What’s a Full Spectrum?
Full spectrum CBD Oils contain the hemp plant’s original terpenes and other types of cannabinoids, including cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), and less than 0.3% THC. Oils with the full spectrum of these compounds are healthier due to the different cannabinoids working together synergistically.
Terpenes that create hemp’s flavors and aromas have health benefits (including promoting relaxation, calm and sleep). These compounds are crucial to the range of beneficial action that hemp extract has on the human body.
The Healthiest CBD oils are made using cultivation and production methods that grow, preserve, and capture more of these natural hemp components.
Not All CBD Oils are the Same
The term full spectrum is loosely defined. Many CBD oil products that are called full spectrum are not as healthy as others. Cost cutting and labor saving practices causes reduced terpene and cannabinoid levels in the final product.
Cultivation, processing and extraction methods all impact the healthiness of the resulting CBD oil.
How Hemp is Grown Matters
Organic cultivation with adequate space for each plant produces hemp that is free from contaminants and rich in healthy compounds.
Because hemp is a bio-acumulator, meaning that compounds in the environment concentrate in the plant, no pesticides or herbicides can be used, ever. Even organic pesticides can be unhealthy.
CBD oils producers that source hemp from external suppliers don’t control the growing conditions of the hemp they use.
Small family farms like Northeast Kingdom Hemp know exactly how all their hemp is grown. By caring for each plant by hand, and with cold winters eliminating almost all pests naturally, they can be sure that the hemp for their full spectrum oils grows free from contaminants and is rich with healthy hemp compounds.
Harvesting and Processing Matters
The delicate trichome hairs that cover hemp leaves and flowers are like tiny factories producing resins of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that give each hemp strain its unique character.
Abrasive industrial scale harvesting and processing may strip trichomes and resins from the plants. Large producers may use industrial dryers that dry hemp so quickly that the highly volatile terpenes also evaporate in the dryer.
Even natural drying in the low humidity air of western states like Arizona, Colorado, or California can cause loss of terpenes because the hemp dries too fast.
Operating on a smaller scale, hand harvesting keeps the delicate trichomes and resins that coat hemp plants intact. Natural drying by hanging hemp plants in cooler higher humidity Eastern air provides optimum drying rates for preserving terpenes. These methods take a lot more work but are essential for producing the Healthiest full spectrum CBD oils.
Extraction is Critical
Extraction must efficiently preserve and capture the full spectrum of healthy hemp compounds while rejecting undesired components. CO2 extraction is the best chemical-free technique, but flow rates in high-volume processing may blow terpenes through the system without capturing them.
Alcohol extractions leave chlorophylls in the extract giving a taste like a freshly mowed lawn. Subsequent steps to remove chlorophylls can degrade or drive off terpenes.
Small batch CO2 extraction with multiple collection chambers and precise control provides the best chemical-free capture of cannabinoid and terpene oils and removal of undesired waxes and chlorophyll.
Though it may only be possible to process a single pound of hemp per hour using this technique, it produces the richest full spectrum oil with the most complete capture of cannabinoids and terpenes.
This time consuming process may not fit the business model for large scale manufacturers, but it’s the way to make full spectrum CBD oils that are teeming with healthy hemp compounds.
What Should You Do?
When selecting CBD products, full spectrum is good, but make sure you get the Healthiest full spectrum CBD. That means finding a source that puts quality first in every step of the process. How your CBD is grown, processed, and extracted affects how it works in your body.
Small family farms like Northeast Kingdom Hemp don’t compromise quality for profit. They only make the Healthiest CBD oils.
| The Healthiest Way | Reason | Most Major Brands | NEK Hemp |
| Never Sourced. All hemp grown on own farm | Full control. Who knows what has been done to sourced hemp. | No | Yes |
| Fully Organic USDA Certified | Pure healthy hemp | ? | Yes |
| Never any pesticides or herbicides ever. | Hemp is a bio-accumulator. Even organic pesticides aren’t healthy | ? | Yes |
| Well-spaced healthy clean individual hemp plants | Prevents mold on lower branches. More natural healthy compounds in hemp plants. | ? | Yes |
| Hand harvesting | Avoid loss of terpene crystals on outside of hemp plants through harsh abrasive industrial harvesting | No | Yes |
| Natural drying by hanging in open air | Avoid destruction and loss of terpenes and other healthy hemp compounds due to industrial dryers | No | Yes |
| Optimum slow drying humidity | More humid eastern climate preserves terpenes. Drying too fast in low humidity Colorado, California, Arizona weather causes loss of volatile terpenes | No/? | Yes |
| Precise small-batch CO2 extraction | Preserve and capture volatile terpenes and healthy hemp compounds. Industrial scale extractions don’t. Not all “Full-Spectrums” are equal. | No | Yes |
About Northeast Kingdom Hemp
Northeast Kingdom Hemp is a family farm producing full-spectrum CBD oils and other hemp products in Barton, Vermont. Four generations of family farmers – all born and raised in Vermont – lovingly tend all the hemp on our USDA Certified Organic farm. We follow sustainable practices to grow pure and healthy hemp plants. We do all the processing of our hemp, including small-batch supercritical CO2 extraction which preserves and captures the more than 80 active compounds naturally found in hemp. The result is pure, great tasting, healthier CBD oils that are teeming with naturally occurring phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that are largely lost by more industrial extraction methods. Because we perform the entire process from planting to bottling right on the farm, we know that every step is done right to give you the purest and healthiest CBD oils.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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