Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum or Crystals : The different CBD extractions

The terms "Spectre Complet," "Spectre Large," or "Distillates and Isolates," which are found in the description or on the product labels, help categorize the results of extractions.

They tally the number of targeted molecules present, specifically the cannabidiol or CBD.

However, processes obtained solely by pressing the seeds, such as hemp extracts and hemp seed oils, are devoid of active ingredients and therefore do not offer the same virtues.

As a reminder, agricultural hemp plants used to produce CBD extracts must come from varieties listed in the European catalog of authorized plant species and must also be cultivated within the European Union.
These varieties have the characteristic of being low in psychoactive cannabinoids (THC), but they still possess the same array of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other flavonoids as varieties cultivated for their medical or recreational potential, known as Cannabis or Marijuana.

Certainly, agricultural hemp plants have lower concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes, but they are still present.

To avoid degrading the fragile chemical compounds terpenes and cannabinoids, professional extractions are often performed at extremely low temperatures (-80°C), using a supercritical fluid such as CO2 (a non-volatile gas).

This process guarantees extracts free of any residual traces compared to extractions with volatile solvents such as butane, propane, ethers and alcohol or ethanol.

CO2 can therefore be used to extract a wide range of chemical compounds including about 100 cannabinoids, terpenes (responsible for smell and taste), and flavonoids.

These first unrefined extractions have a full spectrum and contain all the terpenes and cannabinoids, including CBD, but also traces of THC (less than 0.3% for the European Union and 1% maximum for Switzerland to ensure that no psychotropic effects will be felt).

The value of the full spectrum lies in the strong surrounding effect it provides.

This very popular theory tends to show that an active compound such as a cannabinoid is more effective when combined with other chemical compounds than when used in isolation.

This combination of CBD with other cannabinoids and terpenes would create a synergy that would provide more powerful effects.

On the other hand, a full-spectrum product with traces of THC of 0.3% may be banned from sale altogether, as in the UK where the legal THC level is 0%.

The full spectrum may also lead you to challenge your beliefs and convictions, or to run very small but possible legal or professional risks in the event of cannabis (and therefore THC) testing required by the police or for professional obligations.

• People who are not tested for drugs.
• People who want to benefit from the full potential of plants.

It comes from the extraction of the whole plant.
The entourage effect prepares your body for sleep and helps promote healthy sleep cycles.

It contains traces of other cannabinoids including 0.3% THC.
Promotes calm, helps soothe and relax so you can enjoy restful sleep and wake up refreshed.

It has a high content of antioxidants and fatty acids.
They participate in the prevention of skin aging and thus act against firmness and the formation of wrinkles.

To solve these problems, a second filtration is carried out, usually using solvent which will require a complex, heated vacuum purge.

The extract obtained after purging will be free of any residual harmful traces of solvent but will also be free of THC molecules.

Only the other cannabinoids, such as CBD, and the terpenes that have resisted will be concentrated, thus maintaining a lighter surrounding effect than the full spectrum and reducing all of the previously mentioned risks associated with the THC molecule.

This is called Broad Spectrum.

A third distillation stage will produce the distillates, a sort of viscous paste, which will then be concentrated to 99.9% purity in the form of CBD crystals in a fourth stage (isolation process).

No more terpenes or other chemical compounds, only a crystallised form of pure CBD with a strong dissolving power, without taste or smell and guaranteeing total legality.

The primary motivation was to have a 99% pure CBD, easy to dissolve and legally unimpeachable, allowing for use in the food and cosmetics industries or in e-liquids and facilitating marketing procedures.

But in the end, the high number of filtration steps completely eliminates the olfactory and gustatory sensations and the beneficial potential of the entourage effect.