​Which Tincture is Right for Me?

Posted by David Nadel on Jul 20, 2021

Which Tincture is Right for Me

With all of the different kinds of CBD products out there today, it can be quite a challenge to determine where to begin when the time comes to start a daily hemp routine. Still, many people find that tinctures are the perfect type of product for daily use. Tinctures are simple formulas consisting of hemp extract diluted in a carrier oil. They come in dropper bottles and are most commonly administered sublingually- formula is held below the tongue.

Tinctures are extremely popular because of how easy they are to take, along with the fact that they can take effect in as little as 20 minutes while the effects can last for up to 4 or so hours at a time. If you decide that a tincture is the ideal delivery method you’ll need to choose the best formula to incorporate into your regimen.

Are You Looking for a CBD, CBN, or CBG Tincture?

The first thing that you’ll need to do is choose what kind of tincture you want in terms of its primary cannabinoid. The most common cannabinoid-specific tinctures that you can find are CBD tinctures, CBN tinctures and CBG tinctures, with each of these formulas containing a uniquely high concentration of their respective cannabinoid.

  • Cannabidiol (CBD): Dominant compound that occurs in hemp, and the most popular by far. CBD is known for its balancing properties that work with every system of the body. People use CBD for all kinds of things, including sleep, mood, digestive function, pain and more.
  • Cannabinol (CBN): A minor cannabinoid in hemp that can be extracted to be used in higher concentrations. Most people associate CBN with sleep, as people find it to be particularly calming. So, it’s a good choice as a tincture formula if you are looking for something to take at bedtime.
  • Cannabigerol (CBG): Another minor cannabinoid, and it’s mainly used by those who are specifically seeking out pain relief, and immune balance, due to the specific cannabinoid receptors that CBG interacts with in the body.

So, which of these three cannabinoids should you be focusing on?

Well, it’s a matter of considering your specific needs and reasons for taking hemp. Also, keep in mind that you can take more than one tincture routinely if needed. For instance, you may find that taking a CBD tincture in the morning helps you out as you go about your day, while taking a CBN tincture at night is ideal for bedtime.

Which Hemp Compounds Do You Want to Take Daily?

The next thing to consider is the type of hemp extract you want to take, as this will determine the specific compounds of the hemp plant that you introduce into your body each day. Hemp contains hundreds of individual compounds within its flowers, each with its distinctive properties that may be useful to your particular needs and goals.

  • Full Spectrum Hemp Extract: Contains the complete variety of compounds that are present in the buds of the hemp plant. This includes every cannabinoid, terpene, flavonoid, and phytonutrient in the plant’s chemical composition, and the legal, non-psychoactive trace amount of THC. Not only does full spectrum hemp introduce you to the properties of all of these natural compounds, but it also promotes what’s known as the entourage effect, which refers to the synergistic value of taking each compound together as nature intended.
  • Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract: THC-free version of full spectrum hemp, which therefore contains every naturally occurring compound except for THC, which has been completely removed. Still offers great synergistic value and allows you to experience all of the desirable compounds of the plant minus one. It’s a nice choice for those who want to completely avoid THC for personal or professional reasons.
  • Isolate: Simply isolated and purified forms of specific cannabinoids. CBD isolate, for instance, contains only cannabidiol, and so no terpenes or other cannabinoids are present in the formula. Remember, hemp gets its flavor and aroma from terpenes, and because isolates are terpene-free, the hemp extract will be flavorless and odorless, as well as colorless.

What Do You Want to Accomplish with a Hemp-Based Tincture?

We know that cannabinoids offer all kinds of unique properties to the body through their binding to cannabinoid receptors in different bodily systems. However, tinctures can be formulated to promote specific effects, and if you have a very distinctive goal in mind, it is important to consider what kind of tincture to purchase.

Energy

If you primarily want to get an energy boost out of your daily routine, then you’ll want to consider a tincture formulated specifically to boost energy. This effect can come just from the strain that a company uses, as sativa strains contain hemp terpenes that are often seen as energizing. Or, there can be an additional active ingredient such as caffeine that works synergistically with the hemp.

Sleep

If you want to use hemp in an effort to fall asleep more easily or stay asleep throughout the night, then your best bet is to go with a tincture formulated specifically for this purpose. A lot of these tinctures contain CBN, which as we said is associated with sleep. A sleep tincture may also contain other plant-based ingredients like melatonin or bee balm, which are associated with promoting better sleep at night.

Focus and Concentration

Another common goal that people have when it comes to hemp is being able to feel more focused and attentive, especially during work hours and when pursuing certain hobbies, or working out. If this is what you want when you take a tincture, opt for one with a specific strain geared toward these effects, which you’ll get with many hybrids and sativas. Or, find a tincture that contains concentration-enhancing ingredients like B vitamins that can give you a cognitive boost in a natural way.

General Support

If you just want to use a tincture to give the endocannabinoid system daily support, you don’t have to be as choosy. Just choose a cannabinoid-rich tincture that has enough of a milligram strength to offer the perfect daily amount of cannabinoids to the body.

Choosing the Milligram Strength (Potency Level)

This tells you how many milligrams of pure hemp extract are in the entire bottle, which is then divided by the number of milliliters in the bottle to determine how many milligrams you’re getting with each dose. The typical starting strength is 1000mg per 30ml bottle, as this is the recommended daily amount. We suggest starting with this for two weeks, and then adjusting the amount if needed to either take in more or less hemp per day.

Selecting a Flavor

Not all tinctures are flavored, but many are. Tinctures can be flavored with hemp-derived terpenes, essential oils or flavoring ingredients. An unflavored full or broad spectrum tincture will taste like the hemp plant due to the presence of terpenes. If you desire a specific flavor, then we recommend looking through the different flavors at The Calm Leaf, as we have many different flavor choices available from different popular brands.

Look at Other Ingredients in the Formula Besides Hemp Extract

The ingredients should be minimal, and easy to find on the product’s label. Tinctures should only consist of hemp extract, a carrier oil like MCT oil or hempseed oil, and sometimes flavoring and/or additional active ingredients as discussed above. Avoid artificial ingredients that don’t actually add value to the product, such as fillers like propylene glycol.

Making Sure that a Tincture Contains Lab Reports

Any legitimate company has each batch of hemp extract that goes into tinctures thoroughly tested by a registered third-party lab, where its chemical composition is identified, and it’s checked for purity, contaminants, and other indicators of overall quality. These lab reports should be easy to find on the company’s website.