What is CBD? A Beginner's Guide to CBD

Welcome to Green Stem CBD. If you’ve arrived at this page, you’ve either heard of CBD and are curious to find out more about its amazing benefits or you’ve been using it for a while and would like to know more about how CBD works, what is CBD, or what CBD does? Either way, you’re about to discover why over 6 million people* in the UK have already tried CBD and how 1.3 million of those, and rising, have regularly incorporated CBD into their everyday lives. Continue reading to learn more about what CBD is and why it can be beneficial for everyone as a part of a healthy lifestyle!

What is CBD?

You may be unfamiliar with CBD, but you’re certain to have heard of the cannabis plant. There are dozens of strains of this leafy, green shrub-like plant, of which perhaps the most famous is marijuana. The other most prevalent variety is hemp, which has been cultivated for centuries for a variety of uses including ropes and textiles, paper and biofuel.

What all varieties of cannabis plant share in common is their abundance of cannabinoids: chemical compounds that interact with the body and other biosystems in a variety of ways. Marijuana is rich in THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound known for getting the user ‘high’ and is most commonly used recreationally, although it is also now widely used for medicinal purposes. Hemp, meanwhile, is brimming with CBD, also known as Cannabidiol, which does not affect the user cognitively in any way, as has been proven by countless scientific studies.

While both plants share these chemical compounds, and a host of other beneficial cannabinoids as well as terpenes, vitamins and fatty acids, they are cultivated in such a way so that marijuana contains far more THC than CBD, and hemp contains predominantly CBD and only trace elements of THC. This is reduced even further during the CBD extraction process so that the end product presents no risk of a psychoactive reaction. In short, CBD is safe to use for practically everybody.

How to Use CBD

You’re sure to find a product that perfectly suits your lifestyle at Green Stem CBD, but it’s worth taking a moment to discuss how best to take CBD with a look at ‘bioavailability’. This fancy name merely describes the degree of absorption of CBD into the bloodstream across a range of delivery methods. The two methods with the best bioavailability are sublingual and inhalation. Sublingual refers to placing a drop or two of CBD oil under the tongue (sublingually), while inhalation means absorbing CBD through the lungs via a vaping liquid.

How to Buy CBD

When buying CBD, you want to be assured that the product you’ve chosen contains the specified dose and has fully met the highest standards of quality and safety. In other words, you want to choose a company like Green Stem CBD.

The CBD industry has grown incredibly rapidly over the last few years in a constant race to keep pace with the justifiable excitement the public feels about CBD and it’s enormous potential to support everyday wellbeing. Unfortunately, legislation has been somewhat slower to catch up, either being too prohibitive and stifling the transmission of clear, helpful information about CBD’s benefits or failing to enforce existing regulations, allowing for some disreputable suppliers to make false claims about their products.

Fortunately for consumers, we at Green Stem CBD strive to embody the highest standards for our industry. Green Stem uses only the purest CBD extracted from sustainably-sourced hemp from the USA. To ensure our products are THC-free, we stringently test them to demonstrate a “non-detect” level, and we can provide Certificates of Analysis for all our products so you can be assured of the highest quality formulation across the entire Green Stem range.

How Does CBD work?

The remarkable thing about cannabinoids is that they are found naturally in many biosystems, not only within cannabis. In fact, our bodies also produce cannabinoids, that play a subtle yet influential role in maintaining our general health and wellbeing. Little was known about it until the 1990s when restrictions on scientific research into cannabis were relaxed. A great deal has since been discovered.

We encourage you to carry out your own research to discover the benefits of CBD.

CBD Glossary

CBD: Cannabidiol

A chemical compound found in high concentrations in hemp. Interacts with the endocannabinoid system.

Cannabis

A plant with many strains including hemp and marijuana.

Hemp

A plant belonging to the cannabis family. Cultivated for industrial uses such as textiles and paper, as well as CBD extraction.

Marijuana

A plant belonging to the cannabis family. Contains THC compound used for a recreational ‘high’. Also has medicinal applications.

Bioavailability

The percentage of CBD that is actually absorbed into the bloodstream.

CBD Oil

A broad-spectrum CBD extract suspended in a carrier oil, usually coconut oil. Applied with a pipette under the tongue (sublingually.)

CBD Oral Drops

See CBD Oil

CBD Vaping Liquid

A CBD isolate suspended in a nicotine-free solution of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, often with added flavourings. Inhaled using a vape device.

We hope that this guide has given you enough knowledge to start your CBD journey with confidence and you have found the answers to what CBD is and what does it do.

We’re always on hand to share our passion for CBD and to help you if you want to ask us anything about CBD or our remarkable products. Simply contact us via email at support@greenstemcbd.com or call 01483 979 447 (Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm.) if you would like to learn more about the potential benefits of CBD and if you require further guidance. We are happy to help!

Sources

Report - CBD in the UK