Organic CBD oil is made from organic hemp. Seems simple, right? But the best organic CBD oil is free of synthetic ingredients after it’s packaged, too.
If you don’t feel like sleuthing through all the CBD brands, no problem. The USDA has now certified a few organic CBD tinctures, and we’ve done enough research to include a few more. Read on to discover the best organic CBD oil available today.
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1.
Best USDA-Certified Organic *AND* Certified Glyphosate-Free: RE Botanicals Full Spectrum Tincture (1500 mg)
Pros:
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USDA-certified organic
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Certified glyphosate-free
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RE Botanicals also practices regenerative agriculture, and donates portion of profits to support regenerative agriculture elsewhere
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Batch-specific test results are easily accessible online
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1500 mg is pretty strong
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Full spectrum
Cons:
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More expensive than some tinctures
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Unflavored (though flavored options available)
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You might be paying extra to support regenerative agriculture
This RE Botanicals Full Spectrum Tincture isn’t just certified organic. It’s also the only CBD oil we’ve seen that is certified glyphosate-free.
Glyphosate is the technical name for the weedkiller, Roundup. Today, due to health concerns, the chemical is banned in some countries and the World Health Organization recognizes it as a known carcinogen.
All of RE Botanicals’ products are certified glyphosate-free by the Detox Project, a non-governmental European organization.
Their products are also USDA-certified organic, which is still an accomplishment on its own.
RE Botanicals also practices regenerative agriculture and donates one percent of profits to non-profits that further regenerative agriculture across the globe.
These things alone would help it stand out against the competition. But it is the commitment to glyphosate-free products that is the most unique.
For consumers who are committed to using their purchases to make their voice known, choosing this brand is a way to stand up for better regulation of toxic pesticides (and show your support for regenerative agriculture).
This tincture may also appeal to individuals who are very sensitive and worried about their chemical exposure levels. This doesn’t mean other CBD oil brands — which are not glyphosate-free — are carcinogenic. But when it comes to CBD, there’s a good reason you may want to pay extra for something you know is glyphosate-free.
Hemp plants are “bioacummulators.” This means they absorb nearly everything from the soil where they grow. Their roots can absorb heavy metals and chemicals — including herbicides.
That’s not the only reason to choose this tincture. RE Botanicals also sources 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 in this tincture).
You’ll also be getting the benefits of full-spectrum hemp oil. Most experts recommend full-spectrum CBD oil because evidence suggests that CBD works best in synergy with other cannabinoids, including THC, CBN, and CBG. (For more information about the less-famous cannabinoid, check out our guide to CBG.)
RE Botanicals also posts all their lab test results online. (And they also make some great full-spectrum CBD capsules.)
They 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.
Find more RE Botanicals Full Spectrum Tincture (1500 mg) information and reviews here.
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2.
Best THC-Free USDA-Certified Organic CBD Oil: Joy Organics CBD Oil Tincture (450mg)
Pros:
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Joy Organics makes batch-specific lab results easily accessible on their website
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This Tranquil Mint flavor is delicious (I tried it)
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Joy Organics completed the lengthy process necessary for USDA organic certification
Cons:
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This version in the photo is only 450mg (but you can select other potencies as you check out)
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Broad spectrum hemp extract (does not contain any THC)
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Not tested for glyphosate (similar to almost all other CBD oil tinctures)
The Joy Organics Broad Spectrum CBD Oil Tinctures stand out because Joy Organics recently earned the USDA seal.
All their hemp is already grown organically in the US. And the Tranquil Mint flavor is absolutely delicious. (I tried it.) It covers up any hemp flavor, without being overpowering.
A CBD tincture that tastes good isn’t just an extra indulgence. Because when you enjoy the flavor of your CBD tincture, you’re more likely to leave it under your tongue for a minute, and swish it around your mouth. Experts say that remembering this step — as opposed to swallowing your tincture immediately or adding it to drinks — helps improve the speed of absorption.
In other words: Your CBD will enter your bloodstream faster if it has a chance to enter your sublingual capillaries (instead of going through your digestive system). And when you have a delicious tincture, it’s easier to do just that.
And with Joy Organics CBD oil, you can choose from several flavors. The mint and natural version are blended with organic olive oil, while the lemon and orange flavors are blended with MCT coconut oil.
I tried the mint flavor. (Full disclosure: I received a free sample of the 1350 mg bottle, which you can also buy through this link when you select your flavor and potency options at checkout.)
My bottle had a batch number printed on the bottom of it: “CTM1350.” This led me to batch-specific lab reports for my exact batch of tincture. (Test results for every batch are available on Joy Organics’ website.)
Green Scientific Labs found that my batch of tincture actually contained over 1400 mg CBD per bottle, along with .4 mg CBC and 47.9 mg CBG. (For more information about these lesser-known cannabinoids, check out our guide to CBG oil.) The lab also tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial contaminants.)
The lab found that this tincture does not contain any THC. (So it’s broad spectrum hemp extract — thanks to the additional cannabinoids — but not full spectrum hemp oil, because it’s THC free.)
I normally opt for full-spectrum CBD oil, but I took this broad spectrum tincture consistently for a week straight. I hate to be cheesy, but I have to say, during my time testing Joy Organics, I felt an increased amount of joy.
I wondered how a broad-spectrum tincture could have such a noticeable effect on me. (Most experts recommend full spectrum CBD oil, because they theorize that CBD works best as part of an “entourage effect,” or a synergy, with the full “spectrum” of other cannabinoids — including a small amount of THC.)
Maybe it’s because I already incorporate an ice bong into my wellness routine. (So there’s already plenty of THC circulating in my body.)
Or maybe it’s because Joy Organics adds additional terpenes to their flavored tinctures (like my beloved Tranquil Mint bottle), and claims on their website that the added terpenes help “encourage the full entourage effect.”
Find more Joy Organics CBD Oil Tincture (450mg) information and reviews here.
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4.
Best USDA-Organic From Colorado-Grown Hemp: Aspen Green Full Spectrum Hemp Oil 3000mg
Pros:
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USDA organic CBD oil made from Colorado-grown hemp
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Each batch is tested by third party lab for normal testing criteria (potency, heavy metals, etc.), as well as terpene content
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Full spectrum hemp extract with lab-detected levels of THC, CBN, CBG, etc.
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Hemp extract blended with MCT coconut oil
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Very easy to find and view latest batch's lab results
Cons:
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No added flavors, so may have a somewhat earthy hemp flavor
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Not tested for glyphosate, a common pesticide (similar to most CBD oil brands)
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Contains a natural preservative (rosemary extract)
Aspen Green Full Spectrum Hemp Oil stands out because it’s USDA-certified organic, and it’s all derived from hemp grown organically in Colorado.
It also stands out because it’s lab-tested not only for potency, heavy metals, and pesticides, but also for terpene content.
(Terpenes are flavor and scent molecules found in several families of plants; they may improve taste as well as the bioavailability of beneficial plant compounds.)
Testing for terpenes is not common within the CBD industry.
Aspen Green also gets each batch lab-tested. (Many companies simply test one batch, and post those results as if they speak for every batch of the same product.)
And they make it easy to view the test results for yourself. (Their testing is conducted by Proverde Laboratories, an ISO-accredited third-party lab facility.)
If you check out the results, which are easy to locate on the product page, you’ll see that this tincture contains over a dozen terpenes.
You can also confirm for yourself that this hemp oil is truly full spectrum. That is, it contains a full “spectrum” of cannabinoids, including CBN, CBG, and THC.
The full spectrum hemp extract is blended with organic MCT coconut oil. It also contains a tiny amount of rosemary extract, which acts as a preservative.
Find more Aspen Green Full Spectrum Hemp Oil 3000mg information and reviews here.
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6.
Best USDA-Certified Organic CBD Tincture: Elixinol Organic Balance CBD Tincture (300 mg)
Pros:
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USDA-certified organic full-spectrum CBD tincture
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All Elixinol products have batch number on bottle, so you can look up batch-specific lab reports in their database
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Affordable
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Delicious flavor (I tried it!)
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Blended with organic MCT coconut oil as well as organic Copaiba oil, which is believed to aid entourage effect
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Third-party lab tests include results for heavy metals and pesticide residues, as well as potency results
Cons:
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Not the highest CBD content on this list (300 mg total)
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Flavor may depend on personal preference (I loved it!)
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Need batch number in order to look up test results in their database (the batch number is on the bottom of the bottle)
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Lab results did not indicate detectable levels of other cannabinoids (like THC or CBG), just CBD
Elixinol’s new “Organic Balance” 300 mg CBD Tincture stands out because it’s USDA-certified organic.
This is hard to find. (Only a couple other companies on this list have the USDA seal.) CBD companies were only able to start applying for USDA certification in 2018. Today, only a handful of companies have earned the right to put “USDA-certified organic” on their label.
Elixinol’s CBD has always been derived from organic hemp plants, the company says. But they created their new certified line because they know some consumers might feel more comfortable with USDA-certified products.
To meet the USDA’s requirements, they not only use organic hemp; they also process the hemp in organic facilities, and blend it with organic MCT oil.
Full disclosure: I received a free sample of Elixinol’s Organic Balance tincture. It was inexplicably delicious, with a refreshing flavor I wouldn’t normally associate with hemp.
So I took a closer look at the ingredients. The label said it included copaiba oil. Apparently, Elixinol includes this oil, which is derived from a certain kind of Brazilian tree, because the oil includes “BCP,” a molecule that helps bind to receptors in your endocannabinoid system.
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a CBD company using BCP (or Copaiba oil) to help enhance the entourage effect of their CBD.
Could this be the next frontier? CBD with BCP?
I located my batch number on the bottom of the bottle, went to Elixinol’s website, and typed it in. I immediately found batch-specific test results.
The potency results conducted by Botanacor, an accredited testing lab in Colorado, confirm that this tincture does contain just over 300 mg CBD. Interestingly, the lab did not detect levels of any other cannabinoids. (Full spectrum CBD tinctures normally report levels of other cannabinoids, like THC or CBG.)
Reviewing these test results, I discovered that Elixinol also has each batch tested by yet another lab (Eurofins Food Integrity and Innovation) for heavy metals and chemical residues. This lab tested for dozens of chemical residues and did not detect any harmful chemicals in Elixinol’s tincture.
Elixinol also uses supercritical CO2 extraction, which is considered one of the “cleanest” extraction methods.
This isn’t the first time Elixinol has earned a prestigious seal. The company has also been awarded the U.S. Hemp Authority’s Seal of Approval. 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. The organization audits each company on its list annually.
So we were already impressed with Elixinol’s commitment to transparency and quality assurance, before they released this new product.
Find more Elixinol Organic Balance CBD Tincture (300 mg) information and reviews here.
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7.
Best USDA-Certified Option: Cornbread Hemp Whole Plant CBD Oil (1500mg)
Pros:
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USDA certified organic CBD product (one of the first CBD companies to earn USDA seal!)
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Cornbread Hemp publishes third-party lab results by USDA-approved hemp lab, including potency, heavy metals, residual solvents and more
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Full spectrum, whole-plant hemp extract (lab detected small amounts of THC, CBG, CBN, and CBC)
Cons:
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Not tested for glyphosate (which may have been used on most fields in Kentucky, where farmers previously grew conventional crops)
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Earthy flavor (no added flavors)
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Not everyone wants THC in their CBD oil
This Cornbread Hemp Organic Extra-Strength CBD Oil 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. Kaycha Labs is also a USDA-Approved Hemp Laboratory.
Kaycha Labs tests these batches of CBD oil for not only potency, but also for heavy metals, residual solvents, microbials, mycotoxins, and pesticides.
So this CBD oil is both certified organic, and rigorously lab-tested.
If you check out the latest test results for this 1500mg version, you’ll see that there are almost exactly 1500 mg CBD per bottle. The lab also detected .2% THC, plus trace amounts of CBN, CBC, and CBG oil.
That means this is truly full spectrum CBD oil. (It contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids that occur naturally in a hemp plant.)
Full Disclosure: I received a free sample of Cornbread’s CBD oil.
I was impressed that it came with an authentication code. I scratched off the tinfoil coating where instructed, and then scanned the QR code on the sticker. I was taken to Cannverify’s site, where I typed in the 4-digit code (revealed by scratching off the top layer). Cannverify verified the product, so I could rest assured it wasn’t a counterfeit. The page also gives you helpful dosage and product information.
Even better: 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.
Looking for a cheaper way to see if Cornbread Hemp is right for you?
You can buy a much lower-potency version of Cornbread Hemp’s CBD oil on Amazon. But I would definitely scratch off the authentication code when it arrives, to make sure it’s legitimate. (For more information, check out our guide to buying CBD on Amazon.)
Find more Cornbread Hemp Organic Extra-Strength CBD Oil 1500mg information and reviews here.
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8.
Best Sourced From Small Hemp Farms in Kentucky: CBDfx CBD + CBN Calming Tincture (500 mg)
Pros:
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Contains CBD as well as CBN, a cannabinoid believed to aid relaxation (but zero THC)
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CBD derived from hemp grown organically on small farms in Kentucky
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CBDfx makes lab results easily accessible on their website (and the lab results confirm broad-spectrum CBD)
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Lab also tests for pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and microbials (results available on product page)
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Also contains terpene blend and stevia for pleasant flavor
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Comes in varying potencies
Cons:
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This product is not certified organic
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The hemp farms aren't certified organic either (USDA certification is often too costly for small farmers)
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Not full spectrum CBD (it contains zero THC)
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Like most organic products, this is not tested for glyphosate (a chemical that was probably sprayed on most agricultural fields in Kentucky, before they switched to hemp)
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Contains stevia (sweetener, which may not be organic)
This CBDfx CBD CBN Calming Tincture stands out because it contains CBN, a cannabinoid believed to promote relaxation, but zero THC.
The product comes in varying potencies. The cheapest version contains 500 mg CBD and 150 mg CBN. This combination of cannabinoids would be perfect at bedtime!
On the product page, you can choose the potency that’s right for you — up to 6000mg CBD!
It also contains a terpene blend for “herbaceous” flavor.
And while it’s not certified organic, CBDfx sources all its hemp from small farmers in Kentucky, who comply with organic growing practices.
The farms are not actually certified organic, but it’s not that uncommon for small organic farmers to lack USDA certification. (Certification can be costly.)
For reassurance, you can look at their lab results, which are conducted by a third-party lab. The lab tested this tincture not only for cannabinoids, but also for pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and microbials.
It’s important for your CBD to be tested for these potential contaminants, because hemp is what’s known as a “phytoremediation plant.” Thanks to its botanical structure, it absorbs pollutants from the soil. This is great for the earth (and for cleaning up Superfund sites) — but if those contaminants wind up in your CBD, it’s not so great for you. (For more on this, check out the explanation at the bottom of this article.)
The lab tested this tincture for dozens of pesticide residues. Any traces of pesticides found were below acceptable limits of exposure, however the lab did not test for glyphosate.
Lab results are available for every single product on this company’s website. They can be found right on the product page. This further sets CBDfx apart from other popular CBD brands — even others who do conduct lab testing. Other companies often make the lab results difficult to find. Or they require you to have a bach number to figure out which lab reports correspond to which products. (In other words, they make you purchase the product before viewing lab data.) But CBDfx makes it easy to view the lab reports for any product they make, before you purchase.
Aside from the hemp extract, the only other ingredient in this tincture is organic MCT oil.
CBDfx Director of Marketing Jeff Brunell emphasizes the need for organic ingredients.
“Many people out there rely on CBDfx products for daily use,” he says, “which makes product purity even more important. Small contaminants like pesticides or heavy metals can accumulate into a large problem over time. That’s unacceptable for us, and we will always put our customers’ health before anything else.”
Find more CBDfx Tincture information and reviews here.
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9.
Best CBD Oil With Public Statement About Not Testing on Animals: Populum Full Spectrum Hemp Oil (500mg)
Pros:
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Hemp sourced from Colorado farms that grow organically (according to company representative who spoke to us)
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Populum includes printed copy of batch-specific third-party lab results with every purchase
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Third-party lab tested for potency, terpene profile, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pesticides
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Full spectrum hemp oil, with potency results showing THC, CBC, and CBN (as well as CBD)
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Populum released public statement about being cruelty-free (no testing on animals)
Cons:
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Expensive
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Other ingredients (grapeseed oil, hempseed oil, coconut oil, orange oil and stevia) not certified organic, either
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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 — and 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.
Find more Populum Full Spectrum Hemp Oil (500mg) information and reviews here.
Why should I choose organic CBD oil?
There are many reasons to buy organic. You might buy organic CBD for the same reasons you buy organic food: for your health, and the health of the planet. ("Organic" generally means something is free of synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, dyes, GMOs, industrial solvents, and irradiation.)
But when it comes to your CBD, choosing organic might be even more important than when it comes to food.
That's because the hemp plant is what's known as a "bio-accumulator" (or a "phytoremediator"). It absorbs heavy metals and chemical residues from the soil.
What is phytoremediation?
Phytoremediation is the process of using certain powerhouse plants (like hemp) to vacuum the pollution out of contaminated soils. Through its roots, the hemp draws heavy metals, chemicals, and radiation out of the soil, and stores them in its stalks and leaves.
Which is fantastic, if you're trying to clean up environmental pollution. Hemp has been used to suck up dangerous toxins from heavily-contaminated soil in areas like Chernobyl.
But it's not ideal if that hemp is intended for human consumption.
So should I be worried about chemicals and heavy metals in my CBD oil?
Not if you use this authoritative guide to the best organic CBD brands available right now!
But if you have a favorite CBD brand that's not on this list, we get it. Still, at the very least, you want to make sure your CBD supplier sources hemp that's been grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
You can request the lab results, and check out the results for pesticides, heavy metals, and residual solvents. This should give you a pretty good idea of what chemical toxins have made their way into your CBD oil.
So if a CBD company sources hemp from farmers who grow it organically, that means their CBD oil is organic, right?
Not necessarily.
Chemical pesticides can linger in the soil for years. (This is part of why it can be hard for new farmers to gain organic certification right away.)
Today, many hemp farms have been built on land that was previously used to grow conventional crops.
If my CBD oil is USDA-certified organic, does that mean it's truly organic? (And glyphosate-free?)
That's kind of a controversial question.
Only a handful of CBD brands have been awarded the USDA's seal, and it's safe to assume that these brands are leading the pack.
To earn the USDA seal, they must not only use organically-grown hemp; they must also process it in a certified organic facility, without chemical solvents. And they must ensure that all other ingredients blended with their hemp extract are also certified organic.
But within the organic movement, concerned citizens have been raising concerns about the USDA's certification process for years.
For example, the USDA allows companies to use the "organic" label when 95% of their ingredients are certified organic. According to USDA rules, the remaining 5% can be inorganic, and the product can still be labeled "organic."
That's part of why some experts believe the USDA’s organic certification process falls short.
“Only five percent of the agricultural commodities [that are] ‘certified organic’ actually have to be tested, under the national organic program’s rules,” explains Valentina Temerario, the Director of Certification at Envirocann, a company in California that uses a different certification process from the USDA.
That’s why her company, Envirocann, certifies cannabis growers as either best-practice operators (“Envirocann-certified”), or “Enviroganic,” their highest certification.
To be certified by Envirocann, applicants must undergo more routine third-party sample testing — and significantly more oversight than required for the USDA’s organic certification.
(Envirocann mostly certifies marijuana farms, but they’ve started certifying hemp farms as well.)
“Heavy metals are definitely an issue [on cannabis and hemp farms],” Temerario says. And that's a big problem because hemp plants absorb everything from the soil they’re planted in.
But at least heavy metals will show up on the lab tests.
The USDA also allows "organic" hydroponic operations on land contaminated with glyphosate. This loophole has bugged organic activists for years - the "organic" label doesn't even mean something grown in soil.
(The USDA allows hydroponically-grown crops, which are grown in 'growing mediums' instead of soil, to be called "organic.")
So why bother looking for organic CBD oil manufacturers at all?
The organic label still means these companies have successfully completed a rigorous (and costly) audit process. It means synthetic herbicides haven't been sprayed on their land in years. That's not anything.
It also means their hemp extract has been processed according to USDA "organic" regulations, and that all other ingredients blended with their hemp extract are also certified organic.
But the USDA seal isn't everything.
That's why we've included a few CBD oil brands that are not USDA-certified but embrace the spirit of the organic movement. Feel free to check out our detailed reviews above, and choose the right CBD oil based on what "organic" means to you.
What's the best organic CBD oil on Amazon?
Check out the Cornbread Hemp product we reviewed above! They actually do have the USDA seal. And, as a company representative explained, they've carefully worded their Amazon product listing, to avoid getting kicked off the platform. Fingers crossed they haven't been pulled from Amazon by the time you read this!