CBD is a product where being natural and organic is a key selling point. Yet, defining the quality of the product is one of the most difficult things as a consumer, as on the face of it, we have to take a company’s word for it. But we shouldn’t; remaining skeptical until you find a brand that’s trustworthy is crucial to finding good value products. Of course, we can pick a brand that has a good reputation, but we need to learn how to be self-sufficient in deciding for ourselves.
What is organic CBD?
You may want to shop for organic CBD for the same reason we look for organic vegetables or meat – it tells us about the soil quality, pest and weed control methods, the use of additives, hormones, and animal raising practices. Some apply more than others to CBD, but the idea remains the same – we want to avoid unethical and unhealthy farming practices. For example, MiisterCBD lists cruelty-free and organic products; below are some of the methods in how they come to their conclusions.
Third-party regulators
Most of our faith when trusting that a CBD product is exactly what it claims to be is down to the third-party lab reports on the product. In most countries, CBD products need to be independently tested in a lab to sure it’s exactly what it claims to be – and is therefore fully legal to sell in that country.
This is how we know the THC amount is exactly what it states, and it can also tell if there are low levels of impurities. Third-party regulators also help us determine if it’s organic. In the US, the USDA hands out certificates for companies that have organic practices, so check for this or the equivalent in your respective country.
Look at the packaging
It’s not just about the ingredients, it’s also about the product more generally. If the company is using a ton of plastics and poor packaging practices, it’s bad for two reasons. Firstly, it’s unsustainable and may not align with your views. But secondly, it reflects that they do not care about organic-related values, and this is an indicator that they will also be negligent in their ingredients, farming, and sourcing too.
Read the ingredients
First and foremost, we need to read the ingredients list for any CBD product that we buy. One thing to look out for is that both agricultural hemp and marijuana contain THC, but hemp will have negligible amounts. So if you want organic hemp CBD, the THC amount should be an indicator. THC shouldn’t be higher than 0.3%.
Of course, other ingredients can also help us determine how organic a product is. If there are ingredients you do not recognize, this is a bad sign, but give them a quick Google individually to be sure.
Reputation and credibility
Finally, companies that consistently meet customer expectations, which includes being organic, will be reflected in sentiment online and their general credibility. Credibility can quickly be lost, and a quick Google search can usually make it easy to find scandals and negative customer experiences. Once you find a good company, it’s easier to trust their next product releases, meaning we can lay to rest our rigorous research for now.
