You’ve seen them online. Those cannabis products everyone raves about. But before you hit the “order” button, do your research. Here’s what you should look for.
When purchasing anything at all, what works for you is what you should buy. Regarding cannabis, the tincture that everyone recommends is a good place to start your research. The THC/ CBD oil tincture that you decide to purchase should resonate with you and your needs.
Selecting and buying an oil tincture depends on many factors; are you looking for:
- THC or CBD?
- 1:1 ratio or different ratio?
- Terpene enriched or not?
- With flavor or without?
- How many milligrams per dose?
- Does the extraction method matter?
- Do added ingredients matter?
Once you have answered these types of questions, the selection for the best starts. A good place to start are those tinctures that everyone recommends. Those are a good starting point for your search.
THC Tincture VS CBD Tincture
Generally, if shopping online, the CBD options will be CBD from hemp. THC in amounts more than 0.3%, are not allowed to be sold online because of legality. Hemp CBD is legal if THC is tested and is less than 0.3%.
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If you are looking for a THC tincture, even the best CBD tincture may not be good for you if it’s specifically THC you’re after. THC and CBD are both great but are very different from each other. If you are in a legal cannabis state and looking for THC, you’ll find the best oil tincture selection at a cannabis dispensary.
The same is true for someone who wants a CBD tincture. If someone is shopping for THC free CBD, a full spectrum product will not be best. What’s best may be a broad-spectrum and/or isolate CBD tincture.
Cannabis Ratio’s
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Cannabis ratios for oil tinctures look like: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and so on. These ratios generally tell how much CBD to THC is in the product. Here are examples of ratios you may find on oil tinctures:
1:1 — a balanced half and half of CBD and THC. Still psychoactive.
4:1 — More CBD than THC and considered a middle/mid. Less psychoactive.
8:1 — High CBD, low THC and considered the ratio for wanting virtually no high.
Someone may recommend a 1:1 product; however, if you want zero THC, that 1:1 will not be a good choice for you.
Cannabis Spectrums
Generally, tinctures are available in different spectrums when CBD is the focus: full, broad, isolate, and nano. These spectrums determine the range of cannabinoids in the tincture:
Full Spectrum: will contain all of the compounds that the plant carries: the terpenes, essential oils, and cannabinoids- including THC.
Broad Spectrum: the “in between” option of isolate and full spectrums- Broad spectrum will have most of the plant’s compounds but in this spectrum, THC is removed.
Isolate: known as the purest form it extracts a single compound and “isolates it” from the others. Isolate removes all other compounds leaving just the CBD cannabinoid.
Nano: the water-soluble option- meaning, it dissolves in water.
Terpene Enriched Oil Tinctures
Terpenes are the oil compounds responsible for the fragrance of the cannabis plant (and many other plants) as well as the flavors, effects, and colors. There are over 20,000 terpenes in existence. The cannabis plant produces about 100 of them.
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Terpenes are important because they contribute to the impact that each cannabinoid has on our bodies. Knowing about the terpene profile within the cannabis oil tincture is an important consideration.
Here are a few popular terpenes and their said effects:
- Myrcene: anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibiotic, sedative, anti-mutagenic
- Limonene: elevated mood, stress relief, anti-fungal, antibacterial
- Linalool: pain reducer, anti-microbial, reduces anxiety, and lowers depression
- Humulene: fights tumors, helps terminate cancer cells, antibacterial, anti-fungal
Oil Tinctures with Added Ingredients
Some cannabis oil tinctures are flavored, contain essential oils, and have added carrier agents. CBD in tincture is less potent than CBD oil. This is generally because of the other ingredients being added to enhance the flavor. Some of those ingredients include: herbs, sweeteners, vitamins, and carrier agent like MCT or coconut oil.
So, you see, the cannabis oil tincture that everyone buys may or may not work for you. Those brands/companies may be great places to start your research; however, there are many considerations and those vary by person. You should buy the cannabis oil tincture that is best for you and your needs.
