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How Do “Natural,” “Organic” and “Non-GMO” Ingredients Impact a CBD Product’s Effectiveness?

Posted by David on

When shopping online for CBD, you’re likely going to come across all kinds of buzzwords, such as “organic,” “natural” and “non-GMO.” These things all sound good, but how many of us actually know what they mean, and their direct impacts on the quality and effectiveness of the products that we use?

What These Terms Actually Mean

Before we talk about how these attributes impact a CBD product’s effectiveness, let’s first break down what each one actually means.

Natural

Natural simply means derived from natural sources. CBD and other hemp compounds are inherently natural, as they come directly from plant material. But, the other ingredients in a CBD product should be mostly natural as well. Plant-based ingredients are more likely to “play nice” with the compounds in hemp that we deem desirable, meaning that they are less likely to interfere with the chemical stability of the product.

Organic:

The terms “organic” and “natural” are often used interchangeably, but they shouldn’t. Natural means naturally derived, while using the term “organic” requires certain stringent practices that must be in place. In order for hemp to be certified organic, the farm must not use certain chemicals that aid in the cultivation process, such as pesticides, herbicides and other potentially toxic materials that can damage the soil and the plant structure. Non-organic CBD may contain toxins that come from the ingredients used in these products. Not only is that potentially dangerous for your health, but it can cause damage to the structure of each compound.

Non-GMO

Tends to be the least understood of all. Non-GMO means that the ingredient has not been chemically modified or genetically engineered. GMO means genetically modified organism. In other words, a GMO is a substance which has been genetically tampered with in a laboratory. This practice is often done to make organic substances more resilient to certain unfavorable environmental factors, or to affect crops in a way that’s more profitable to the farmer, such as using chemistry to produce larger crops or a greater quantity. But these practices can damage the chemical composition of a product, and may even cause adverse health effects, according to some experts.

How These Factors Impact the Effectiveness of Your CBD Product

It all comes down to chemical stability. Chemical stability refers to the resilience and longevity of the chemical compounds within the product. You want them to be as chemically stable as possible because this means that they’re less likely to break down. Once they’ve broken down, they’re no longer useful, as they won’t provide the body with the desirable properties.

Many factors can interfere with CBD’s chemical stability. Certain toxins found in pesticides and other nonorganic farming materials can break down the compounds in hemp. So can unnatural, chemical-based ingredients. And, genetic modification can also interfere with the strength of individual compounds due to laboratory practices that change the chemical composition of the hemp plant.

Now, you can understand why organic, natural, and non-GMO actually matter quite a bit. These terms mean that the hemp has not been tampered with in a way that will cause the compounds to lose their effectiveness by being weakened.

How to Verify That a Product is Organic, Natural and Non-GMO

You’re probably wondering at this point how you can trust that a company is really telling the truth.

Search for Third-Party Lab Reports

These lab reports will state the presence of toxins and additives within the actual hemp extract. The reports come from an unbiased third-party testing facility, which means that they are objective and honest.

Look through CBD Product’s List of Ingredients

If you see unnatural ingredients, research them to see if they interfere with the chemical structure of the hemp extract.

A Certificate of Analysis Also Helps

This refers to a certification that the hemp used by the company is non-GMO. Also, you can always contact a company to ask them for more information.

Organic, Natural, and non-GMO CBD Products are, Indeed, Higher in Quality

Therefore, they’re more likely to be effective. The key is being able to verify that these terms actually apply to the products making these claims. Always look for lab reports from a third-party when shopping for CBD, and thoroughly read through the list of ingredients to verify that the terms are, in fact, accurate.

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