Top 7 Full-Spectrum CBD Oils for 2022: Strongest CBD Oils

What Does “Full-Spectrum” Oil Mean

The hemp plant doesn’t just contain CBD. When we discuss CBD oils, all the focus is on CBD itself — very little attention is paid to the hundreds of other compounds contained within the plant.

Full-spectrum is a term used to acknowledge all of the hemp plant’s active ingredients — not just the CBD. 

This includes other cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, CBN, or THC, as well as terpenes like myrcene, bisabolol, and lavandin.

It also includes minor ingredients like plant sterols, esters, waxes, fatty acids, minerals, and much more.

You can think of all these ingredients as a “spectrum” — much like a spectrum of colors.

When you take white light and shine it through a prism, it’s separated into all its individual wavelengths — which include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. They all combine together to produce what we see as a “white light.”

The same is true for the hemp plant. The entire collection of compounds can be separated into individual parts. Each part has its own unique set of properties and effects.

When combined together, you get a much more holistic and versatile set of benefits.

Now that we know what full-spectrum means, let’s break down all the individual components that make up the “spectrum” of compounds.

What Are Cannabinoids?

The cannabinoids are the star of the show when it comes to hemp and marijuana.

There are at least 144 different cannabinoids manufactured in the cannabis plant, and several others made by other species of plants (such as echinacea). Each cannabinoid has a unique set of effects.

Full-spectrum extracts contain all of these cannabinoids — which work together to produce the overall benefit of the oil.

A cannabinoid is classified as a compound that interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). For those unfamiliar, the ECS is a network of receptors found in virtually every organ in the body (more on this later).

There are three main classifications of cannabinoids:

• Phytocannabinoids — produced in hemp (phyto- refers to “plant-based”)
• Endocannabinoids — made by the body (endo- refers to compounds made inside the body)
• Synthetic cannabinoids — made in a laboratory 

The phytocannabinoids made by hemp interact with the body in many different ways. CBD is the chief compound in hemp, which acts as more of a regulator for this system than pushing it in a specific direction. This is what gives CBD such a long and diverse set of benefits.

THC is the principal cannabinoid in the marijuana plant. It activates specific receptors that cause serotonin levels to change in the brain — creating the effects we associate as the high from smoking marijuana.

There are dozens of other cannabinoids in the hemp plant — each offering its own unique set of effects to the full-spectrum extract.

What is the Endocannabinoid System?

The ECS is present in all animals with a central nervous system (vertebrates) on Earth.

It was developed millions of years ago in a prehistoric animal called the hydra. It’s intimately involved with the regulation and balance of the organs.

The body uses this system to regulate pain transmission, inflammation, immune function, temperature control, and much more. It’s used much like a “read receipt” in a messaging app. It provides feedback after a nerve signal is sent to let the “sender” know the message was received.

This has massive implications when it comes to maintaining balance and communication between different organ systems in the body.

What Are Terpenes?

Another primary component of a full-spectrum CBD oil is the terpenes.

Terpenes are a group of small, simple molecules abundant throughout the plant kingdom. Many plants make terpenes (not just hemp). Each of these compounds has a unique aroma as well — giving plants their aroma.

A few examples of terpenes in plants:

• Limonene — provides the characteristic citrus aroma in limes and oranges
• Lavandin — provides the scent of lavender
• Myrcene — gives off a musky scent in cloves

Essential oils are made up of terpenes, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, phenols, and more. Most people who talk about “cannabis terpenes” are actually referring to the plant’s essential oil. Terpenes make up the largest component, but there are other elements as well.

Non “terpene” ingredients in hemp:

• Bisabolol — an alcohol
• Caryophyllene — a sesquiterpene
• Terpineol — an alcohol

There are hundreds of different terpenes in the hemp plant. Every strain has a different combination of these terpenes. This is what gives certain strains of cannabis characteristic aromas — such as the lemon scent of “Sour Tangie,” the musky aroma of “Skywalker,” or the spicy scent of “Jack Herer” (all non-psychoactive hemp flower strains).

Terpenes have a lot of therapeutic value to add to a full-spectrum CBD oil as well. The effects of terpenes range from analgesic or anti-inflammatory to sedative or antioxidant.

The terpene profile of full-spectrum hemp oil can dramatically affect its overall benefits. CBD oils rich in terpenes such as myrcene, humulene, and bisabolol offer the most analgesic benefit.

CBD oils that have higher pinene or limonene are better for mood disorders and anxiety.

The primary benefits of common hemp-derived terpenes include:

• Bisabolol — Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Vulnerary
• Borneol   — Anticancer, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-Coagulant
• Camphene — Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Antifungal
• Caryophyllene — Analgesic, Anti-Anxiety
• Eucalyptol — Bronchodilating, Anti-Phlegm
• Humulene — Anti-Inflammatory, Appetite-Suppressant               
• Limonene — Uplifting, Energizing, Antidepressant
• Linalool    — Sedative, Relaxing
• Myrcene — Calming, Sedative
• Pinene — Anti-Inflammatory, Neuroprotective, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial
• Terpineol — Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial
• Nerolidol — Antimicrobial, Antioxidant             

What Other Compounds Are Contained in Full-Spectrum Extract?

A full-spectrum CBD oil contains much more than just cannabinoids and terpenes. While these components make up the bulk of the extract and provide most of the heavy lifting in terms of the benefits — there are other molecules that provide different effects as well.

Here are some of the other ingredients present in a quality full-spectrum hemp oil:

• Plant Sterols & Stanols — These compounds look like cholesterol but have a different chemical structure. Some sterols and stanols in hemp have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels. 
• Fatty Acids — Fatty acids only make up a small component of the hemp extract itself but includes both omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. The carrier oil base provides substantially higher concentrations of fatty acids than the hemp extract itself.
• Minerals — The hemp plant is rich in both vitamins and minerals. While many of the minerals in hemp are removed during the extraction process, some find their way into the final product (trace amounts of zinc, magnesium, selenium, and potassium). 

What is the Entourage Effect?

The entourage effect is a term used to describe the synergistic effects of a full-spectrum CBD oil.

The idea is that the combination of hemp-derived ingredients mentioned above is greater than the sum of each of their separate effects.

You can think of it like this:

Each component has a +1 effect.

Without synergy, the combined effort of 5 of these components would look like this:

1  + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 5

This is the sum of their separate effects stacking on top of each other.

The entourage effect describes effects that compound when combined together — rather than simply summing together.

1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 10

The total effects are greater in combination than the sum of their effects (which is only 5 in this example).

Full-Spectrum vs. CBD Isolate vs. Broad-Spectrum

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the different types of CBD oils.

The fundamental difference between all three is the ingredients contained inside.

Full-spectrum oils contain all the active ingredients, while a CBD isolate oil contains purely the CBD and nothing else.

A broad-spectrum oil meets somewhere in the middle, offering several active cannabinoids and terpenes, but has THC removed completely. Broad-spectrum extracts can vary a lot — some are closer to full-spectrum, others much closer to CBD isolate.

Comparing CBD Oil Types:

How to Find Value In Full-Spectrum CBD Oils

Not all CBD oils are created equal — especially when it comes to full-spectrum CBD oils.

The problem is that the CBD industry as a whole is poorly regulated. The market is saturated with low-grade CBD products masquerading as premium products. Misleading claims, faked lab tests, and exaggerated health claims are everywhere.

We’ve been disappointed numerous times after ordering what we thought was a top-notch product — only to find it was underpowered compared to what we’re used to.

Here are three actionable tips you can use to rule-out low-grade products and find full-spectrum CBD oils that are actually worth the money.

1. Look For Third-Party Testing

One of the simplest ways to ensure the product you’re interested in buying can back up its claims is to look at the third-party test results.

Third-party testing is the only way for a CBD company to prove the claims they make about their products.

Here’s how it works.

Every time a new batch of hemp extract is complete, the manufacturer voluntarily sends a sample off to an independent lab for analysis. The lab runs a series of tests to look for contaminants, check the cannabinoid profile, and measure the oil’s terpene content.

The results are then sent back to the manufacturer.

A reputable brand will publish these results live on the company website for all to see. You can look through these tests yourself to see with your own eyes exactly how much CBD, terpenes, and other ingredients are in the oil.

If these tests aren’t available or you see any failing scores — stay far away from that brand.

2. Consider The Cost Per Milligram CBD

It’s easy to get caught up in the total cost of a CBD oil — but this is a poor measure of value when it comes to CBD products.

In general, the more expensive than oil, the better the value overall.

The best metric for assessing the value of a CBD product is to look at a metric called “the cost per milligram.” This metric looks at the cost for every milligram of CBD in the oil. You can use this to compare the value of different CBD oils, no matter the potency or volume.

Let’s look at an example comparing two different CBD oils — a low-cost ($30) full-spectrum CBD oil with 100 mg of CBD and a high-cost ($130) full-spectrum CBD oil with 1000 mg CBD.

As you can see from the example, the higher cost bottle has more than twice the value as the low-cost CBD oil. It may feel like the first bottle is better, but you’ll end up paying way more over time than if you just get the more potent oil, to begin with.

Additionally, the higher potency bottle will last significantly longer than the low-cost oil.

At 20 mg per dose, the low-cost oil only provides 5 doses per bottle, while the more expensive oil holds 50 individual doses.

3. Look For Companies With A Good Following

There are a lot of scams in the CBD space. The initial branding of the product and sales copy may sound convincing, but once you receive your order, it becomes clear right away that you’ve been ripped off.

The easiest way to spot these scammy or low-quality brands is to look for reviews for the company online. Run a quick Google search for the brand name, or check reviews on trusted review sites to see what the general sentiment is surrounding the brand.

Red flags to watch out for are an abundance of negative reviews, the brand’s inclusion on CBD scam lists, or a complete absence of any reviews or information.

Reputable CBD brands should have plenty of reviews online and should even have some high-level recommendations from reputable media outlets or review websites.

Key Takeaways: What’s The Best Full-Spectrum CBD Oil Brand?

Most experts agree full-spectrum CBD oils are the strongest and most versatile form of CBD on the market.

The inclusion of multiple cannabinoids, terpenes, and other hemp-derived ingredients compound the benefits of the oil — making it much stronger gram for gram compared to both broad-spectrum and CBD isolate oils.

The best full-spectrum CBD oils contain a variety of active ingredients, come with complete third-party lab tests, and are sold by high-quality CBD companies with a solid track record.

While any full-spectrum CBD oil will offer a similar level of benefit, it’s best to look for an oily that has a terpene and cannabinoid profile that best matches the effects you’re looking for.

Best Full-Spectrum CBD Oils: Product Roundup

Number	Product	Total CBD	Potency	Cost per mg CBD	Link
1	Royal CBD Oil	250 – 2500 mg	8.3 – 83.3 mg/mL	$0.09 – $0.20	Get a Deal
2	Gold Bee CBD Oil	1200 mg	40 mg/mL	$0.09	Get a Deal
3	Kiara Naturals Deep Sleep & Relax Tincture	400 mg	4 mg/mL	$0.08	Get a Deal
4	Endoca CBD Oils	300 – 1500 mg	30 – 150 mg/mL	€0.08 – €0.09	Get a Deal
5	Blessed CBD Premium CBD Oil	500 – 1800 mg	50 – 180 mg/mL	£0.07 – £0.09	Get a Deal
6	Eir Health Full-Spectrum CBD Oil	300 – 3000 mg	10 – 100 mg/mL	$0.05 – $0.09	Get a Deal