Raw, Decarboxylated, or Filtered Hemp Oil: Which One Should You Use?

By Jeff Gallagher, founder of Made By Hemp. Helping people find real hemp since 2013.

Raw, decarboxylated, and filtered hemp oil are three forms of the same full-spectrum extract, sold as our green, blue, and gold labels. Green is the raw, unaltered oil. Blue is gently heated so its CBDa converts to CBD. Gold is filtered to remove plant material for a more concentrated extract. Here is how to tell them apart and choose.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of more than a hundred cannabinoids in the hemp plant, and it has become one of the most researched and talked-about. Our hemp oil concentrates are raw hemp oil, meaning the oil is extracted directly from the plant with no additives. These best-selling concentrates come in three versions: green, blue, and gold, each one a variation of the same hemp oil.

Below we explain each version in greater detail. Along the way we will clarify a few topics that come up often with hemp oil, including the difference between CBD and CBDa, the entourage effect, and the process of decarboxylation. Think of these concentrates as a guide to how hemp oil is made.

Green Label: The Difference Between CBD (Cannabidiol) and CBDa (Cannabidiolic Acid)

For all the emphasis placed on cannabidiol, it is surprising to learn that CBD does not occur in high concentrations in the living plant. The raw form, called CBDa, is far more abundant. CBDa, or cannabidiolic acid, is the acidic precursor to CBD, meaning CBD begins its life as CBDa. In its natural state, hemp holds much more CBDa than CBD.

Like CBD, cannabidiolic acid (CBDa) is non-intoxicating and will not get you high. Because CBD has held the research spotlight, CBDa is far less understood. For a long time it was assumed to be inactive, and researchers are still studying it today.

The green label, also known as the raw label, is hemp oil in its most natural form. The oil is extracted from the plant using the CO2 method and then packaged unaltered. It contains the full range of hemp plant components, including cannabinoids, terpenes, and other phytonutrients. For this reason the green label is described as full-spectrum with acids.

Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil and the Entourage Effect

It was once thought that hemp’s value came solely from individual cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. Researchers now describe how the plant’s many components appear to work together rather than in isolation, an interaction known as the entourage effect. You can read more in our guide to full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate.

The green label appeals to people who are drawn to whole-plant hemp and the entourage effect. With the green label, you are consuming hemp oil much as nature made it.

Shop the Green Label

Blue Label: The Process of Decarboxylation

CBDa turns into CBD through a process called decarboxylation, a chemical reaction driven by heat. (Time alone can begin it too, but heat is the reliable method.) During decarboxylation a carboxyl group is removed and carbon dioxide is released. In plainer terms, heat converts CBDa into CBD.

To create the blue label, raw hemp oil (the green label) is heated to convert the CBDa. The process converts most of the CBDa to CBD while keeping a meaningful level of the plant’s other phytonutrients. The blue label suits people who want the benefits of a whole-plant extract but are less focused on consuming CBDa specifically.

Shop the Blue Label

Gold Label: Filtered Full-Spectrum Hemp Extract

To create the gold label, the decarboxylated oil (the blue label) is filtered to remove plant material. Stripping out those extra plant components leaves a more concentrated extract with a higher proportion of CBD.

The gold label carries the highest CBD concentration of the three, though without the full range of plant compounds it does not deliver the same whole-plant entourage effect. It is suited to people who are mainly interested in CBD itself. The gold label is returning soon in an easier-to-use form.

Shop the Green Label in the meantime

How to Choose Between Green, Blue, and Gold

Once you understand how each version is made, the choice comes down to which part of the hemp plant matters most to you. Choose green for the rawest, whole-plant oil with its acids intact, blue for an activated whole-plant extract, and gold for the most concentrated, filtered option. Each version has its own advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between raw, decarboxylated, and filtered hemp oil?

Raw hemp oil (our green label) is extracted and packaged unaltered, so it keeps CBDa alongside CBD. Decarboxylated hemp oil (blue label) is heated so most of the CBDa converts to CBD while keeping other plant compounds. Filtered hemp oil (gold label) is decarboxylated oil with the plant material removed, leaving a more concentrated extract.

What is decarboxylation?

Decarboxylation is a heat-driven chemical reaction that converts CBDa into CBD. A carboxyl group is removed and carbon dioxide is released. It is the step that turns the raw green label into the activated blue label.

What is the difference between CBD and CBDa?

CBDa, or cannabidiolic acid, is the raw, acidic precursor that the hemp plant produces in abundance. CBD forms when CBDa is exposed to heat. Both are non-intoxicating and will not get you high; they are simply different stages of the same compound.

Which hemp oil concentrate should I start with?

If you want hemp oil as close to its natural state as possible, start with the green label. If you prefer an activated whole-plant extract, choose the blue label. If you want the most concentrated, filtered option, the gold label is the one to watch for as it returns.

Questions About Our Concentrates?

Made By Hemp has been helping people find real hemp since 2013, with a focus on quality and transparency. If you have questions about our green, blue, or gold concentrates, you can visit our store, call, email, or live chat with us using the message icon at the bottom right of your screen.