How your cannabinoids are extracted matters. 

Did you know cannabinoids can be derived from hemp by different methods? Did you know that once it’s taken out of the plant, there are multiple ways to make these compounds usable to the human body? Have you considered that some ways are better than others?

Hemp Extraction Basics

In the case of hemp, extraction is the process of separating and removing cannabinoids and other compounds from the plant material.

Some extraction methods use harsh solvents like butane, pentane and hexane, which are thought to leave harmful residue that may be ingested with the extract. Some use ethanol, which results in extract containing chlorophylls that have an off-putting bitter taste. Similarly, CO2 extraction must be performed with great skill or the resulting extract may taste sour due to high carbonic acid content. Another method is soaking plant material in oil, but the resulting infusion is unpredictable and highly perishable.

The purpose of any of these methods is to extract as much of the cannabinoid from plant material as possible.

Decarboxylation

The cannabinoids produced by hemp plants must be converted to become usable by the human body. Scientists call the conversion of naturally occurring phytocannabinoids to their usable forms “activation” (or “decarboxylation” if you want to get technical).

Activation may be achieved by different means, such as exposure to heat, time or light. The most  conventional method, heat exposure over a long period of time, can destroy much of the source plant’s terpene profile. The less time the plant is exposed to heat, the more its desirable active compounds will be retained. Learn more in “What’s full-spectrum… and why should you care?”

The BLOOM FARMS Difference

We believe the extraction method used for our tinctures is the finest available. Only thermal extraction is used to extract the cannabinoids and terpenes from organic hemp. Very brief exposure to heated air gently activates the desired compound while preserving the plant’s full cannabinoid and terpene profile. The resulting vapor is then condensed into a potent whole-plant hemp extract—rich in terpenes and other compounds—that is truly full-spectrum and as close to the plant as possible.

What to Look For

No matter what products you choose, we want you to feel informed and knowledgeable about what to look for. We recommend asking where the plants are grown, how the product extracted and what activation method is used.