What are the Many Flavors of CBD Oils
What are the many flavors of CBD Oils? What does CBD oil taste like? Well, it depends on the way the CBD is extracted from the hemp or cannabis plant. It also depends on how the CBD infused oil is processed and what else is added to it.
The most common additives to quality CBD products are terpenes or essential oils that can be consumed. When these substances are natural and plant-derived, they can contain chemical compounds that can enhance how CBD works in our bodies and brains.
Some CBD products contain artificial ingredients and flavorings. Artificial flavors are typically inert and will most likely not have any effect on the CBD in the oil. They do not add any wellness benefits to the CBD oil. Other artificial ingredients could be suspect, and while they may produce an effect, they may not be beneficial overall to your health.
Why Taste Matters
Why is the taste of CBD something we consider when choosing a product to consume? Our sense of taste emits powerful signal to our brains that can, in turn, produce reactions – positive or negative – that can either enhance or hinder our experience when consuming CBD. Taste works hand-in-hand with smell, so our sense of smell can also contribute to our consumption experience.
When you open a bottle of CBD and it has a scent, that aroma wafting up into our noses can be stimulating or relaxing. It can attract us, preparing us for the taste, or repel us and make taking CBD unpleasant or prevent us from trying it altogether.
Flavor-Free CBD
Not all CBD has a taste. CBD extracted fully from the plant and separating it from all other chemical compounds, including cannabinoids, is called an “isolate.” This isolated CBD is tasteless and odorless and can be added to other products easily and without any trace of THC.
One benefit of CBD isolate is the lack of THC for anyone who is concerned about getting intoxicated. Another benefit of isolate is that it is more palatable, particularly for anyone sensitive to strong tastes and smells or the chemical compounds added to products for flavor or aroma.
An example of a CBD oil that uses isolate – along with essential oils – is Blossom & Stone. Blossom & Stone combines organically grown CBD isolate, MCT oil, a whisper of lemon verbena, and rose quartz crystals, all made in small batches and hand-bottled during the full and new moon. The oil is light on the tongue and easy to swallow.
Flavored CBD
Most of the best CBD products on the market that contain flavorings use essential oils. The use of aromatic plant extracts for wellness and medicinal purposes is an ancient practice. Essential oil are extracted from plants, herbs, and flowers, all of which contain terpenes – just like hemp and cannabis.
When CBD is extracted along with other cannabinoids and terpenes from the hemp or cannabis plants – known as broad or full spectrum CBD – strong smells and tastes come along with it. Some companies add essential oils to CBD products to help mask or minimize the natural bitter taste of these plant chemicals. Essential oils can also add to the effects of the CBD.
Here are some examples:
Orange: FoCo Wild Orange CBD Tincture is a full-spectrum (includes .03% or less THC, the legal limit), hemp-extracted CBD along with MCT oil and organic orange oil. While there is a hint of the plant flavor, this CBD oil has a smooth taste profile with a hint of orange that is meant to “aid, calm, and ground your body and lift your moody vibes,” according to the company’s website. Orange essential oil contains terpenes such as pinene, myrcene, camphene, and limonene.
Lemon: Reverie is a company that produces broad spectrum CBD oils (THC is removed) flavored with “natural flavoring.” Lemon contains the terpenes Limonene and beta-Pinene, giving it that citrusy, astringent smell and taste. Lemon can be mood-lifting and could have anti-anxiety properties.
“Herbaceous” or “Nutty”: Some CBD oils have more plant-like smells and tastes, usually because the CBD extraction contains more of the plant’s natural chemical compounds including an array of terpenes – a full spectrum. One CBD oil with a nutty, earthy flavor is Bloom Farms. This oil is derived from a specific strain of hemp that is CBG-rich in addition to CBD. Cannabigerol or CBG is another cannabinoid in hemp and cannabis that, like CBD, has anti-inflammatory properties. Unlike many of the CBD oils on the market, Bloom Farms uses organic, cold-pressed olive oil instead of MCT oil. This gives the oil a heavy feel in the mouth and contributes to the earthy, nutty taste.
Pungent: Rational Hemp’s CBD is an example of a full-spectrum extraction that is unapologetically intense with a strong bitterness that is an acquired taste. Rational Hemp uses hemp seed oil as their base. Hemp seed oil does not contain CBD – that is an additional ingredient – but it does contain polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and other vitamins and minerals. Read our full review of Rational Hemp CBD.
Which CBD Oil Should You Choose?
A good guide to buying quality CBD is to pick a CBD product that is as organic as possible with the fewest ingredients. For example, look for products that use essential oils extracted from organic plants.
Whether you’re taking your CBD daily as a supplement or as needed, the pleasant experience is the easiest choice but may not always get you the most effective product. Product efficacy is determined by the quality and combination of ingredients contained within the bottle you buy. While taste can affect your consumption experience, go for the overall quality first.
[Note: We are not medical doctors. While we have personally tried each of the products mentioned here, we are not responsible for any claims the companies make about their products. We do not write about products we do not like, but “like” is a subjective and individual thing. Please consult your healthcare provider before ingesting anything new to you.]
