsule options, with strengths from 100mg, for mild pain,
up to a stronger 750mg soft CBD capsules.
Endoca Raw
Organic and pure like our top two picks, but also vegan safe and
gluten-free, Endoca raw is a fantastic choice if you’re someone who
cares a little more about where their products come from and want to
have the minimum negative impact on the world.
You’re going to get exceptional purity, as above, because of the
supercritical CO2 extraction processes used to filter out the CBD from
the hemp, and if you’re especially worried, each batch is certified with
its own reports on purity and ingredients listings.
Available in tincture and capsules, Endoca Raw is a great product but
falls short in a couple of ways. One, the taste is surprisingly strong,
which is to be expected considering it’s all-natural, and two, it only
comes in two strengths, which is a little less than we like to see.
Despite that, though, you’re getting a great, all-natural CBD oil, and
it’s going to do exactly what you need it to do, while protecting the
environment at the same time.
Select CBD
Another of our American CBD oil brands, produced in Portland, Oregon,
which is apparently incredibly popular across the shore, which is why
it’s now made its way across to us.
Using high-quality CO2 extraction, like most of our top choices, the
purity is exceptional, and it contains absolutely 0% THC, making it
legal in the UK, no matter what.
Each batch comes with lab certification, so you know exactly what
you’re getting, but that’s par for the course with our top choices.
What sets Select CBD apart is the range of flavors. If you don’t get
on with CBD’s distinct flavor, these tinctures have a full variety of
different choices, easily masking the issue and making it a whole lot
more palatable.
Hempura
Hempura is a home-grown brand based in Blighty, UK. Well known
amongst UK CBD users, they’re small right now but have a lot to
recommend them for.
First off, you’ve got the standards of purity. Like almost everything
on this list, it’s CO2 extracted, meaning you’re going to get a quality
product, no matter what.
Second is the range of strengths, from 250mg up to 1000mg, which is a
good solid spread, whether you need it for mild pain relief or
insomnia, or something stronger for a more critical issue. It’s also
third-party lab tested for quality, as you might expect from a good
brand name like this.
But the real reason we like Hempura is the range of products. They go
as low as £19.99, which for CBD oil is actually pretty crazy, and that
makes this brand a perfect starting point for people seeing if they get
on with CBD.
Love Hemp CBD
A high-level brand with a premium price tag, Love Hemp makes excellent
products, but they might just be a little too expensive compared to the
other options on this list.
If you do decide to buy, this brand is top-shelf quality. CO2
extracted, as you might imagine, but they also use organic hemp, are
completely vegan, gluten–free, CMO free, with zero pesticides,
herbicides or any other additives at all.
Each batch of hemp is grown in strict conditions, in bio-soil, with
nothing artificial added, leading to clean, pure broad-spectrum CBD with
high levels of terpenes, flavonoids, and phytonutrients.
Plus, Love Hemp have a good range of products, including a solid
selection of edibles, if that’s your thing. So, to recount, great
product, little on the expensive side, but if you buy it, you’ll love it.
Bud and Tender
Bud and Tender are UK based and just getting started.
Unlike everything else here, their oils aren’t purely CO2 extracted,
also using an ethanol extraction process. However, this doesn’t really
impact the purity that badly, and you’ll get a full lab report with
every batch in case you’re concerned.
Don’t let it bother you, though, because the oil itself is
exceptional, with a light, floral, almost fruity flavor that sinks in
and kicked in fast. It comes in sizes up from 10ml bottles, so go take a
look at their selection.
