Cannabidiol (CBD) has become a household name in recent years. Its processed form is now extremely common and is frequently infused into edibles, gummies, beverages, and even topical products like lotions.
But even as developments continue into CBD processing, many users are starting to find that they prefer the raw CBD flower over its processed forms. This guide to CBD flowers will define what they are, explain their benefits, and introduce other vital information to help you decide if raw CBD buds are right for you.
Defining CBD hemp flowers
So where does CBD come from? The raw product known as CBD flowers is harvested from the industrial hemp plant, specifically the Cannabis sativa L. species. When the female variant of this plant matures, it produces a flower or bud that is naturally packed with CBD.
During the flowering stage, terpenes produce the characteristic hemp aroma while, at the same, the plant has its highly prized phytocannabinoids like CBD. These cannabis flowers are then dried.
At this point, CBD Hemp Flower can be further processed to extract its cannabinoids to create CBD oil. However, dried buds can already be packaged ready for smoking, vaping, or even cooking. It is this raw product that many have taken a keen interest in.
What is industrial hemp used for?
Hemp has thousands of industrial, commercial, and therapeutic uses. Among them include clothing, textiles, insulation, paper, and bioplastics. Cannabis, which refers to the hemp variety, which contains high levels of CBD and low THC levels, is also used for a wide variety of therapeutic uses.
People who use CBD generally fall under two categories, recreational and therapeutic. For the former, CBD for stress is used as an effective way to relax. This group typically prefers vaped or smoked buds.
For the latter, they use CBD to relieve symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and to reduce inflammation. This segment of CBD users usually prefers CBD oil capsules, edibles, beverages, and lotions.
Methods of consumption
How much you benefit from CBD is heavily influenced by your chosen method of consumption. As mentioned earlier, there are several ways you can take CBD. Each technique offers a different CBD bioavailability or the rate by which your body absorbs CBD.
Smoking CBD
This is by far the most efficient method of consuming CBD. When you smoke CBD, you deliver it straight to your bloodstream via your lungs. This method offers a bioavailability of 34% to 46%, with some estimating it as high as 56%. Smoking also lets you feel its effects in just a matter of minutes.
Sublingual and oral CBD
The next best way to take CBD is sublingual, where you use a dropper to administer CBD under the tongue. This method is still less efficient than smoking and has a bioavailability of just 12% to 35%.
Lastly, the least efficient method to take CBD is oral with CBD capsules, edibles, gummies, and beverages. Inborn this way, CBD travels through the digestive tract, which strips the total CBD that your body ultimately absorbs. Oral CBD just has a bioavailability of 4% to a maximum of 20%.
The entourage effect
One of the exciting qualities of CBD is known as an entourage effect. This refers to the synergistic interaction of the different cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, and other natural compounds in cannabis to deliver heightened effects.
Some CBD strains contain 0.3% THC, the mind-altering cannabinoid that produces psychoactive effects. Initial studies have shown that an interplay between THC and CBD has possible medical value in the effective management of pain.
It may also be possible that THC’s addition makes CBD more effective in reducing symptoms of insomnia, cancer treatment, inflammations, and providing pain relief.
How to choose the best CBD flowers
Cannabis growers cultivate a wide range of hemp strains. These strains can contain high levels of CBD and high THC levels too. To be sure of the CBD contents you are purchasing, it is highly recommended to look for a Certificate of Analysis (CoA).
A third-party tester provides a CoA, and this document details the cannabinoid levels of the CBD flowers. Having lab-tested CBD provides you with guarantees that you are getting exactly what you are paying for in terms of CBD concentrations.
You can purchase top-shelf CBD flowers that have undergone the most rigorous cultivation processes. These products may feature a 100% organic seal that states they are free of pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals.
High-quality Best CBD flowers can be purchased in dispensaries but are also widely available via eCommerce websites. These locations, both online and offline, feature some of the most trusted CBD brands.
Some of these brands even offer cannabigerol (CBG) flowers, a much rarer cannabinoid that studies suggest may enhance the signaling of anandamide, which is also known as the “bliss molecule.” This neurotransmitter plays a critical role in activating cannabinoid receptors in brain cells that heightens motivation and happiness.
Final thoughts
CBD flowers are the raw product that CBD oils are extracted from. They are commonly smoked and vaped and provide almost instantaneous relaxation. You also end up needing much smaller quantities of CBD when you smoke it to get the same effects as ingesting it via tinctures, capsules, or gummies.
You also have your choice of CBD strains, which offer a wide variety of therapeutic effects. Be sure to look for guarantee seals and CoA’s to give you the peace of mind that what you are smoking is indeed what it claims to be.
CBD is not regulated nor approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat, cure, or prevent medical symptoms, sickness, or disorder. It is meant to be a supplement and may produce adverse effects such as dry mouth, diarrhea, appetite changes, drowsiness, and fatigue.
