CBD Oil Vs Edibles – Which Is Right for Me?

Are CBD Edibles the Same as CBD Oil?

Since they’re used in different ways, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that CBD oil and CBD edibles provide a different type of experience. However, they’re both convenient methods of taking CBD, no matter if you’re at home or on the go. Crowned as the two most popular forms of CBD on the market, it can be tricky to understand the differences between them, so we’ve delved into a few of the pros and cons for you.

The first thing to note is that CBD oil and gummies have a different bioavailability – which, put simply, means that they are absorbed into your system at different rates. Since your only option with gummies is to eat them, as you would any other jelly sweet, your body has to absorb the CBD via the digestive system before your liver breaks it down even further. For anyone wondering how long CBD gummies take to start working (maybe now, maybe after you’ve just popped one into your mouth!), you could be waiting for an hour or two before you feel the effects. More on this later.

CBD oil on the other hand, is more versatile and can get to work much quicker depending on how you choose to take it. Stir a few drops into a smoothie or swallow it orally and you’ll digest it just the same as you would an edible. However, if you take it sublingually – by holding it underneath your tongue for 30 seconds before swallowing – it allows the tiny blood vessels in our mouths to absorb it much more quickly, taking around 20 minutes to kick in. This method is better suited to those after faster action, making it ideal for anyone taking CBD for pain relief.

Almost as important (in our humble opinion) as the speed of relief, is the taste and flavour of your CBD – after all, you can’t be wincing every time you knock the stuff back! If you’re cool with taking it unflavoured and find adding drops into your food, drinks, and smoothies a more efficient method of consumption, CBD oil is your best bet. Meanwhile, gummies are a slightly more fun option (especially if you’re a pick ‘n’ mix fan), with a variety of candy-like flavours sure to satisfy the sweet tooth’s out there. 

Undoubtedly, gummies are more convenient if you’re always on the go, and they’re pretty discreet too, allowing you to benefit from that all-important boost pretty much anywhere. CBD oil isn’t as portable, granted, but it’s still convenient if you fancy a drop or two in your soup or coffee at lunch.

It’s worth noting that there are possible CBD oil and CBD gummies side effects to consider, which can affect individual users in different ways. While CBD has calming properties, it doesn’t typically cause tiredness or drowsiness, though it can in some cases. Other potential side effects include dry mouth, lightheadedness, a drop in blood pressure. Also, if you’re currently taking prescription drugs for a pre-existing health condition, you should speak to your GP before purchasing or taking CBD products.

Ingredients 

Our pure CBD oil is entirely natural and includes no artificial ingredients, so you will know exactly what you’re getting compared to a gummy or edible. While both forms contain CBD extracts from our champion hemp plant, gummies typically contain a form of isolate or broad-spectrum CBD, with additional ingredients such as multivitamins, turmeric and apple cider vinegar for wellness, plus other flavour additives to enhance taste. If you’re considering taking CBD gummies, it’s important to understand the added ingredients and how they may (or may not) meet your needs.

Bioavailability 

As we’ve already outlined, bioavailability is a key factor which determines the speed at which CBD interacts with your body, depending on how you take it. Edibles take time to be metabolised, whereas CBD oil will enter your system right away if you take it sublingually – in fact, doing this actually increases its bioavailability by roughly 20%.

Since gummies or edibles have to travel through the digestive system before taking effect, they have a much lower bioavailability rate of 10-20%, and take anywhere up to 120 minutes to kick in. Once it gets to work though, its effects do last a little longer, making it a good option if you’re looking to CBD to help you relax. But if you’re using CBD specifically for muscle pain or anxiety relief, CBD oil is the better option since it has a higher bioavailability rate and gets to work much faster on the targeted area. 

Dosage

One of the benefits of taking CBD oil over edibles is that you get to control the dosage, so you can start small and work your way up (we’re looking at you, newbies!). With edibles, particularly if you’ve bought them, you may not know how much CBD will be in each bite, making it harder and less reliable to tell how much CBD you’ll be consuming at one time.

Research suggests that the average CBD dosage is 20-40mg, but everybody’s system is different. That’s why, at Good Hemp, we recommend that you do not exceed a maximum daily intake of 70mg. Simple!

Are CBD Edibles as Good as CBD Oil?

All in all, although CBD edibles do have their benefits, it’s CBD oil all the way as far as we’re concerned! For its versatility, ease of use, accurate dosage measurements, faster action, 100% natural ingredients, (the list goes on) the tincture oil trumps gummies, but we do appreciate they have their time and place, too. 

Now that you’re all clued up on the differences, why not see what all the fuss is about for yourself? Get your hands on a bottle of our pure CBD oil (which, we might add, comes in natural, peppermint, and citrus flavours) and start dropping it like it’s hot for that early morning or post afternoon-slump boost!