FYI You Don’t Have To Spend A Fortune To Get High-Quality Hemp CBD Oil

Hemp CBD has only been recently legal across the United States since December 2018, so it’s no surprise that many people are still confused about how to shop for the best hemp CBD products—let alone how to determine what counts as a “good value” in the hemp CBD world.

The good news? The continued expansion and competition seen in hemp farming and the hemp CBD market means the prices should only get cheaper with time, making hemp CBD more affordable than ever. The bad news is that this same rapid growth makes it harder to decipher what’s actually worth your money. 

Similar to any other product, quality is often one of the first things to decrease with hemp CBD when a company wants to save. As a result, it’s important to still consider the quality, sourcing, and formulation of the hemp CBD product that you plan to purchase. 

Below, we highlight the best cheap hemp CBD brands that hit the middle ground between quality and price—all with an average cost far below $0.10 per milligram of hemp CBD.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the main cannabinoids in the industrial hemp Cannabis sativa plant, along with trace levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC (i.e., less than 0.3% THC by dry weight per U.S. law). Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t have any psychoactive effects. However hemp CBD does support the endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for maintaining the body’s homeostasis across most if not all the body’s organs and physiological functions.*

While research is still in its early stages on the full health benefits of hemp CBD and other cannabinoids, the unique plant is widely recognized for promoting feelings of calm and regulating stress response*—so you can reap the benefits of the Cannabis sativa plant without feeling “high.”

Similar to shopping for any other supplement, it’s important to do research into the brands you plan to support. Transparency around sourcing, production practices, and testing (i.e., for purity and potency) is the best way to ensure you’re getting a quality product that’s worth the price. 

In the hemp CBD world, this includes finding brands that reveal their growing location and share farming practices (preferably organic). The product page should ideally link to a Certificate of Analysis (COA). These reports from accredited labs provide the chemical analysis of a hemp extract or oil, giving details about the potency of the product’s ingredients (e.g., confirming CBD dose and trace levels of THC), as well as confirming that contaminants, such as pesticides or heavy metals, are absent or present in negligible residual levels.

Like any other product, quality is often reflected in the price. Of course price and value should be viewed holistically. This means considering the product in its totality—its active ingredients, excipients (i.e., “other ingredients” list), and packaging materials. 

Hemp CBD can cost as little as $0.02 per mg hemp CBD with options up to $0.20 per mg hemp CBD. During our research, we found the sweet spot for snagging a sustainably-packaged, organically-sourced product is between $0.05/mg hemp CBD and $0.10/mg hemp CBD.

There are three main types of hemp: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate. Full-spectrum hemp contains all the terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids (including THC) that come from the whole plant. Registered RDN and certified holistic cannabis practitioner Emily Kyle, M.S., previously told mbg this is often considered the best option due to the possible “entourage effect.”

Broad-spectrum mimics full-spectrum hemp with all the same compounds sans THC. This type of hemp is best for anyone who is looking for a combined effect from the plant compounds, but would rather stay away from THC completely.

As the name suggests, CBD isolates contains only cannabidiol, so you don’t get any other cannabinoids or terpenes. You still reap the benefits of the hemp CBD, but you won’t get the entourage effect. 

Regardless of your selection, it’s important to always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a supplement.

When choosing a hemp CBD oil, make sure it’s made with high-quality hemp. Ideally, the hemp will be organic and sourced from local farms, or at the very least, it should be non-GMO. The inactive ingredients are important, too. 

Read the full ingredient lists to ensure there are no artificial flavors or sweeteners. You also want to make sure the hemp CBD is packaged with some type of fat, like coconut oil or MCT oil, for optimal absorption.

Strength can vary between CBD oils. Most commonly, you’ll see 10 to 50 mg of CBD per serving. If you’re new to CBD oil or you prefer a gentle dose, you might want to stick with up to 20 mg of CBD per serving. If you want a moderate dose, aim for 20 to 40 mg of CBD per serving. Anything over 40 mg of CBD per serving is considered a strong dose.

Keep in mind that stronger hemp CBD oils may seem more expensive, but you’ll be getting more active ingredients per dose. When trying to narrow it down by price, look at the price per mg of CBD, rather than the overall price for an easier comparison.

The right CBD dosage for you depends on why you’re taking it and how experienced you are with the supplement. A review of studies published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology showed that depending on the person, dosages ranging from 1 mg of CBD per kilogram of body weight to 50 mg of CBD per kilogram of body weight were effective. Generally, you want to start off at lower doses and then work your way up to find your own sweet spot. 

Most importantly, you should always follow the instructions provided by the brand when starting with a new supplement, as well as always consulting your healthcare practitioner.