What is the best CBD oil UK? This was one of the most popular questions asked online in the United Kingdom during the Covid-19 pandemic.
CBD has quickly become a fast-growing wellness trend all over the world. Although the industry has been booming in the USA, new markets are quickly emerging and proving popular, such as the CBD oil industry in the UK. There are now more CBD companies than ever offering high-quality CBD products to UK consumers, so how do you choose the best?
And why are so many UK consumers turning to something that, in all actuality, is still relatively untested? What is CBD? What can it do for you, and how and where should you be taking it?
What is CBD oil, and what does it do?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a plant extract and one of the phytocannabinoids found in the cannabis Sativa plant. Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the other most well-known compound, CBD is not psychoactive, so it won’t get you high.
Instead, it comes with a raft of supposed health benefits for symptoms (chronic pain management, anxiety, sleep). We say supposedly because the science is still out, even though labs are currently scurrying to test it out and prove the benefits as fast as possible ( and current testing looks promising).
As for what the oil actually is? It’s extracted from the hemp plant, generally from the flowers and leaves, which are ground down. The hemp CBD oil is then filtered out for human use. You might hear CBD oil referred to as cannabis oil, but apart from coming from the cannabis plant, this isn’t generally an appropriate term.
Is CBD oil legal in the UK?
CBD products are now entirely legal, as long as they are derived from hemp plants that contain less than 0.2% THC content. High-quality CBD oil products will have little to no THC, because of the strict processing and extraction methods used. CBD oil drops must also be sold as a health/food supplement (and not a medicine).
Additionally, the FSA (Food Standards Agency) set a deadline (30th March, 2021) for CBD brands to apply for a novel food license. Only brands with a valid novel foods application can continue to sell their CBD products in the UK.
The 8 best CBD oils in the UK (2022)
Updated for 2022, here are some of the best CBD oils available to buy in the UK market. These brands are known to offer high-quality products that are suitable for both first-time and seasoned CBD users.
1. Blessed CBD
Blessed CBD remains our top pick as the UK’s #1 CBD brand. This family-run CBD brand has shown consistency throughout 2019 to 2021, and takes our “best CBD oil UK” award.
Offering the most purest and premium CBD oils we’ve seen on the UK CBD market, Blessed CBD is a premium product with a massive kick, so it’s going to have the strongest effect on your recovery.
Most CBD oils run around 250mg, up to around 1000mg strength, but Blessed CBD has options up to the 1800mg level (which, honestly, might be a little too strong for some people – but that’s why there’s also a 500mg and 1000mg option).
Blessed CBD’s range of products is incredibly pure, using the highest quality CO2 extraction process. It’s also full-spectrum CBD (considered better than broad-spectrum CBD), containing a long list of cannabinoids (such as CBDA and CBG), flavonoids and a strong terpene profile, giving you the full benefit of the entourage effect. On top of this, their plants are grown in exceptional circumstances, using only organic practices.
However, Blessed CBD also offers an alternative – broad-spectrum CBD oils that are THC-free. If you’re not a fan of the natural taste of CBD oil, and want a product that contains zero THC, Blessed CBD has you covered too. Other products in their range include tasty CBD gummies, convenient CBD capsules and refreshing CBD balms.
The company itself is also trustworthy, which as we mentioned earlier is incredibly important. Unlike a lot of companies, Blessed CBD operates with high levels of transparency, which is evident when you take a look at the third-party lab results on their website. Customer reviews are also consistently good across the board (they’ve been voted the best CBD oil in the UK for 2022 by the likes of Scotsman, Herald Scotland, Men’s Journal, Worthing Herald, and Cornwall Live.
If you’re looking for the #1 rated CBD oil in the UK in terms of purity and strength, then you should seriously consider Blessed CBD before all other options.
2. Vibes CBD
New to the UK’s CBD industry, Vibes CBD is a smaller company that picks their products carefully, with each one being very high quality and effective.
Like Blessed CBD, our top pick, Vibes CBD’s oils are heavily regulated, with third-party verification (checking for heavy metals, solvents, herbicides) and exceptional levels of purity and quality, because of the supercritical CO2 extraction process. On top of that, Vibes CBD keeps their products 100% organic, using no chemical colorants, fertilizers, all non-GMO with no other additives at any point in the process.
As we mentioned, their CBD oil range is small, but there are tincture and capsule options, with a healthy range of strengths. They offer their products from a moderate 1000mg, which is perfect for low pain management and recovery, up to 2000 mg of CBD, which is strong enough for more intensive pain and relief.
The only single issue with Vibes CBD is the fact that they’re always in demand. Due to this, they frequently sell out and you have to sign up to their waiting list in order to get access to their range of products. However, if you want a high-quality, organic and pure CBD oil, it’s most probably worth it.
3. Excite CBD
A UK based company operating out of Scotland and in select high street stores. Excite CBD is naturally focused on quality with their CBD isolate and full-spectrum products.
When it comes to CBD oils, everything starts with the hemp, and Excite CBD’s organic hemp has been chosen from crops of genetically selected for their phytochemical ranges, ensuring you get a full-spectrum CBD oil.
They also keep it organic, with a complete lack of pesticides and other chemicals used during the growing process. Like the other brands we’ve mentioned, it’s also filtered with the CO2 extraction method (using the highest medical grade CO2).
However you choose to take your CBD, whether it’s at the start of the day, during, or at the end, you can find the product you need from Excite CBD.
The only real downside is the price. They’re expensive compared to some other CBD brands, but paying for quality is never a bad thing.
4. Endoca Raw
A vegan CBD oil that’s organic as well as being completely gluten-free, Endoca raw is a fantastic choice if you’re someone who cares a little more about where their products come from and want to have the minimum negative impact on the world.
You’re going to get exceptional purity, as above, because of the supercritical CO2 extraction processes used to filter out the CBD from the hemp, and if you’re especially worried, each batch is certified with its own reports on purity and ingredients listings.
Available in tinctures and capsules, Endoca Raw is a great product but falls short in a couple of ways. One, the taste is surprisingly strong, which is to be expected considering it’s all-natural, and two, it only comes in two strengths, which is a little less than we like to see. Despite that, though, you’re getting an effective CBD oil, and it’s going to do exactly what you need it to do, whilst protecting the environment at the same time.
5. Holistic Hemp
Holistic Hemp is a Scottish company who believe that handcrafted CBD oils are the way forward.
To this end, their plants are grown all across Europe in small farms, which are held to strict standards with no pesticides or chemicals used in the process.
Second, their hemp extract flowers are all handpicked, and rather than subjecting the hemp to high pressure, which almost all brands do, the CBD is extracted under low pressure and lower heat, which is supposed to keep the chemical profile of the oil as whole as possible.
There’s only one strength of tincture available which is 500mg, but they also do pastes which are much stronger and can be added to almost anything.
If you want a CBD product that’s as close to natural as possible, it might be worth looking at Holistic Hemp.
6. Bud and Tender
A smaller, relatively new company on the scene, Bud and Tender are just getting started.
Unlike the other brands we’ve mentioned, Bud and Tender’s oils are extracted and filtered using the ethanol extraction process. However, this doesn’t really impact the purity that badly, and you’ll get a full lab report with every batch in case you’re concerned.
Don’t let it bother you, though, because the CBD oil itself is exceptional, with a light, floral, almost fruity flavour that sinks in and kicks in fast. Bud and Tender themselves are also really open, very communicative online and fast to get back with any issues you might have. Trustworthy, receptive, with a good product.
There’s a lot of reasons to try Bud and Tender before they hit it big.
7. Hempura
A growing name in the UK CBD space, Hempura are making waves with their wide variety of products and open approach to information.
With a full range of hemp oil products, from tinctures that come in strengths from 250mg all the way up to 1000mg, edibles, CBD vape oils and capsules, no matter how you like to take your CBD, you’ll find a product for you.
As for the oil itself, it’s good quality, all European grown, with full third party lab certification and registration from the Cannabis Trades Association UK. Whilst there’s nothing standout about their oils, there’s also no downsides that we could find either. Just solid, consistent goodness.
8. Select CBD
Select CBD is an American brand (from Colorado) who have made its way to the UK’s CBD market.
Using high-quality CO2 extraction, like most of our top choices, the purity is exceptional, and it contains absolutely 0% THC (no psychoactive effects), making it legal for the UK market.
Each batch comes with a third-party lab certification, so you know exactly what you’re getting, but that’s par for the course with our top choices. Still, it adds another layer of confidence.
What sets Select Brown’s CBD apart is the range of flavors. If you don’t get on with CBD’s distinct flavor, these tinctures have a full variety of different choices, easily masking the issue and making it a whole lot more palatable.
Just bear in mind, like most exclusive USA-based brands, delivery might take a little longer (2-4 weeks).
What can CBD oil do for me?
Thanks to how it interacts with our Endocannabinoid System, CBD is commonly used for trying to manage multiple health issues, including promising returns in the long term, severe neurological problems like Alzheimer’s and MS, with very few side effects.
Below are a few other benefits from the effects of CBD.
Chronic pain treatment:
More people are turning to CBD to manage chronic pain. The best CBD oil tinctures, capsules, creams or edibles (CBD gummies, cookies, brownies etc) are an excellent way to help your body recover after a hard workout.
Plus, CBD isn’t addictive, and you can’t overdose on it either, meaning it’s a significantly safer alternative to things like prescription pain medicine. The daily recommended maximum dosing is 70mg of CBD, as suggested by the MHRA.
Relaxation:
Some of the scientifically backed benefits of CBD are its effects on inflammation and the ability to get a restful night’s sleep.
Put together, this means that CBD taken during or after a workout or training session can aid recovery and help you relax. By loosening you up, it makes warming down and coping with the aches and pains of a hard session that much simpler.
Stress Reduction:
The anti-anxiety effect of CBD is perhaps the most well supported aspect of it, with evidential studies on humans showing that it works, and works well.
This has led to a surge in people using CBD before a big event, to help them deal with nerves and increase performance.
Does CBD show up in drug tests?
Firstly, it’s important to understand that CBD content is not tested for in most conventional drug tests.
Because CBD products don’t (or shouldn’t) contain any THC, it won’t show up on drug tests, as long as what you’ve bought is legitimate. Most CBD tincture oils come with a carrier oil such as MCT oil, coconut oil or hemp seed oil to help with the taste. Cannabis oil, on the other hand, is illegal due to the high THC content.
However, it’s still worth noting that the industry is in its infancy, and if you buy quality CBD oils, gummies or anything else from unknown companies, you might not end up with something pure. This is why we recommend shopping with a trusted brand like Blessed CBD.
How do I use CBD?
If you look hard enough, you can find any kind of product with CBD infused in it. Topical creams (for skincare), drinks, even obscure stuff like bath bombs.
The four most common methods and forms of CBD are as follows:
Tinctures: This is CBD oil suspended in a liquid as an oil tincture, making usage as simple as applying the required amount of CBD under the tongue using the provided dropper, holding for 60 seconds, and then swallowing. The usual available size is in 10ml bottles.
Edibles: Edibles are things like cookies and gummies. Easy to eat, and flavourful, edibles have the downside of holding a lot of calories, as well as having a fixed dosage.
Capsules: CBD capsules function like any other medicine, but again, have a fixed dosage per unit. Consider them like any other food supplement.
Vapes or e-liquids: Taken like any other e-liquid, CBD e-liquid vapes are inconspicuous. Allowing you to take them anywhere in vape pens, but getting the required dosage can be tough, and the long term effects, like all vaping products, are still being discussed.
As we get back to normality after Covid-19, the demand for CBD products is set to continue in 2022, and we recommend trying any of the 8 top brands mentioned on our list.
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