CBD oil is all the rage right now, and for good reason. There are so many amazing benefits that CBD has to offer! One question that I get asked all the time is which CBD brands do I recommend? That is a tough one to answer because there are so many to choose from! I decided to sit down and do the research for you on the best organic CBD oil brands that I can wholeheartedly recommend to my readers.
What to Look for in a CBD Brand
Organic: It’s important to use CBD brands that use organic cannabis (or hemp). This ensures that the end product is free of pesticides, herbicides, and other unwanted chemicals. The ability for cannabis growers to obtain USDA organic certification for hemp has only been available since the Farm Bill passed in December of 2018. This means that while many CBD brands are using hemp that is grown using organic methods, they may not be certified with the USDA organic label as of yet. Hopefully that will be changing very soon!
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Extraction Process: It’s also important to know how the CBD oil and other products are processed. Many CBD companies use questionable processes and solvents to extract the CBD. I like to stick with companies that use the safest and most minimal extraction processes possible that leave the majority of beneficial compounds in place.
Whole Plant/Full Spectrum: This means that the whole hemp plant and buds are used in the extraction process, leaving the full range of cannabinoids, turpenes, and flavaniods in place. Whole plant and full spectrum CBD products are much better than ones that use pure CBD isolate because all of the plant compounds are medicinal and work together with the CBD to bring the greatest benefit. Read more about the difference between full spectrum and CBD isolate here.
If you are interested in a particular CBD brand I would first contact them and ask if they use organic hemp, find out what their extraction processes are, and if their products are whole plant or full spectrum.
My Favorite CBD Brands
Luckily I’ve done some of the work for you and have found some CBD companies that I absolutely love!
These six brands all use organic hemp, have minimal extraction processes, and are whole plant or full spectrum.
I also tried to choose brands that have some different offerings beyond just CBD oil, such as creams, lotions, salves, capsules, soothers, and even chocolate!
FlowerChild CBD
I really love FlowerChild CBD‘s products, and the owners are super nice and upfront with their methods and processes. They started in Oregon but have since moved to Colorado, and they use organic hemp from both states in their products.
FlowerChild CBD uses a food grade alcohol extraction which leaves all of the beneficial compounds in place. This results in whole plant therapy products that are highly effective!
They also carry CBG oil, which is another compound in cannabis and hemp that is beginning to gain a lot of attention for its beneficial properties.
From FlowerChild CBD: “Our products are all whole plant therapy, everything is 3rd party tested for potency, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents and terpenes. We have been creating our wonderful healing products since 2014 and we know CBD!”
FlowerChild CBD created a 10% off coupon code to share with my readers. Use this code when you check out to get the discount: growforage10
Keen CBD
I love Keen CBD because they are local to me here in southern Oregon (it’s always good to go local when you can)! I know the owners personally and I know how much care they put into their products.
Keen CBD uses hemp grown from local farmers in the rogue valley that utilize organic, biodynamic, and permaculture practices. Their products are whole plant CO2 extracted, which leaves all of the beneficial compounds in place.
Beyond CBD oil selections, Keen CBD also has a Comfort Lotion that uses CBD combined with arnica, and hard candy CBD Soothers.
From Keen CBD: “We make the best quality products at the most affordable price possible. By working directly with small scale farmers we are able to get the highest quality hemp/CBD grown with love and care. We formulate our products to highlight the natural qualities of the hemp/CBD creating simple and effective products which are easy to use. Our products are hand crafted in small batches with published test results for every unit publicly posted. “
Sunsoil (formerly Green Mountain CBD)
Sunsoil CBD has very recently rebranded from Green Mountain CBD. They are based in Vermont and use very minimal processing on their products, which is part of why I love them!
Sunsoil is different in that they grow all of their own hemp and it is certified organic from the USDA. They propagate their own seeds (a hybrid variety of indica and sativa), and grow their hemp on their farm in Hardwick, Vermont.
They also developed a simple lipid extraction process using only organic coconut oil and coconut-derived MCT oil to extract from their hemp plants. Nothing is added or removed in their extraction process, so you get the full range of cannabinoids and terpenes that exist naturally in the plant.
Sunsoil carries CBD oils, capsules, and CBD in organic coconut oil.
From Sunsoil CBD: “We are a seed-to-shelf company with a mission to bring the most good to the most people, by offering a high quality CBD oil that is both affordable and accessible – as it should be! Simplicity is key.”
NuLeaf Naturals
NuLeaf Naturals is probably the largest of the companies that I am recommending. They are based in Colorado and they have a proprietary partnership with a farm in Colorado that grows their strain of organic hemp plants.
They use a CO2 extraction process which results in a full spectrum CBD product that leaves all of the beneficial compounds in place.
One thing that is unique about NuLeaf Naturals is that they only sell one product and that is pure CBD oil without anything else added! They have different strengths and sizes for whatever your needs may be.
From NuLeaf Naturals: “Our CBD is offered in its purest form so there are no additives of any kind including CBD isolate – just as mother earth created it. We also have a wonderful customer service team that is here to assist with any question or hiccup that may arise!”
Sagely Naturals
Sagely Naturals offers some really great products for pain and relaxation. They are based in southern California and they use organic hemp that is grown in Kentucky.
Sagely uses a proprietary 5-step distillation process generated from full spectrum whole plant hemp. The last step in this process removes the THC, yet keeps intact the vital vitamins, minerals, and other cannabinoids that make hemp unique and therapeutic. The third party lab results of their raw exact and finished goods are void of any solvents, pesticides, heavy metals or THC.
Sagely Naturals carries CBD creams, roll-ons, sprays, and capsules that geared towards either relief and recovery or tranquility. Their products include herbs like turmeric, lavender, holy basil, and essential oils along with the CBD. They smell amazing and have an aromatherapy effect as well!
From Sagely Naturals: “Along with approachable branding and familiar products you would already find in your medicine cabinet (i.e. cream and supplements), Sagely Naturals leverages the benefits of full spectrum, hemp-derived CBD and exclusively uses all natural ingredients (i.e. no parabens, artificial colors or dyes, synthetic fragrances, or PEGs).”
Grön CBD
Grön CBD specializes in CBD chocolate, which is a delicious way to get your cannabinoids! They are based in Portland, Oregon and have recently opened a CBD cafe and tasting room.
Beginning on March 1st, 2019 they will be using 100% USDA organically grown hemp extract in all of their products, grown by East Fork Cultivars in southern Oregon. (Prior to that they used non hemp derived CBD extract from lichen and lemon peel).
Besides chocolate, Grön CBD also sells yummy syrups, sauces, and body care items such as balms and face masks.
From Grön CBD: “Our products define themselves by the quality of the local Oregon ingredients, decadence of the hand crafted chocolate, and the lusciousness of the application. Buying Grön products means you are putting your spending dollars into the hands of farmers and crafters and you can feel confident that the ingredients come from the best sources possible.”
Bonus: Where to get CBD seeds
If you are interested in growing your own high CBD cannabis plants, I recommend buying seeds from Seedsman. They have a large selection of high CBD varieties (as well as THC varieties) and ship to nearly everywhere.
Make Your Own CBD Products
If you grow your own plants or have access to high CBD strains of cannabis or hemp, you can always make your own CBD products! This ensures that you will know exactly what is in the final product. Here are my tutorials:
- How to Make Cannabis CBD Infused Oil
- How to Make Cannabis CBD Salve
- How to Make Cannabis CBD Tincture
I hope this post helps you in finding the right organic and whole plant CBD oil brand for you! If you have another brand that you swear by that is organic, whole plant or full spectrum, and uses minimal extraction processes, please let me know!
Yes, organic Is super important, but are they THC FREE. Not minimal amount, but ZERO THC?
Would like to grow my own and make tincture. Looked at Seedmans, have no idea what to buy for starters. So many different seeds.
Thank you for this article; there are too many options and, looking to help an elderly woman with pain, research has been overwhelming and yielded marginal relief for my friend. Besides, I do not want to hurt her further with my lack of knowledge. Can you tell me anything about cooking with CBD oil? All of your help has been greatly appreciated.
Thank you for the leg work on cbd oil. I live in Bend OR so there is definitely a ton to choose from within the city. Curious to know if you have heard or even tried Santa Cruz Medicinals. They have a 5000mg 4fl oz bottle fractionated with MCT oil. It’s only a $100 but seems like such an incredibly high amount of CBD for $100. Would love to hear your thoughts.
I have not tried that brand, but I will look into it.