New to the CBD craze? Over the last few years, CBD, or cannabidiol, has quickly become a popular supplement all over the globe. From edibles, oils, isolate, capsules, topicals, too many more, there comes an extensive variety of CBD products available in the marketplace.

If you’re thinking of giving any of these items a try, it is only important to know how to identify a quality product from inferior ones. Since CBD products are still not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many manufacturers may take it as their gain to produce items that are relatively low in quality. FDA constantly informs the public about the companies that market products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds in ways that might violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and that may put the health and safety of consumers at risk.

To help you avoid purchasing such type of products, here are a few things you need to know and remember when reviewing each product’s label.

Things to Check on CBD product Labels

Read on.

• CBD vs THC

Although cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are compounds both found in the cannabis plant, there lies a fine line that separates and distinguishes the two.

Generally, both CBD and THC have the exact same molecular structure, with both having 21 carbon atoms, 30 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms. However, since there is a slight difference as to how the atoms are arranged in CBD compared to THC, this allows the two compounds to interact with your body differently.

To briefly explain, the THC acts as the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis. This means consuming it will elicit a “high” sensation to users. CBD, on the other hand, fails to generate that same “high” feeling and, instead, acts as a therapeutic agent that works to get your body into a state of homeostasis.

• Hemp vs Marijuana

Despite being interchanged most of the time, hemp and marijuana are different from each other. The separation comes mostly from the fact that hemp plants have less than 0.3% THC, while marijuana plants have higher levels of THC.

Although CBD can be extracted from both hemp and marijuana, knowing the difference between the two is vital. This is because marijuana-derived CBD products may cause some psychoactive effects (although not enough to make you high), given that some THC may have been mixed up with the extract.

• Cannabinoids vs Terpenes vs Flavonoids

To simply explain, cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids are the main compounds found in cannabis.

Cannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant, which interact with our endocannabinoid system. Generally, there are 66 compounds found in cannabis that are considered cannabinoids, which include THC and CBD.

Meanwhile, terpenes refer to the organic compounds produced by a variety of plants, including cannabis. They often have a strong odor, which helps protect the plant from herbivores and help further enhance cannabis’ therapeutic benefits.

Lastly, flavonoids refer to hydroxylated polyphenolic compounds that are responsible for the non-green pigmentation in plants and help shield it from diseases, pests, and fungi.

• CBD isolate vs Full-spectrum vs Broad-spectrum

Basically, when you’ve come upon a product that reads CBD isolate on its label, this indicates that the item contains the purest form of CBD, meaning all other compounds found in the plant, such as terpenes, essential oils, and other cannabinoids, have been removed, except only for CBD.

Meanwhile, full-spectrum CBD refers to a type of extract that is the exact opposite of CBD isolate. This means the extract possesses all compounds found naturally occurring in the plant. This includes terpenes, essential oils, and other cannabinoids.

Broad-spectrum CBD, on the other hand, is a blend of Full Spectrum CBD and CBD Isolate.

With the obvious rise of different CBD items storming the marketplace, immersing yourself on the different cannabis-related terms will help you arrive at the right product to purchase.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the terms mentioned above to avoid buying inferior CBD products.