Technology is always changing in this industry. It may seem rather simple to go from plant to bottle, however, suppliers are constantly looking for more efficient ways to extract all the important compounds found in the plant. Price reflects quality with CBD oil, usually the more expensive oils come at a higher price than lower quality oils.

We’ve produced a list of the 5 most used extraction methods from least to most efficient in an attempt  to help you make an informed decision choosing an oil that’s right for you.

5. Cold Press Method

Hemp seeds are pressed at a temperature below 120°F, extracting a very low count of cannabinoids. This method is mostly used to produce hemp seed oil for cooking purposes. Hemp seed oil can also be used as a carrier oil for CBD oils where coconut oil would typically be used. This extraction method is not one we advise using when looking to take CBD as a supplement due to the fact that CBD is found in the plant’s stalks, stems and flowers and Cold Press Method only uses the seeds.

4. Rick Simpson (RSO) Method

RSO method is a highly publicized method that uses petroleum or naptha as a solvent to extract the plants cannabinoids. This method is very risky and when done improperly can cause detrimental health risks. This is due to the residues left behind from the solvents used which can cause interference with immune functions. This method also yields a lower count of CBD than THC, a poor terpene profile and also tends to be illegal in much of the world.

3. Ethanol Method

Ethanol does a good job extracting the cannabinoids and terpenes from hemp. It also extracts the chlorophyll (green plant matter) so the final product has a foul taste. To remove this chlorophyll, the ethanol method often finishes with a filtering step which destroys much of the CBD originally extracted.

2. Olive Oil Method

The olive oil method is one of the best extraction methods because it is both efficient and noncomplicated. All that is required is for the plants stems, stalks and flowers to be heated up in olive oil below 200°F and filtering the extract. The only drawback from using the olive oil method is that its strength cannot be changed, so in order to take a large dose of CBD, one would have to drink multiple bottles of oil.

1. Supercritical CO2 Extraction Method

This is the safest and most efficient CBD extraction method. It requires high-tech equipment and an experienced lab to achieve supercritical CO2 extraction. This highly potent, full spectrum cannabinoid-rich method that poses no health risks usually costs more than the other 4 oils. People looking to take very high doses of CBD will be very interested in these products. All the products found at HempElf.com use this extraction method.