Transferring the beneficial compounds of Hemp into a beneficial oil that is brimming with cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids is an exact science. So, how do CBD producers make Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil from Hemp flowers, leaves, and stalks?
We are often asked about the various CBD extraction processes. Instead of going down the beaten path, our experts chose to produce Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil that is devoid of solvents, harsh chemicals, and any other residual chemical compounds. Most CBD producers choose CO2 or ethanol extraction. However, we have developed our proprietary LipidTrans™ process, which gently infuses whole-plant Hemp into coconut oil or MCT.
Join us on a tour of how Hemp is concentrated and why the extraction process matters—a lot.
How Is CBD Produced?
CO2 Extraction
Many CBD producers use CO2 to extract the CBD from Hemp.
CO2 has an interesting particularity: it can exist in a gas, liquid, and solid-state. CBD producers use CO2’s multiple states to their advantage. Hemp is placed in a chamber with CO2. The temperature in this chamber is lowered to -69 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, CO2 turns liquid. The producer then applies pressure to harshly squeeze the various Hemp compounds and let them seep into the CO2. The liquid CO2 absorbs Hemp’s cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.
To get rid of the CO2, this liquid is then pushed into a warm compartment, where CO2 returns to its gas state. What is left behind is CBD extract.
While this method has been adopted by many CBD producers, it requires expert knowledge on how to handle CO2. Some chemical compounds may remain with the resulting CBD oil if the process is not perfect.
Ethanol
Ethanol extraction uses a solvent such as butane, ethanol, or some other form of alcohol to strip Hemp of its botanical compounds.
Depending on the producer, all or part of the Hemp plant is soaked into the solvent to separate the compounds from the plant. Fibers and other unwanted Hemp materials are discarded. The extract is then heated to eliminate the solvent through evaporation, leaving behind CBD extract.
If the process is not perfect, solvent residues may still be traceable in the CBD oil, even after evaporation through heat. Also, the process gives the CBD oil a characteristic bitter taste because of the chlorophyll stripped from Hemp’s leaves by ethanol.
How Is CBD Oil Produced?
CBD is lipophilic and hydrophobic: it attaches to fats and oils but doesn’t mix with water. That is why CBD producers have to use an oil to help CBD concentrate dissolve and typically mix the CBD extract with a carrier oil such as coconut oil, MCT, olive oil, etc.
After the extraction process, the CBD extract is distilled or passed through additional solvents to produce full-spectrum CBD oil, broad-spectrum CBD oil, CBD distillate, or CBD isolate.
How Is Full-Spectrum CBD Oil Produced?
When the process ends with the mixing of CBD extract with a carrier oil, we end up with Full-Spectrum CBD Oil. This contains most of Hemp’s cannabinoids, flavonoids, minerals, vitamins, and terpenes—the aromatic compounds of Hemp that give the plant its characteristic aromas.
It should be noted that some compounds, such as terpenes and flavonoids, are much more volatile than cannabinoids. As a result, most extractions lead to the loss of some significant phytonutrients during processing, making true full-spectrum CBD oil rarer than you might expect.
How Is Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil Produced?
Broad-spectrum CBD oil is similar to Full-Spectrum CBD Oil but an additional step is required to remove any traces of THC—the psychotropic cannabinoid that is responsible for a sense of “high.” While CBD by law is required to have under 0.3% of THC, this minute amount may still show up in drug tests. That is why some consumers prefer broad-spectrum CBD oil to full-spectrum one.
One way to remove the THC is to distill CBD extract. Since the various compounds boil at different points, solvent-extracted concentrates are evaporated and then condensed at precise temperatures. This allows CBD producers to remove THC while leaving the rest of the compounds in the mixture to make broad-spectrum CBD oil. However, during evaporation, it is possible that other compounds like flavonoids and terpenes are also removed.
Another way to create broad-spectrum CBD oil is to add specific compounds to CBD distillate or CBD isolate.
How Is CBD Distillate Produced?
CBD distillate consists solely of cannabinoids. After the solvent extraction, the resulting CBD extract is distilled, often multiple times, to purify it. This leads eventually to a product that contains nothing but cannabinoids.
This is useful to CBD producers who wish to create CBD products with specific properties. For example, if they want to create a CBD oil with a strong taste of lemons, they can add a terpene called limonene to CBD distillate. By following a similar process, it is also possible to end up with a proprietary broad-spectrum CBD oil: simply add the desired terpenes and other bioactive compounds to CBD distillate to create a unique product.
CBD distillate can also be used to create CBD isolate.
How Is CBD Isolate Produced?
CBD isolate is the purest form of extracted CBD. It has the form of a crystalline powder and consists of 99.9% pure CBD. To produce CBD isolate, CBD producers use chromatography to identify all the individual chemical compounds of Hemp. They then remove everything except for CBD using additional solvent processes after distillation.
Since all terpenes and other plant matter have been eliminated, CBD isolate has a neutral taste and no aromas. Medical companies and mass producers prefer it because it is a known quantity, offering consistency and standardization.
What Is Synchronicity Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil?
Here at Synchronicity, we have decided to take a different path, producing Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil instead of CBD oil.
We have studied Hemp for more than 20 years. In this time, we have come to deeply respect and appreciate Hemp’s potential and botanical integrity. That’s why we refuse to process Hemp through harsh chemicals and solvents that hurt the plant’s completeness. Instead, we infuse Hemp in coconut oil or MCT to let the Hemp’s compounds gently seep into the carrier oil and pass on all of Hemp’s wholesomeness.
We Have Chosen the Most Productive Hemp Plants
Let’s make a comparison with cooking. Have you noticed how your food tastes awesome when your ingredients are fresh? When your fruits and vegetables are freshly picked and brimming with vitamins, your food doesn’t need too much cooking or too many spices: the ingredients speak for themselves.
Now take this analogy to Hemp production: when the Hemp is grown sustainably with optimal care and attention, then the resulting Hemp Oil will surely be of excellent quality. If you add to the mix a gentle infusion process that respects the plant, then your Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil can’t help but be of superior quality.
Through dedicated work, cross-breeding Hemp varieties, and science, we have patented a Hemp variety we have called CBDRx18. This Hemp variety contains less than 0.3% THC but has 60% CBD, and is brimming with more than 100 Hemp compounds.
We grow this patented Hemp variety locally in our own farms in Colorado and Iowa. Before harvesting, we send samples of our Hemp to the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) to confirm that the THC content is less than 0.3% and that our Hemp contains no pesticides, heavy metals, or other unwanted compounds. Once we get the green light from the CDA, we then harvest our Hemp, usually around October.
The attention and care we put into our Hemp mean that our Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil is produced from the cleanest, purest, most excellent Hemp variety.
Infusion
We have foregone easy but harsh extraction processes for LipidTrans™, our patented infusion process that doesn’t hurt the plant.
We infuse whole-plant CBDRx18 Hemp in coconut oil or MCT and let the carrier oil absorb all of Hemp’s beneficial phytonutrients. In fact, we double-infuse our Hemp to make sure that all of the Hemp’s wellness transfers to the carrier oil.
We then gently hand-press it to remove the fibers and keep the oil. We don’t treat, process, strip, or do anything harsh to our Hemp. We are the ONLY Hemp Oil company who utilizes this method. Our primary concern is to let the full integrity of Hemp seep into our Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil—what we call Wellness Through Oneness™.
Testing
Our products are third-party tested at independent labs throughout the production process. The repeated tests check for cannabinoid content as well as the presence of pesticides, heavy metals, and harmful chemical compounds. Our infusion method makes sure we provide the healthiest and cleanest Hemp Oil product in the market.
If you don’t believe us, simply check online our Certificates of Analysis (CoA). See for yourself the quantity of CBD and other cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds in all of our products by simply entering the respective Lot Number.
Certification
Synchronicity has received its US Hemp Authority Certification. We are compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practices and licensed with the FDA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. We have also received our GMP Certification from NSF and SGS and proudly carry our ISO 9001-2015 Certification.
The True Entourage Effect
Hemp has many cannabinoids, like CBC, THC-O THCV, HHC, and more. Why focus on just one of them?
Instead of focusing just on cannabidiol, our Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil contains cannabinoids, vitamins, minerals, terpenes, and flavonoids, which carry their own properties. When they work together, they produce an optimal overall effect, the ensemble effect, or entourage effect as it may be more commonly known as.
The term was first coined in 1988 by Raphael Mechoulam, the scientist who discovered THC. It was further explored by Dr. Ethan Russo in his landmark 2011 paper, “Taming THC.” Put simply, when it comes to hemp, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Hemp’s cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids work in tandem to enhance each other’s effects.
The Synchronicity team has studied Hemp intensely to let you enjoy the True Entourage Effect™. We want our Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil products to be as close as possible to how nature intended. That’s why we intervene as little as possible, to maximize the wholesomeness of nature. Our Hemp plants are our most precious asset: they contain all of Hemp’s holistic wealth in their leaves, flowers, stalks, and stems. Why should we mess with that?
Our Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil product selection comes in various strengths. You will find Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil face creams and serums, body lotions, body butters, and body oils, as well as sunscreen, capsules, and tinctures. Give our trial kit a try to test several of our products and decide which ones work best for you.
Instead of opting for artificially produced cannabinoids, Feel the Full Effect™ with Synchronicity Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil products. We make the most out of Hemp to help you find the perfect mental and physical balance!
