Yes, it makes a difference

To understand what makes the best carrier oil for CBD, we must first look at why it's important to infuse CBD into oils in the first place. I mean can't you just ingest pure CBD? The short answer is yes, technically you can... however the long answer, about which we will get into more detail later, is not only is it much more difficult to dose CBD isolate crystals but also your body is unlikely to process most of the CBD that you take in because most CBD isolate is hydrophobic (does not dissolve in water). This is the reason that most CBD is infused in oil based solutions where the CBD can bind to fat molecules that your body will break down and process.


The next thing to understand is the bio-availability of the different carrier oils available. The bio-availability of CBD is largely determined by the size of the fat molecules in the chosen carrier oil. Now, let's look at several different popular carrier oils seen in today's CBD products.

• MCT Oil/Fractionated Coconut Oil : MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) oil consists of smaller fat molecules than most oils and is easily absorbed by the body directly through the liver, thus is the most bio-available carrier oil for CBD. Fractionated Coconut Oil is quite simply coconut oil that has had the longer fat molecules removed, thus isolating the medium chain triglycerides. This is by far my favorite choice as a carrier for CBD.
  
• Hemp Seed Oil : Many people ask me "Wouldn't hemp seed oil be the best carrier for CBD?". While I do understand why that would seem like the most logical choice, being that CBD is made from hemp, I do not agree that it's the best carrier for oral CBD. Hemp seed oil is very good for you and full of antioxidants, but it does not have the same bio-availability as MCT oil so your body will have a much more difficult time trying to absorb the CBD molecules so you will need more product to achieve the results you are looking for. It also needs to be noted that some companies try to pass hemp seed oil off as CBD oil. Always make sure that the CBD oil you are purchasing has the CBD content clearly marked on the label and that the company has lab reports that you can look at that show the CBD content.
• Olive Oil : I see alot of tinctures these days made with olive oil. Olive oil is a very healthy oil that should for sure be in everyone's diet in some form. It is full of antioxidants, healthy fats, and has many proven health benefits. As far as using olive oil as a carrier oil for CBD there are a few issues that it presents. Olive oil is primarily made up of Monounsaturated fats & these are larger molecules that require more processing and may decrease the amount of CBD you absorb. Additionally, it is a relatively thick oil which could affect the measuring process & it has a fruity taste that could be noticeable in your tincture.
  
• Palm Oil : Like Coconut Oil, Palm oil can also be used to make MCT oil which we have already discussed is (in my opinion) the best carrier oil for CBD to get the maximum absorption. Although Palm Oil is considered a good carrier oil for CBD, it's production process is often linked to deforestation. For this reason, it is better to choose MCT oil from more eco-friendly & sustainable sources like coconuts.
  
• Other Oils : There are other oils seen in the CBD industry as well but typically in topical forms. Avocado oil is one of the most expensive oils on this list and is similar in make up to olive oil only much thicker. It can be used in skin products or added to CBD oils to increase viscosity if needed. Grapeseed oil is often seen in beauty products and skin care. It is made up of polyunsaturated fats and is not a good option for an oral tincture.