If you’ve read the label of your CBD oil, you may have noticed that it contains more than just CBD. Oil is also present within your CBD product to help deliver or ‘carry’ the active CBD component to your body. The CBD carrier oil acts as a solvent alternative to dissolve certain compounds and make them easier to use and absorb. In addition to the added benefit of absorption, using a carrier oil to deliver CBD also allows for more precise and consistent dosing.
Different Types of CBD Carrier Oils
There are several different types of carrier oils, and different brands have different preferences. We’ll cover 5 of the most common CBD carrier oils that CBD product manufacturers typically use.
Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil
MCT oils or medium-chain triglyceride oils are considered the most popular because they are easily accessible and exceptionally budget-friendly due to their abundance in the market. MCT oil is mostly derived from coconut or palm oil. Coconut oil is the more popular choice as a CBD carrier oil because of its lack of flavor and long shelf life.
Hemp Seed Oil
Hemp seed oil differs from hemp oil due to its extraction source. Hemp seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant. Whereas Hemp oil is derived from hemp flowers. Because it has been derived from the seeds, there aren’t any cannabinoids or terpenes present in hemp seed oil. Hemp seed oil is most often used in full-spectrum CBD products to help enhance the much sought-after entourage effect. It is important to note that the entourage effect only takes place with the inclusion of CBDs counterpart tetrahydrocannabinol.
Grape Seed Oil
Light and fruity in flavor, grape seed oil is extracted from the seeds found in grapes. This oil is high in unsaturated fat content and is known for its antioxidant and inflammatory properties. For this reason, it is used as a carrier oil to add extra benefits to certain CBD oil products. Although it’s made up of long-chain fatty acids, it still has a fast absorption rate making it a great choice as a CBD carrier oil.
Olive Oil
Yep, that’s right. This common cooking oil is also used as a CBD carrier oil. Olive oil consists mostly of long-chain triglycerides which means it will take longer to break down and may increase the absorption efficiency of CBD within your gut. However, because of the high density of olive oil, there is less room to dissolve CBD. For this reason, CBD olive oil carrier products are typically lower potency.
Avocado Oil
High in vitamins and rich in antioxidants, avocado oil has become quite popular in cooking as well as CBD products. As a CBD carrier oil, avocado oil is most often used in topical products, but it is also present in some products that are meant to be ingested. Because of its higher price-point and higher allergy risk, it isn’t used as often as other CBD carrier oils.
The Best CBD Carrier Oil
There hasn’t been any real verdict on the argument of which CBD carrier oil is best. Because of the wide range of preferences of users and other factors including allergies and the type of CBD product, there isn’t a specific oil that is best for the job. Any carrier oil you choose is good enough to do its job of dissolving and delivering CBD to your body.
Learn more about carrier oils
If you’re ready to try a few different types of CBD carrier oils to determine which one you like best, King Harvest is here to help. It’s always important to make informed choices and based on your preferences we can help you decide on the best products to buy. Contact our CBD dosing specialists for a CBD consultation and to help you answer any questions you may have.
