With the wonderful range of potential health benefits that CBD offers, it’s no wonder that more and more people are flocking to their local dispensaries. There are more options for CBD products now than there ever have been, and telling them apart can be confusing at times. Arguably, CBD oil is the biggest part of the market and was the first product to gain real traction. But lately, CBD tinctures are gaining popularity, and these are often confused for oils.
CBD oil and CBD tinctures are both liquid extracts sold in small bottles and ingested orally via a dropper. However, their respective compositions are quite different. CBD oil is made by mixing a CBD isolate into a carrier oil, such as MCT oil or hemp seed oil. CBD tinctures are made by infusing raw hemp material into a base of alcohol.
Tinctures have been made this way for centuries, and herbalists can create these extracts from a huge variety of plants. By mixing plant material with a high-proof alcohol (at least 60% or 120 proof), many of the bioactive compounds are extracted into the liquid. For this reason, some people have tried making their own homemade hemp or CBD tinctures. It does take time (often 4-6 weeks) and patience. And one additional step is required for a hemp tincture: decarboxylation. This is a low, slow heating process that activates the compounds in the hemp flower. Once that’s done, the heated hemp can be mixed with alcohol in a sealed jar to steep. There are many easy recipes online if you feel ambitious. But you don’t need to be an amateur chemist to enjoy CBD tinctures; simply head over to Ignite Dispensary and pick up a bottle of CBD tincture, ready to go!
The unique extraction process affords some advantages to CBD tinctures that aren’t found with oils. Alcohol-based tinctures are easily dissolved in water, and so tend to be better absorbed than oils. Alcohol is also a great preservative and tinctures have a decently long shelf life.
Some products are labeled as a “CBD oil tincture,” so make sure you chat with a dispensary pro to make sure you know what you’re getting. Visit us at Ignite Dispensary and check out our CBD tinctures today!