CBD’s gained great fame as a mild, easy to use product with a ton of uses. But did you know you can actually make your own?
Keep reading to find out how!
How CBD Oil is Made
While CBD seems like a hot new product, its plant source, hemp, has actually been used for centuries. On top of its value as an industrial material, it’s been long known for its medicinal uses.
In the case of CBD oil, large-scale production has evolved into an art and a science. When CBD oil is made by a reputable company, it undergoes extraction.
Depending on the company, there are a few different methods for this.
Solvent extraction is known as the cheapest, which typically involves a low-grade alcohol like isopropyl or ethanol. However, this method is not a favorite, as it’s quite dangerous, and doesn’t yield a very potent product.
Meanwhile, there is also CO2 extraction, which involves the use of liquid carbon dioxide to extract CBD from a tank, where it’s then carried into a collection vessel. Keep in mind that this is a very simple explanation of the process, and it can actually become quite complicated and expensive. However, this is widely considered the safest, cleanest, and most potent way to create CBD oil.
Then, there’s the oil extraction method, and it’s actually a method you can do at home with basic kitchen equipment!
How to Make CBD Oil at Home
Making your own CBD oil at home is more doable than you might think! Basically, this involves two steps: decarboxylating your hemp, and infusing it into the carrier oil.
Now, while these two methods might sound complex, decarboxylating is simply activating the CBD in hemp with heat, which we’ll go more into detail below.
As for infusion, this means taking that hemp once it’s been activated, covering it with the oil, and adding heat.
In order to complete these two methods, all you really need is an oven and a slow cooker, so what are you waiting for? Making your own CBD oil makes a great little afternoon activity with a product you can enjoy.
What You’ll Need
In order to make your own CBD oil, you really only need two ingredients: hemp flowers and a carrier oil. Hemp flowers are going to be your CBD source, and as long as they’re legal within your state, they can be easily acquired online from a reputable source.
As for your carrier oil, think of it as the “vehicle” for your CBD. It’s what’s going to store and suspend the CBD, and different oils can affect the way your CBD is consumed. For instance, coconut oil contains MCTs, or “medium-chain triglycerides,” which are known to quickly and efficiently convert in the digestive system.
That being said, choose the best option for you! Other carrier oils include hemp seed oil, avocado oil, pomegranate seed oil, and sunflower oil.
How to Activate Your CBD
When making your own CBD oil, it’s crucial that before anything else, you activate the CBD in your hemp. This is because the cannabinoids in hemp aren’t automatically bioavailable, and they need to be activated through heat. This process is known as decarboxylation, and while it may sound like something complicated, it’s actually simpler than you might think.
The most important thing about decarboxylation, though, is that you apply low heat over a long period of time. For this reason, most individuals bake their hemp flowers in a slow cooker, or in the oven at about 220℉ for 45-60 minutes.
And for those with an interest in really getting into CBD oils, a precision cooker may be a wise investment, as this will yield greater consistency over multiple batches.
CBD Oil Recipe
- 7 grams high-cbd hemp flower
- 1 cup carrier oil of choice
Instructions
- Grind your hemp flower and evenly spread it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and place it in the oven. Bake the hemp at 220℉ for 45-60 minutes to activate the CBD.
- Once the hemp flowers have been decarbed, place the flowers in a slow cooker and cover with the oil. Turn your slow cooker to its lowest setting and cook for 3 hours, and allow the oil to cool for 8 hours.
- Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth and store in a clean glass jar. When stored in a cool, dry place, this oil should last about 2 months.
