Cannabis is really complicated, but CBD oils don’t need to be. All the jargon and buzz wordiness is enough to stress you out; which is the complete opposite of what CBD should do.
To throw the metaphorical cat into the pigeons, the FSA have decided to make a distinction between Cold Pressed Hemp Oil (often marketed as CBD Oil) and oils produced with an extract derived from a solvent (mostly Co2 gas). As if things weren’t confusing enough.
In short, with any CBD oil, there needs to be a process of extraction to draw out the cannabinoids (and other beneficial bioactive) from the flowers and the extraction is usually added to a carrier oil (which is mostly hemp). The difference between ‘Cold Pressed CBD Oil and CO2 extraction simply comes down to the way that the oils are produced.
You may have noticed that we only stock a ‘Cold Pressed CBD Oil’ and that is for a good reason: so we wanted to go into as much detail as we can about what a cold pressed CBD oil is, and how/why does it differ from other oils you can buy online.
What is cold-pressed CBD?
The term ‘cold pressed’ refers to the process of extraction. Thus drawing out all of the naturally occurring cannabinoids, the delicate terpenes, flavinoids and phyto-goodness.
Cold pressing is a traditional process that has been used for thousands of years to separate oil-based compounds from unwanted plant matter – like how olive oil is produced.
Cold Pressed hemp oils require the hemp flowers to be crushed, squeezed and mashed, and then the extract is washed with hemp seed oil (which does not contain any cannabinoids, but is super rich in Omega fatty acids). The temperature remains low throughout the whole process so the more delicate compounds are protected and a more natural rounded oil is achieved.
Cold Pressed Vs Co2 Extraction?
As a comparison, Co2 extraction uses a solvent (can be alcohol, butane or co2 gas) at high pressure and temperature to separate the valuable compounds from the plant matter. The process is harsh and can result in the waste of delicate compounds, but not always. What comes out of the process is a super concentrated mix or (mostly) decarboxylated compounds (we’ll talk about this in another post).
Cold pressing the flowers process ensures the cannabinoids are at a level you’d find in nature, and the oil contains all of the compounds that nature intended. This included raw acid cannabinoids (CBDa and CBGa), terpenes and flavonoids. The synergistic effect of everything together cannot be overlooked (known as the entourage effect). The process is said to create a more natural, more beneficial and healthier oil.
There is one major drawback with cold-pressing oils; the production will always result in a low concentration of cannabinoids. While many CBD oils on the market can contain up to 10% and 20%mgs, cold-pressed oil is more realistically about 3-4% in concentration. The benefit is that the oils are way more synergistic, so you’re going to get more, with less.
Why are Cold Pressed CBD products non-Novel?
Unless you’re in the business, you may be wondering what ‘Non-novel’ is? Well, the FSA has pushed to regulate the CBD market under the ‘Novel Food’ laws which require ‘new foods’ to be assessed. This is to determine whether a food, without a history of consumption before the early 1990’s, is safe.
There is a lot of debate, but the accusation by critics is that the government is being lobbied by interested pharmaceutical companies who wish to take advantage of green gold, and medicalise it (effectively ringfencing the entire market for themselves). The pharmaceutical machine tends to like to play legal, and political games to meet its ends. Thus, an overcomplicated, beaurocratic process to register the products has started, and all producers/ retailers much be registered to sell their products.
As was predicted by critics, the most effective extracts (Full-Spectrum) have been given undue scrutiny, while the lesser effective isolate CBD extract has been given an easy ride. A betting person would say the full spectrum has been reserved for the pharma-cartel.
Thankfully, there is evidence that cold-pressed CBD oils had been safely produced and eaten before the novel food cut off, and is therefore exempt from any novel regulations. They may be the only remaining full-spectrum products to be legally on the shelf after regulation.
What Makes The Long Leaf Cold Pressed Unique?
So, if the process is always the same? What makes our oil different to other cold-pressed CBD oil? Other than the fact that it’s beautiful, we add a little something special into the mix; terpenes.
You may already know that terpenes are beneficial compounds which have their own effects on our bodies; some makes is calmer and others give us energy. We have infused our cold-pressed CBD hemp oils with cannabis-derived terpenes for extra flavour, and for their functional benefits. We have a Sativa blend for the day and an Indica for the evening.