CBD Carrier Oil: What’s the Best One?
When it comes to choosing CBD, there are a lot of factors to consider: Where is your CBD sourced from? What dosage will you take? How will you consume your CBD?
One factor that you might not have considered is what type of carrier oil your CBD is made of.
What Is a Carrier Oil?
CBD requires a carrier oil because in its purest form CBD is a powder. Pure CBD isolate is difficult to measure out and use, so oil is used to create CBD oil instead.
CBD oil is preferable for use because of its ease of dosing as well as its versatility. CBD oil can be used as a topical treatment, in food to create a CBD edible, or in vape devices where it can be inhaled.
If you were to use CBD in its isolated powder form, many of these consumption methods wouldn’t be available. Pure CBD powder is also very hard to dose because of its potency; measuring out a dose of CBD powder would come down to individual powder grains, which is obviously not a practical or easy way to measure CBD.
Oils are preferable for use as a CBD carrier because of their high fat content. CBD molecules are lipophilic, meaning that they will dissolve in fat. This means that CBD oil is more likely to actually reach your bloodstream and induce its effects than CBD isolate powder alone or other forms of CBD carriers.
Not all oils are created equal, however. When choosing your CBD oil, it’s important to do your research into the carrier oil used in its manufacture to ensure that the carrier oil is going to be an effective transport for CBD and will help you to experience all the effects of CBD.
What Is the Best CBD Carrier Oil?
When it comes to choosing the best carrier oil for your CBD, one of the most important characteristics you’ll be looking for is whether it improves the bioavailability of CBD.
Bioavailability refers to the percentage of a substance that makes it from its original form into your bloodstream, where it can then induce its effects on your body. CBD vape products, for example, can deliver a bioavailability as high as 70%, which means that 70% of the CBD in the vape is delivered into your bloodstream (1).
Not all fats are the same; different molecular structures will impact the effectiveness of an oil to dissolve and transport CBD into your body.
Other factors that you may want to consider when choosing the carrier oil used in your CBD oil are touch, taste, feel, and scent. These decisions will come down to personal preference, i.e., you may prefer the consistency and taste of olive oil over argan oil. Be sure to test out your CBD before you purchase if you can. Give the oil a smell, a taste, and a test patch on your skin to see if it meets your needs and personal preferences.
CBD Carrier Oil Options
We’ve rounded up some of the best CBD carrier oil options available for you to give a go.
Olive Oil
You’re likely familiar with olive oil and its thicker consistency, mild aroma, and light but distinctive fruity taste. Olive oil is particularly ideal for use in CBD oils that will be used in edible products. Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, so CBD oils made from olive oil will produce a familiar taste that makes them ideal for use in cooking and baking.
Olive oil is largely made up of a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which is a larger fat molecule. Because of its molecular size, it requires more processing, which could limit how much CBD your body can absorb. One of the upsides of oleic acid, though, is its ability to act as an anti-inflammatory (2).
Olive oil may also be able to improve the bioavailability of CBD oil as a topical product. Topical CBD products tend to have a lower bioavailability by virtue of how difficult it is for hydrophobic cannabinoids to cross the high water content of the skin barrier and reach the bloodstream.
Research has shown that olive oil may be able to act as a carrier for topical cannabinoids like CBD and help to increase the amount that is carried through the skin and into the bloodstream (3).
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is preferred by many as a CBD carrier oil for a number of reasons. Coconut oil is thinner in consistency, making it easier to handle, use, and measure. It also has a flavor profile that is almost tasteless, making it a great neutral oil for use in vapes, tinctures, and topicals.
Perhaps most importantly, however, is the structure of coconut oil. Coconut oil contains high amounts of saturated fat called medium-chain triglycerides. Medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are a type of fat molecules that are smaller in size, meaning that they can be more readily absorbed, making coconut oil an ideal carrier.
Argan Oil
Argan oil is a type of oil extracted from the kernels from argan tree fruit.
Argan oil is high in nutrients like oleic acid and vitamin E, which are able to reduce inflammation; act as an antioxidant; and improve the condition of skin, hair, and eyes (4, 5). Argan oil has excellent nourishing properties, meaning that—in addition to the benefits of CBD—you can expect this oil carrier to deliver impressive benefits, particularly to your skin, hair, and even heart health (6).
As well as its nourishing and protecting qualities, argan oil has also been shown to be effective as a carrier of CBD, particularly as a topical carrier (7). The topical delivery of cannabinoids is especially difficult, and argan oil’s ability to increase the bioavailability of topical CBD highlights its effectiveness as a carrier oil.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to choosing a CBD oil, it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the best carrier oil possible. Whether you’re looking for fast delivery; improved bioavailability; or a specific taste, scent, or consistency, there is a good range of effective CBD carrier oils on the market today.
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**Standard Disclaimer: CBD is not FDA-approved. We make no such claims that using our products will guarantee relief. Moreover, research regarding CBD is still ongoing and in the early stages.**
Why Choose Sunny Skies For Your CBD Needs?
At Sunny Skies CBD, we are committed to:
1) making high-quality products
2) operating in an open and transparent manner
3) building an independently-owned and operated family business
