CBD GUMMIES VS. OIL: WHICH IS BETTER?
CBD (Cannabidiol) is obtained from the Cannabis Sativa plant. CBD counts among 113 scientifically established cannabinoids derivable from cannabis plants.
Studies have continuously pointed to CBD’s applicability in treating pain, anxiety, and even cognitive disorders. A major attraction of CBD is that it doesn’t have the same intoxicating effects as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana.
Predominantly, CBD is taken either as CBD oil or CBD gummies. CBD gummies are made by combining CBD extracts (derived from the hemp plant) with your regular gummies.
This is different from CBD oil, which is derivable from the combination of CBD extracts with MCT oil and an assortment of secondary ingredients, ensuring an enhanced blend that can be administered independently. The MCT oil performs the role of a carrier, facilitating the CBD absorption into the bloodstream.
There are three primary variants of CBD gummies, depending on the combination of plant compounds constituted in the gummies. These types are the full spectrum gummies, isolate gummies, and broad-spectrum gummies.
Full-spectrum gummies retain the compound composition of hemp and non-psychoactive amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), albeit in trace quantities. The THC component doesn’t exceed the legal limit.
This way, you can still enjoy other hemp plant parts like phytocannabinoids and terpenes. Indeed, the latter ingredients ramp up the therapeutic effect derivable from your CBD gummy.
Broad-spectrum CBD gummies are totally devoid of THC, only including CBD and other ingredients.
True to their name, CBD isolate gummies contain no other compound than pure CBD. They can hold up to 99% of pure CBD with no secondary cannabinoids like terpenes or THC.
Given such singularity in composition, CBD isolates contain a more potent dosage than the other two varieties and best serve CBD enthusiasts who want to take CBD with no additives.
CBD gummies come in a variety of flavors and shapes. Due to their edibility, CBD gummies are more ingestible compared to stand-alone CBD products like CBD oil.
While you can choose just any CBD gummy (among the three mentioned), the larger bulk of CBD gummy enthusiasts go with the isolate and broad-spectrum variants. This is because they contain no THC, reducing the possibility of your CBD gummy ingestion affecting a drug test.
CBD enthusiasts regularly compare CBD gummies vs. oil. There is a heated debate as to which one is better.
In fact, there is no definitive superiority of any of these CBD products over the other. Your choice between CBD oil and gummies depends on what exactly you want from your CBD intake.
To settle the raging CBD gummies vs. oil argument, let us measure both products against each other, exploring their respective advantages and disadvantages.
First, how fast do you want the effect?
When choosing between CBD oil and gummies, you must first consider each one’s speed of effect. CBD oil works much quicker than CBD gummies, especially when you hold the CBD tincture under your tongue for about 60-120 seconds before swallowing.
If you correctly follow the instructions on the CBD oil package, you should be feeling the effects within 45 minutes. This is because the CBD oil, when dissolved on your tongue, has faster absorption into the bloodstream.
That is not necessarily the case for CBD gummies, which have a delayed effect. Compared to CBD oil, CBD gummies have a slower effect as it takes longer for the digestive system to process these gummies.
Provided your CBD gummies don’t contain ingredients like melatonin that trigger drowsiness, these gummies can be great candies to jumpstart your day.
Bioavailability is another factor that should determine your choice between CBD oil and gummies. Let’s look into it.
What is bioavailability?
The CBD product’s bioavailability determines the rate – and the magnitude – at which the CBD is absorbed into the body. Expectedly, this bioavailability will vary depending on what means you use in administering the CBD product.
This bioavailability rate is often lower for CBD gummies and candies since the products are first digested and metabolized before being passed to the bloodstream.
Typically, a reasonable fraction of such CBD content is broken down by the liver, leaving a reduced amount to be passed into the bloodstream. This study shows that such oral administration has far reduced bioavailability, making it a meager 6%.
CBD oil has higher bioavailability as a stand-alone product. Specifically, when you administer CBD oil by dissolving it on your tongue (which is the conventional method), the absorption rate increases by 20%.
Other elements, like your general health, body composition, activity level, and metabolism, affect the absorption rate in addition to administration means.
So, if you want a sizable dose of CBD to juice up your routine, you can go for CBD oil. If you want something smaller – especially for CBD enthusiasts new to the product – it is better to start with CBD gummies.
How discreet do you want your CBD product?
Undoubtedly, the level of user discretion matters in the CBD gummies vs. oil debate. Given the incorrect stereotypes still associated with CBD (as many still mistake it for having the intoxicating effects of marijuana), it is understandable if you want a bit of privacy when administering CBD products.
With CBD gummies, you can readily consume your CBD on the go or even in tight workspaces with nosy colleagues. They are often packaged like candies, making them more inconspicuous.
Another perk is portability. Since the CBD gummies are in portable packages, you can easily throw the gummy bottle into your purse when going to work, your backpack when hiking, or even into your luggage when traveling.
The same discreteness or portability doesn’t extend to your CBD oil. Pulling out your CBD oil bottle in public can raise eyebrows. What’s more, CBD oil can get messy, and you wouldn’t want to mistakenly spill it on a nice outfit.
Are you concerned about flavors?
When choosing between CBD oil and gummies, you may want to consider their respective tastes and flavors.
It is advisable to go for CBD gummies if you love gummy candies and prefer your CBD in the form of ready chewable treats.
CBD gummies have an extensive selection of flavors, ranging from lemon to ginger. Consequently, CBD gummies are better suited to CBD enthusiasts with a sweet tooth.
On the other hand, it is advisable to go for CBD oil if you don’t mind unflavored CBD. Alternatively, you can go with creative flavors like orange blossom or more classic flavors like lemon and mint.
CBD oils are better suited to those who prefer holding their CBD’s liquid form in their mouths for enhanced absorption. CBD oil is also more accommodating in terms of what you can take it with. You can mix your CBD oil with your soup, smoothie, or even regular coffee.
What dosage do you prefer?
It is easier to measure the CBD constitution of CBD gummies than of oils. Most of the time, the pure CBD percentage is expressly stated on the label of the CBD gummies.
So, if you have a package of CBD gummies with a CBD composition of 10mg per gummy, for example, you can precisely measure the CBD dosage that you’ll ingest when you eat one gummy. If you are not comfortable with taking as much as 10mg (as in the stated example), you can easily take a quarter of the gummy.
It is not as easy as that when it comes to determining the CBD dosage you consume through CBD oil.
The majority of CBD oils are outfitted with a dropper, stating the liquid capacity. However, depending on the brand and whether the dropper fills fully, some uncertainty remains about exactly how much CBD you’d be taking.
What is your budget?
The cost will often be a crucial determining factor in your choice between CBD gummies and oil. Growing and extracting CBD from hemp plants is relatively expensive. Therefore, you can’t expect premium-quality cannabidiol to come cheap.
Tasty candy-like CBD gummies cost more. Some of the biggest manufacturers sell a package of 25 20mg CBD gummies for around $40. If you do the math, you can calculate that that means ingesting 1,000mg of CBD in those gummies would cost $80.
There are also some high-end CBD chocolates that sell for $30 for 30 x 5mg. This means 1,000mg of such CBD candies would be $200.
CBD oil used to be significantly cheaper than CBD gummies. However, as of late, the difference in cost is fast decreasing. Today, you can expect 1,000mg of some of the best CBD oil products to go for $120-$145.
The frequency at which you restock your CBD products will determine the eventual cost you are spending on CBD oil or gummies.
Commonly, CBD gummies are sold in 30-count bottles (or 60 in some cases), which can last a couple of weeks. Likewise, CBD oil products tend to include a minimum of 30 doses in each bottle.
Either way, one package can keep you satisfied for some weeks. Considering the difference in price, though, the gummies would be the more cost-effective option. But if you’re more concerned with the disparity in the bioavailability of these products, CBD oil will likely give you a higher value for your investment.
Whether you are looking for the best CBD oil for veterans or delicious CBD gummies, we have what you need. Check out our shop and explore the healthiest and top-grade CBD products to suit your preferences.