It is so easy to focus on the quality of the CBD, the price of the product or the reputation of the brand, but one thing just as important to consider is which carrier oil they are using in the product.
Why Do I Care about The Carrier Oil?
Frustratingly, without the carrier oil, your body simply struggles to process most of the CBD. Soon as you add the fatty carrier oil, it increases the bioavailability of the CBD, meaning more into your system.
So now we know it is important to enhance results, but how do we know which one will work best?
So Which One Is Best?
There are a large number of different oils used, so I will try to analyse them all. They all have their own pros and cons, but some are clearly out in front as the ideal solutions.
Unrefined MCT Oil
This is currently seen as the greatest binding oil to consume CBD with. MCT, or medium chain triglycerides comes from coconuts and is great at being quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, a reason why it has actually become an ingredient for people trying to make home pre-workout shakes.
There tends to be a much higher absorption rate, however there is a distinct lack of brands yet using this ingredient, which is potentially due to the price.
Hempseed Oil
It might be coming from the hemp plant but it actually contains no CBD, coming from a different section of the plant. The real issue with hempseed oil is it needs to be mixed with other oils in order to keep the bioavailability high. This is why you often find products with both hempseed and one other.
Grapeseed Oil
A huge byproduct of wine production, I guess it is only a matter of time until we see a combination here, alongside a wine CBD. The downside of coming from grapes is that it is high in polyunsaturated fats, a healthy option for your diet, but not so great when delivering a product which requires something more saturated. However, it is still sometimes used in combination with other oils, as you can get the health benefits from the antioxidants, while using another to bind and deliver the best results from the CBD.
Olive Oil
From researching a hell of a lot of different CBD products, this seems to be the most common I have found. It is present in Love CBD and Hemptouch CBD oil Amber. Unfortunately, it simply isn’t that great, which is why I’m puzzled it pops up so much. The larger molecules means they require more processing and can affect the amount of CBD you actually absorb. On the other side, they are seen as a healthy side ingredient, with antioxidants and monounsaturated fats.
Avocado Oil
Packed full of oleic acid, much like olive oil, avocados can create that amazing taste that drives the world crazy for another avocado product. There still needs to be a bit more research on the absorption levels utilising avocado’s, but the health benefits are there for all to see, with an abundance of Vitamins A, D and E.
Palm Oil
I almost didn’t want to put this one, considering the devastation to the rainforest, but I feel it is important to list all options you may find, so you can understand them better and it can potentially help you pick the right product for you. Obviously, you can get MCT oil from both coconuts and palm oil, therefore I recommend opting for MCT oil, as they will have almost always sourced this from coconuts.
Black Cumin Seed Oil
This you tend not to find in the drops you put in your mouth, but you may find it more commonly in the balms or beauty items. It has some amazing qualities with tackling fungal issues, being anti-bacterial and anti-viral.
Arnica Oil
This flower has connections to pain relief products, so you can understand the connection, known to also help healing with insect bites. I have very rarely found this as an option, but if you look hard enough you will find some that use arnica.
Pomegranate Seed Oil
Heart health benefits, a boost for your immune system, what more could you ask for if you’re taking this for your general health. Again, it doesn’t quite offer the same bioavailability of MCT oil, but it is packed full of vitamins and essential fats.
Conclusion
If you haven’t read the article and just wanted to skip to the bottom then here is the answer, MCT oil is by far the winner, offering a vastly greater bioavailability, as well as plenty of other health benefits.
