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11 Best Full Spectrum Hemp Extract Products

full-spectrum hemp extract

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You’ve probably heard about the benefits of CBD. But if you really want the full benefits, you want to make sure your CBD oil contains “full spectrum hemp extract.”

Full spectrum hemp extract includes CBD, along with a “spectrum” of other cannabinoids — including small amounts of THC. Experts believe these cannabinoids work synergistically in your body.

Read on to discover the best full spectrum CBD products available now.

(Or, if you want to learn more about other cannabinoids in the “spectrum,” check out our guide to cannabigerol, or CBG.)

What Are the Best Full Spectrum Hemp Extract Products Available Right Now?

full spectrum CBD gummies
  • Contains full spectrum CBD (with small amounts of THC and other cannabinoids), according to report
  • Also contain L-theanine and lemon balm, natural ingredients believed to support relaxation
  • Charlotte's Web is the most well-known & longest-operating CBD brand today
Price: $29.99 Use Code CWEB10 for 10% off! at Charlotte's Web Use Code CWEB10 for 10% off! Read our review
organic cbd oil
  • USDA-certified organic full-spectrum CBD tincture
  • Only CBD product we've found that's certified free of the herbicide glyphosate
  • RE Botanicals practices regenerative agriculture
Price: $129.99 Use code Save10 to save 10%! at RE Botanicals Use code Save10 to save 10%! Read our review
cbd capsules
  • Each bottle comes with a batch number, so you can look up third-party lab results specific to your batch
  • 30 gelcaps; 25 mg CBD in each
  • Full spectrum CBD gelcaps (they contain a small amount of THC)
Price: $69.99 Use code RECEPTRACBD10 for 10% off! at Receptra Naturals Use code RECEPTRACBD10 for 10% off! Read our review
cbd chocolate
  • Third party lab results prove Therapeutic Treats' chocolate bars contain truly full spectrum CBD
  • Lab results indicate presence of additional cannabinoids (including THC, CBN, CBC, and CBG)
  • Made with single origin and fair trade Ecuador Rain Forest Chocolate
Price: $17.99 Shop now at CBD Oil Solutions Shop now Read our review
organic cbd oil
  • Hemp sourced from Colorado farms that grow organically (according to company representative who spoke to us)
  • Populum includes printed copy of batch-specific third-party lab results with every purchase
  • Third-party lab tested for potency, terpene profile, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pesticides
Price: $99.00 Shop now at CBD Oil Solutions Shop now Read our review
cbd with turmeric
  • Contains full spectrum CBD (with small amounts of THC and other cannabinoids)
  • Contains ginger and turmeric, natural ingredients shown to support a healthy response to inflammation
  • Charlotte's Web is the most well-known & longest-operating CBD brand in business today
Price: $54.99 Use Code CWEB10 for 10% off! at Charlotte's Web Use Code CWEB10 for 10% off! Read our review
cbd cream
  • Receptra Naturals makes batch-specific lab results available on website (each bottle comes with QR code you can scan to view your batch's results)
  • Contains full spectrum CBD - an earlier batch's lab results confirmed 'spectrum' of other cannabinoids (THC, CBN, CBC, and CBG)
  • Also includes jasmine and camphor for ultimate skin healing experience
Price: $47.99 Shop now at Receptra Naturals Shop now Read our review
organic CBD on Amazon Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Real full spectrum CBD on Amazon (Amazon usually pulls most real CBD products from its platform)
  • USDA certified organic CBD product (one of the first CBD companies to earn USDA seal!)
  • Cornbread Hemp publishes third-party lab results by USDA-approved hemp lab, including potency, heavy metals, residual solvents and more
Price: $34.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
cbd tincture
  • Third-party lab results confirm that this is truly full-spectrum hemp extract (includes low levels of THC)
  • Custom crafted terpene blend includes specific hemp terpenes as well as lavender, chamomile, and clary sage terpenes
  • This company uses CO2 extraction, so you don't have to worry about residual solvents
Price: $71.99 Shop now at CBD Oil Solutions Shop now Read our review
full spectrum CBD softgels
  • CBDistillery makes all lab results for every batch of products publicly available in searchable database
  • CBDistillery has obtained most rigorous quality certification available (from U.S. Hemp Authority, which involves annual third party audit)
  • Lab results confirm 29.6mg CBD per capsule, along with other full-spectrum cannabinoids
Price: $60.00 Shop now at CBD Oil Solutions Shop now Read our review
CBD oil 300mg
  • Each bottle contains a batch number, which leads you to batch-specific third-party lab results online
  • Third-party lab testing includes cannabinoid potency, heavy metals, microbial contaminants, and more
  • Lab confirms presence of small amounts of THC, making this full spectrum CBD oil
Price: $29.99 Shop now at Elixinol Shop now Read our review
Our Unbiased Reviews
  1. 1. Best Full Spectrum CBD Gummies to Help You Chill Out: Charlotte’s Web “Calm” Gummies

    Pros:
    • Contains full spectrum CBD (with small amounts of THC and other cannabinoids), according to report
    • Also contain L-theanine and lemon balm, natural ingredients believed to support relaxation
    • Charlotte's Web is the most well-known & longest-operating CBD brand today
    • All sourced from US grown hemp
    Cons:
    • Charlotte's Web does not release the actual third-party lab results (which many CBD companies do)
    • Instead, they release their own report based on the lab resuts
    • If you expect a sour or sugary candy flavor, you may want to look elsewhere

    These Charlotte’s Web “Calm” Gummies stand out because they’re made with full spectrum hemp oil. (Full spectrum CBD gummies — which contain a small amount of THC — are surprisingly difficult to find.)

    These full spectrum CBD gummies are made by Charlotte’s Web, which is arguably the most famous CBD company operating today. It was founded in Colorado by the Stanley Brothers, who first gained fame when Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s documentary “Weed” aired on CNN.

    Long before CBD was in every health food store, these brothers had bred a cannabis strain to produce high CBD and very low THC. They named it after Charlotte Figi, a child with severe epileptic seizures who had found relief after her parents administered their new cannabis treatment.

    Now Charlotte’s Web makes its full spectrum hemp products available nationwide.

    As always, we only cover CBD products with third-party lab results. When I requested lab results for these gummies, I received a lab report that had been prepared by Charlotte’s Web staff.

    When I asked to see the certificates of analysis (COAs) prepared by the third-party lab itself, a Charlotte’s Web representative informed me that they don’t release their third-party COA’s to the public, because they contain confidential information.

    “Of course, we still want our affiliates and customers to have access to what they need,” he said, “so we condense the information from our third party lab.”

    Based on the information from the lab, they produce their own reports to provide to the public.

    All of the third party labs contracted by Charlotte’s Web are ISO 17025-accredited, the representative said, and they test Charlotte’s Web’s products for cannabinoid potency, residual solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, and microbes. Each batch is tested over 20 times during the entire production process, he assured me.

    The lab that tested the batch of Calm gummies I checked out was a Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing lab in Boulder, Colorado. (Eurofins has many lab locations.) Their findings, summarized in the report, says these gummies contain .03% THC — the exact legal limit of THC in legal CBD products. The lab also found .3 mg of CBC, a less well-known cannabinoid that occurs naturally in hemp plants.

    The lab found 6 mg CBD per gummy, according to this report.

    The gummies also contain L-theanine and lemon balm, natural ingredients believed to help support relaxation.

    Full Disclosure: Charlotte’s Web sent me a sample to try out. These are amazing! They taste great, and help you wind down after a stressful day. Highly recommend!

  2. 2. Best USDA-Certified Organic *AND* Certified Glyphosate-Free: RE Botanicals Full Spectrum Tincture (2500 mg)

    Pros:
    • USDA-certified organic full-spectrum CBD tincture
    • Certified free of the toxic herbicide glyphosate
    • RE Botanicals donates a portion of profits to support regenerative agriculture
    • Batch-specific test results are easily accessible online
    • 2500 mg is pretty strong
    Cons:
    • More expensive than some tinctures
    • Non-flavored CBD oil can have a "hempy" taste
    • You might feel smug about your CBD supporting regenerative agriculture

    This RE Botanicals Full Spectrum Tincture stands out because it’s USDA-certified organic, and it’s certified glyphosate-free by the Detox Project (a non-governmental European organization). And they practice regenerative agriculture, and donate one percent of profits to non-profits that further regenerative agriculture across the globe.

    So what does all of that mean?

    Basically, it means Re Botanicals CBD oil is one of the purest CBD products on the market today. We’re so impressed with its purity and commitment to organic standards, we even included it in our guide to using CBD for acne. Because we haven’t seen any other CBD companies that are certified glyphosate-free.

    What is glyphosate?

    Glyphosate is a chemical herbicide that has been sprayed so widely that it turns up in rainwater and animal tissue across the globe.

    It also may cause cancer, according to an agency of the World Health Organization.

    Don’t want this potential carcinogen in your CBD?

    You’re in luck. RE Botanicals is committed to providing certified glyphosate-free CBD products.

    They also source all their hemp in the U.S. and they use only USDA-certified organic hemp. They process it in a USDA-certified facility, and use only USDA-certified ingredients, like the organic MCT oil blended with full-spectrum hemp extract in this tincture.

    They also post all their lab test results online.

    They even post the lab results by batch number, so you can easily view certificates of analysis for the exact batch number that correlates with your bottle of tincture. The lab tests for heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides, as well as cannabinoid potency.

    You can check out out a batch’s lab results of this product, where you’ll see that’s full spectrum CBD oil. (It contains THC, in non-psychoactive amounts, as well as the “minor” cannabinoids.)

    RE Botanicals also donates one percent of its profits to support regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture goes beyond “organic” — it refers to farmers who are committed to improving soil quality, so their land can continue to sustain life for generations to come.

    Since many experts predict soil degradation will be one of the largest drivers of an impending global hunger crisis, regenerative agriculture is pretty important. If you buy this tincture, you won’t just get high-quality USDA-certified organic CBD — you’ll be helping the world.

  3. 3. Receptra Full Spectrum CBD Capsules (750 mg)

    Pros:
    • Each bottle comes with a batch number, so you can look up third-party lab results specific to your batch
    • 30 gelcaps; 25 mg CBD in each
    • Full spectrum CBD gelcaps (they contain a small amount of THC)
    • Derived from Colorado-grown hemp
    • Lab results include terpene profile
    Cons:
    • Not vegan (contain bovine gelatin)
    • Lab does not appear to test for pesticide residues
    • Bottle says "for daytime," although it's unclear why these would not be good for nighttime use

    The Receptra Full Spectrum CBD Capsules stand out because Receptra includes batch numbers on the bottom of each bottle of product they sell. The packaging also includes a QR code. When you scan the QR code, you’re taken to their database of third-party lab results.

    Full Disclosure: I haven’t tried these “Relax” capsules from Receptra, but they did send me a sample of their “Relax” tincture to test out. I entered my batch number, and was able to view test results from DB Labs, the first ISO-accredited cannabis testing lab in Nevada.

    These lab results confirmed that Receptra’s “full spectrum” products are truly full spectrum: they contain trace levels of other cannabinoids, including THC.

    The lab also tested for terpenes, the flavor and scent molecules that may impact how you experience different cannabis effects. Not many CBD companies test for terpene content!

    The lab did not appear to test for pesticides.

    These are not vegan, because the capsules contain bovine gelatin.

  4. 4. Raspberry Cinnamon CBD Chocolate Bar (60mg)

    Pros:
    • Third party lab results prove Therapeutic Treats' chocolate bars contain truly full spectrum CBD
    • Lab results indicate presence of additional cannabinoids (including THC, CBN, CBC, and CBG)
    • Made with single origin and fair trade Ecuador Rain Forest Chocolate
    Cons:
    • Chocolate bars can melt during shipping if exposed to extreme heat
    • But melted chocolate bars can be put in freezer to reform!
    • May cause you to become a serious chocoholic

    This Therapeutic Treats Raspberries & Cinnamon CBD Chocolate Bar stands out because the flavor is delicious — and because the third-party lab results show that it contains full spectrum CBD. The lab found detectable levels of other cannabinoids, including THC and CBN, as well as 60 mg CBD.

    Also, I’ve tried this, and it’s one of the best chocolate bars I’ve ever tasted.

    This gourmet dark chocolate bar is made with single-origin and fair trade Ecuador Rain Forest Dark Chocolate, organic Raspberries, and a dash of cinnamon. The bar is also made with gluten-free, non-GMO, certified organic ingredients.

    These bars can easily be divided among the four 15 mg servings.

    According to the product description, this bar also includes terpenes, including Myrcene, Limonene, Alpha & Beta-pinene, Linalool, B-caryophyllene, Caryophyllene oxide, Terpinolene, and Humulene. (Terpenes are the flavor and scent molecules found in cannabis plants as well as citrus and pine plants, which may impact mood and other aspects of our well-being.)

    Full Disclosure: I received some samples of Therapeutic Treats chocolate bars to test out, and they were absolutely delicious. This flavor was my favorite! But for more delicious CBD treats, check out our guide to the best CBD edibles.

  5. 5. Populum Full Spectrum Hemp Oil (500mg)

    Pros:
    • Hemp sourced from Colorado farms that grow organically (according to company representative who spoke to us)
    • Populum includes printed copy of batch-specific third-party lab results with every purchase
    • Third-party lab tested for potency, terpene profile, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pesticides
    • Full spectrum hemp oil, with potency results showing THC, CBC, and CBN (as well as CBD)
    • Populum released public statement about being cruelty-free (no testing on animals)
    Cons:
    • Expensive
    • Other ingredients (grapeseed oil, hempseed oil, coconut oil, orange oil and stevia) not certified organic, either
    • Not the right CBD tincture for anyone avoiding stevia sweetener

    This Populum Full Spectrum Hemp Oil stands out because Populum sources all their hemp from Colorado farms which grow organically, according to a company representative who spoke to us.

    For more information on why organic matters, check out our guide to organic CBD products.

    This CBD oil also stands out because  Populum appears to be an industry leader in customer transparency.

    Included in the box with every order, you’ll find a printed copy of your batch’s third-party lab results. (This is uncommon among most CBD companies.)

    Populum sent me a free sample of their full-spectrum 500mg tincture to test out. After checking out the printed test results that came in the box, I scanned the QR code on the printout, and was taken directly to the batch-specific lab results on the third-party lab’s own website.

    (The lab analysis was conducted by Analytical360, a respected cannabis testing lab in Seattle.)

    You can also view a copy of the lab results on the product page.

    The lab found that one bottle contains over 530 mg CBD, 23 mg THC, and small amounts of CBN and CBC. This is definitely full spectrum CBD!

    The lab also tested for terpene content, mycotoxins, residual solvents, heavy metals, and pesticides.

    The orange flavor is subtle but lovely.

    Another thing that sets Populum apart is its public statement about having no known testing on animals anywhere in its supply chain. It’s unclear whether this seems uncommon simply because other CBD companies don’t find it necessary, but you can rest assured that this CBD oil brand is completely vegan and cruelty-free.

  6. 6. Charlotte’s Web CBD Gummies with Turmeric

    Pros:
    • Contains full spectrum CBD (with small amounts of THC and other cannabinoids)
    • Contains ginger and turmeric, natural ingredients shown to support a healthy response to inflammation
    • Charlotte's Web is the most well-known & longest-operating CBD brand in business today
    • Made without any dyes
    Cons:
    • Charlotte's Web does not release the actual third-party lab results (which many CBD companies do)
    • Instead, they release their own report based on the lab resuts
    • Expensive

    These Recovery Gummies by Charlotte’s Web stand out because they include full spectrum CBD alongside turmeric and ginger.

    Ginger and Turmeric are both shown to support a healthy response to inflammation — along with CBD.

    These gummies are designed for athletes and anyone looking for healthier joints. And they’re made one of the best-known, most well-respected CBD companies operating today.

    We received samples to test out, which tasted surprisingly good, for such healthy gummies.

    We also requested lab results (because Charlotte’s Web does not publicly share their lab reports).

    According to the tests they had conducted by Eurofins Testing Lab, these Recovery gummies contain 6 mg CBD — an extra milligram per gummy, beyond what’s advertised.

    The report says each gummy contains .02 percent THC.

    Like with all full spectrum hemp products, it’s not enough THC to get you high. But some experts believe that trace level of THC may be crucial to activating the entourage effect. (According to this theory, cannabinoids work best together, with a “spectrum” of other plant compounds — the way they occur naturally in hemp plants.) The report says that the Eurofins lab also found trace levels of CBC, another cannabinoid in the spectrum.

  7. 7. Best Full Spectrum CBD Topical For Pain: Receptra Naturals “Serious Relief + Arnica” Targeted Topical Balm (400 mg)

    Pros:
    • Receptra Naturals makes batch-specific lab results available on website (each bottle comes with QR code you can scan to view your batch's results)
    • Contains full spectrum CBD - an earlier batch's lab results confirmed 'spectrum' of other cannabinoids (THC, CBN, CBC, and CBG)
    • Also includes jasmine and camphor for ultimate skin healing experience
    Cons:
    • Their database of batch-specific lab results makes it hard to view lab results *before* you purchase
    • Camphor can create tingling sensation
    • If you don't like jasmine or camphor, you may not like the scent

    This Receptra Naturals “Serious Relief + Arnica” Balm (400 mg) stands out because it contains arnica, as well as full spectrum CBD.

    Arnica is a medicinal herb commonly used to reduce pain.

    It also includes a blend of ylang-ylang, jasmine, and camphor, which can help open up pores, helping this topical penetrate your skin barrier.

    Receptra Naturals makes batch-specific lab results available on their website. This is awesome, but of course, it makes it hard to look at test results before you purchase.

    Luckily, we contacted Receptra Naturals about this product (when it was still called ‘Targeted Topical,’ and had different packaging).

    The potency results, which a Receptra representative said were conducted by Proverde Labs in Massachusetts, indicated that each jar actually contained more CBD than advertised.

    The lab also found .2mg THC per gram of body butter, along with trace amounts of other cannabinoids (CBC, CBG, and CBN).

    This confirmed that Receptra uses full spectrum CBD.

    For more information, check out our guide to the best CBD creams.

  8. 8. Best Organic CBD Oil on Amazon: Cornbread Hemp USDA Certified Organic CBD Oil (375 mg)

    Pros:
    • Real full spectrum CBD oil on Amazon (Amazon usually pulls most real CBD products from its platform)
    • USDA certified organic CBD product (one of the first CBD companies to earn USDA seal!)
    • Cornbread Hemp publishes third-party lab results by USDA-approved hemp lab, including potency, heavy metals, residual solvents and more
    • Affordable
    • Blended with organic MCT coconut oil
    Cons:
    • Language that the company must use on Amazon product listing can be confusing
    • Not tested for glyphosate (which may have been used on most fields in Kentucky, where farmers previously grew conventional crops)
    • Half-ounce bottle is smaller than most CBD tincture bottles

    This Cornbread Hemp USDA Certified Organic CBD Oil (375 mg) stands out because it’s USDA-certified organic. Plus, Cornbread Hemp releases batch-specific third-party lab reports for every batch of CBD oil they sell. 

    All Cornbread Hemp products are tested by Kaycha Labs, Kentucky’s only DEA-registered testing facility, which is also a USDA-Approved Hemp Laboratory.

    Kaycha tests these batches of CBD oil for not only potency, but also heavy metals, residual solvents, microbials, mycotoxins, and pesticides.

    So this CBD oil is certified organic and rigorously lab-tested. But that’s not all: It’s also available on Amazon.

    Worried about buying CBD on Amazon? We totally understand.

    But this actually comes with an “authenticity tag” by Cannverify. You scratch off the tinfoil coating where instructed, and then scan the QR code on the sticker. Once you’ve been taken to Cannverify’s site, you type in the 4-digit code you just revealed by scratching off the top layer. Cannverify verifies your product, so you know it’s not a counterfeit. The page also gives you helpful dosage and product information.

    If you scan the other QR code on the box, it takes you to Cornbread Hemp’s lab certificate database. You can use the batch number printed on the bottom of the box to look up the third-party lab reports specific to your batch.

    I received a free sample of this whole plant CBD oil. When I checked out test results for my batch, I was taken to this page, where, when I did the math, I learned that my half ounce bottle of tincture actually contained 464 mg of CBD. That’s over 100 bonus milligrams!

    This whole plant CBD oil also contains small amounts of THC and CBG oil, meaning it contains truly full spectrum hemp extract. Which actually makes it even more surprising that it’s available on Amazon.

    When I asked a representative, she said that it was allowed on Amazon because it was certified organic, and because it was described as “hemp oil” instead of CBD oil. (This has not stopped the retail platform from pulling several other CBD brands off their site, so you may want to act quickly.)

  9. 9. Eco Sciences ECODrops “Boost” Tincture (500 MG CBD)

    Pros:
    • Third-party lab results confirm that this is truly full-spectrum hemp extract (includes low levels of THC)
    • Custom crafted terpene blend includes specific hemp terpenes as well as lavender, chamomile, and clary sage terpenes
    • This company uses CO2 extraction, so you don't have to worry about residual solvents
    • Extracted from organically-grown hemp
    Cons:
    • Expensive
    • Not everyone wants THC in their CBD tincture (even at trace levels like this)
    • Not from US-grown hemp

    The Eco Sciences ECODrops “Boost” Tincture stands out because it includes full-spectrum CBD, as well as a terpene blend specifically formulated to improve your mood. 

    Eco Sciences uses a CO2 supercritical extraction method to extract the CBD, terpenes, cannabinoids, vitamins, lipids, nutrients, and compounds from organically-grown EU hemp. That means this is truly full-spectrum hemp extract. And thanks to these high production standards, you don’t have to worry about residual solvents or pesticides.

    Eco Sciences is also committed to transparency. You can look up test results that correspond specifically to the batch number on your bottle.

    For one batch of this Boost Tincture, the 10 ml bottle contained 548 MG of CBD and 3 MG THC. It contained 3 MG of CBC and .7 of CBG, two lesser-known cannabinoids that experts believe can play a role in increasing the efficacy of CBD. 

  10. 10. Best Full Spectrum CBD Capsules: CBDistillery Full Spectrum CBD Softgels (900 mg)

    Pros:
    • CBDistillery makes all lab results for every batch of products publicly available in searchable database
    • CBDistillery is certified by U.S. Hemp Authority, which requires an annual third party audit
    • Lab results confirm 29.6mg CBD per capsule, along with other full-spectrum cannabinoids
    Cons:
    • Not vegetarian
    • (These include gelatin, which is derived from skin, cartilage, and bones from animals)
    • Capsules can take longer to be absorbed into the bloodstream, compared to CBD tinctures

    These CBDistillery CBD Softgels stand out because each capsule contains 30 mg of high-quality, Colorado-grown full-spectrum CBD.

    CBDistillery is certified by the US Hemp Authority, a non-governmental industry entity whose certification program is geared to provide high standards, best practices, and self-regulation so consumers and law enforcement are assured that hemp products are safe. In anticipation of impending FDA regulations, they’re trying to help existing CBD companies be prepared for stricter regulations, as the Hemp Authority President Marielle Weintraub explained to me. To do so, they hold companies like CBDistillery to the strictest standards set forth for nutritional supplements. (The strictest standards are set forth by the State of California, so the US Hemp Authority encourages all CBD companies to meet these standards.)

    To earn this rigorous seal of approval, CBDistillery has conducted this additional testing, which is not yet required by law. To achieve even greater transparency, they’ve made their results publicly available in a giant user-friendly online database.

    You can check out this massive database, and search for an exact batch number or product.

    You can order these 30mg softgels in a bottle of 30 capsules or 60 capsules. For each batch, you can view not only cannabinoid potency results, but also results for Pesticides, Residual Solvents, Heavy Metals, Microbials, Terpenes, and Mycotoxins.

    Their full-spectrum CBD softgel potency results, provided by Botanacor Services, confirm that the tested softgels contain 29.6mg of CBD. (Close enough!) In this test, the lab also found .8mg of THC, and .3mg of CBG.

    CBG is a cannabinoid that’s less well-known than its more famous cousins, THC and CBD. But preliminary studies on animals suggest CBG can help with glaucoma, IBS, nerve degeneration, and even cancer.

    And that negligible amount of THC could be essential for helping to activate your body’s cannabinoid receptors. (It’s not enough to be psychoactive — so these won’t get you high.)

    The cannabinoids are present only in trace amounts, but their presence confirms that this is truly full-spectrum hemp extract. These cannabinoids could be critical to unlocking the CBD’s maximum efficacy, in a phenomenon scientists have dubbed “the entourage effect.” The entourage effect refers to the synergy between cannabinoids. 

    Other ingredients include fractionated MCT Coconut Oil, Lecithin Sunflower Oil, and gelatin.

    For more information, check out our guide to the best CBD capsules.

  11. 11. Best Affordable Full Spectrum CBD Oil: Elixinol “Daily Balance” Full Spectrum CBD Oil (500mg)

    Pros:
    • Each bottle contains a batch number, which leads you to batch-specific third-party lab results online
    • Third-party lab testing includes cannabinoid potency, heavy metals, microbial contaminants, and more
    • Lab confirms presence of small amounts of THC, making this full spectrum CBD oil
    • Elixinol has received seal of approval from U.S. Hemp Authority (which holds CBD companies to rigorous standards)
    • Supercritical CO2 extraction
    Cons:
    • No added flavor, so it tastes slightly of hemp (which isn't everyone's favorite flavor)
    • Lab report does not show detectable levels of CBN or CBG (additional cannabinoids sometimes reported in full spectrum hemp oil)
    • The only certification Elixinol does not have is "glyphosate free" (see other tinctures on this list for more information)

    This Elixinol “Daily Balance” Full Spectrum CBD Oil stands out because of the company’s transparency.

    And because it remains affordable, despite the extra quality control.

    Elixinol is based in Boulder, Colorado, and they enlist the respected Colorado lab Botanacor to conduct their third-party testing. But they don’t just hire Botanacor to test for cannabinoid potency — they also get each batch tested for microbial contaminants and residual solvents.

    I received a free sample of this tincture to test out. I located my batch number on the side of the jar, went to Elixinol’s website, and typed it in. I was met with user-friendly, batch-specific test results — more test results than I ever knew I needed.

    For each contaminant and solvent tested, the lab found zero traces of anything. When they tested for ethanol residue, they found zero parts per million. This is significant because Elixinol uses ethanol to distill this hemp oil tincture. (This means all the ethanol must have been burned off during the process — the sign of a clean distillation process.) Elixinol also uses supercritical CO2 extraction, further contributing to their ultra-clean product.

    Reviewing these test results, I discovered that Elixinol also employed yet another lab (Eurofins Food Integrity and Innovation) to test the batch for heavy metals and chemical residues. This matters, because some analysts believe CBD products may contain harmful chemicals — even if the CBD is derived from organically-grown hemp. (Hemp plants can absorb chemicals from the soil, and some hemp fields may have been sprayed with toxic chemicals in the past, when growing more conventional crops.) This lab tested for dozens of chemical residues and did not detect any harmful chemicals in Elixinol’s tincture.

    Elixinol has also been awarded the U.S. Hemp Authority’s Seal of Approval. This is no small feat. The U.S. Hemp Authority is a non-governmental organization that conducts independent, third-party audits of each company that applies for its seal. They hold these companies to the strictest standards applied to nutritional supplements anywhere in the country, largely by using California’s strict standards. (For more about their seal of approval, check out our explainer about CBD on Amazon.) The organization audits each company on their list annually. 

    Despite all these extra quality control steps — none of which are legally required — this CBD oil is extremely affordable. It’s blended in MCT coconut oil for rapid absorption and added nutrients. The lab results by Botanacor confirm that this bottle contains 300 mg CBD (which is what this product contained, before they re-branded this as a tincture with 500 mg for the same price), as well as around 21 mg of THC. This small amount of THC affirms that this is truly full spectrum hemp extract. Those 21 mg aren’t enough to get you high — but they may activate the “entourage effect.” (Researchers theorize that your body can best use CBD when it’s accompanied by trace amounts of THC.)

Full Spectrum Hemp Extract vs CBD: What's the difference?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one cannabinoid that occurs naturally in hemp. THC is another cannabinoid. While these are the two most famous cannabinoids, there's a whole range of others, including CBG, CBN, and CBC.

Experts suggest that CBD may work best when taken along with other cannabinoids -- the way it normally occurs in nature. When you consume CBD along with a whole "spectrum" of other cannabinoids, you may activate a synergy, making the CBD work more effectively in your body.

Full spectrum CBD oil (or hemp extract) contains the entire spectrum of cannabinoids, including CBD. CBD oil, meanwhile, can refer to either full spectrum hemp oil or CBD that's been isolated from its fellow cannabinoids. (This is usually called "CBD isolate.")