Real vs Fake CBD and how to know the difference
The CBD market is relatively new, and with a new product, emerging brands, and unclear regulation, there can often be a major question mark when it comes to finding high quality, legit CBD.
With mounting evidence to support the numerous health benefits of taking CBD, numerous pop-up brands have emerged to ride the wave of the rising interest in CBD products. Unfortunately, most products on the market include undisclosed filler ingredients and contain only trace amounts of the CBD amount their labels claim. Some products don’t even qualify as CBD.
If you’re new to CBD, it can be difficult to determine which brands and products are legit - and more importantly - what’s the best for you. In this article we’ll talk about how you can tell real CBD from fakes, as well as the telltale signs to watch out for.
3 Things to Avoid in CBD Products:
1. Fillers and Toxic Ingredients
Every step of the process, from how the hemp is grown and manufactured, to how the CBD is extracted and processed, to the packaging and 3rd-Party Lab Testing can make or break the quality of your CBD (more on this later).
Up to 70% of CBD products on the market are contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, and other filler ingredients. This dishonest practice can result in toxic, harmful ingredients and trace chemicals being added to the supposedly healthy supplement you’re spending your hard-earned dollars on.
2. Inaccurate Labels2. Inaccurate Labels
CBD products are currently considered supplements, which aren't FDA-regulated. This lack of regulation has created a loophole for companies to make inaccurate claims about the amount of CBD and the ingredients in their products.
3rd parties have tested various CBD brands, only to find that the actual contents of their products were very different from what’s on the product’s label. Up to 70% of CBD products were mislabeled and did not have the CBD or ingredients that the label claimed.
3. Fake or Toxic CBD
Some CBD products are made from synthetic (unnatural) cannabinoids. Synthetic cannabinoids can actually be toxic and therefore hazardous to your health. Some brands names you may want to avoid include (but are not limited to) K2, Spice, Mr. Happy, Scooby Snax, and Kronic.
Don’t let this news scare you away from trying CBD. Here are some clear signs to help you identify real, high quality CBD versus fake CBD.
4 Ways to Ensure Quality CBD
1. 3rd-Party Lab Tests
Most importantly, your CBD products should be 3rd party lab tested. This ensures that you're really getting what you’re paying for and the exact amount of each cannabinoid is verified. We would also recommend researching the lab to ensure they are a credible source.
If a company does not have these lab tests readily available, ask to see them. Many reputable brands have QR codes on the product label that lead directly to the lab results for that product. Be sure to also match the product’s batch number with the batch number listed on the lab test. Check out Pure Mana CBD’s 3rd Party Lab Test results here!
2. Organic U.S.A. Farm-Grown Hemp
Make sure your CBD is made with 100% organically grown hemp - and preferably, farmed in the USA. Hemp plants absorb the toxins in their surrounding environment, so the quality of the soil, air, and farming methods are of utmost importance. The farming methods should be eco-friendly, because a happy planet means happy plants, and happy us.
3. Certified THC Free & Non-Psychoactive
Most CBD products can contain trace amounts of THC. If you’re not worried about being drug tested, this shouldn’t be a concern, since it’s typically not enough THC to get you high. However, if you do get drug tested, you’ll want to ensure you only buy “Broad Spectrum CBD” or “CBD Isolate” that is “Certified THC free” (and that the company proves it with 3rd party lab tests).
Full Spectrum CBD can legally contain up to 0.3% THC, which is not enough to get you high. However, if the company you’re buying from isn’t transparent about their ingredients and manufacturing processes via 3rd party lab tests, you may get more THC than you signed up for.
4. Nano-Amplified CBD
We wouldn’t venture to say that CBD products aren’t quality if the CBD has not been nano-amplified, but this process significantly improves your absorption of the CBD. Nano-amplified CBD offers up to 100% absorption, versus the typical 10-35% that regular CBD offers. Better absorption means more “bang for your buck” so you feel the results faster, they last longer, and they’re more powerful.
Let’s be honest, CBD isn’t cheap, so why would you want to waste up to 90% of it?! Check out this article to understand nano-amplified CBD and why it ensures the most effective results.
Luckily for you, we’re all over this, and our team is dedicated to ensuring that all Pure Mana CBD products meet and exceed these standards. Our promise to you is to always provide you with the highest quality, most effective products and continue to innovate as more studies and research emerge.
If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to us on social media! We’d love to provide additional insight.
