The year 2019 is well into its third quarter and it is rational to start looking at the upcoming trends in the functional water and CBD markets for 2020. The current year has so far been an exciting one in the health and wellness sector, especially when it comes to new and thrilling substances that can be used in food and beverages. Since the Farm Bill, which legalized hemp, was passed in the US Congress at the end of 2018, CBD has definitely become one of the most prominent staple ingredients of healthy, trendy, and sustainable diets.

“Baby boomers are amongst the most prolific customers when it comes to natural remedies”

But what is CBD, or Cannabidiol, and how has it become so popular? Cannabidiol is one of the many substances found in the plant Cannabis sativa. The strand comes in two variants, marihuana, and hemp. While the former is mostly known for its ingredient called THC, the latter is an industrial plant with multiple uses. CBD is found in both variants of the plant but is mostly extracted from hemp which has very little THC. As opposed to THC, Cannabidiol does not get us high but relaxes, soothes, and alleviates certain maladies, both of the physical and mental kind. It is a purely natural remedy that functions by interacting with the naturally occurring bodily cannabinoids to achieve health benefits.

CBD, contrary to some other contemporary ‘miraculous elixirs’, is no snake oil. Scientists have already proven beyond doubt that CBD extracts can help with certain ailments, for instance with some types of epilepsy. Since more and more benefits are found all the time, CBD is one of the most sought after new and sexy ingredients on the market. CBD definitely a substance to watch out for in the coming years.

So what are the most pronounced trends for CBD in 2020?

1. Ridiculously high growth rate

If there is one trend that we cannot overlook it is the growth rate of CBD. CBD sales are growing at double-digit rates, especially in the markets where it has been made legal or has at least been decriminalized. The main markets for CBD are of course the USA, Western Europe, East Asia, and South America. If we consider that in 2018, total sales of CBD amounted to ‘only’ half a billion dollars but are posited to reach close to one billion in next year, and $1.8B in 2022, we can see that with a CAGR of nearly 30%, investing in CBD is quite a safe bet.

“CBD products have been plagued with mislabeling and quality issues”

The main reason for this growth is an increasingly health-aware urban middle class. Health and wellness is a good trillion-dollar-worth sector with still much potential for growth. Within it, healthy foods and beverages are a leading market, slowly overtaking fast food and fizzy sugar-water. It is the health benefits that have made CBD such a coveted prize and enabled its meteoric rise. That, of course, and the fact that it is a natural ingredient, connected to one of the most popular plants in the West, the Cannabis sativa.

2. Prevalence in functional water beverages

Beverages, particularly functional water, is a special sector within the CBD industry. More and more companies are deciding to add CBD to their functional water beverages as this is the segment with the highest forecast CAGR. customers are transiting from sweetened carbonated drinks to healthier beverages, amongst them functional water. Functional water manufacturers have seized the opportunity and fused the two high-growth industries into one — CBD functional water. A leading example of such a producer is Allure Organics from Slovenia with its Hemp CBD Bio Water, which is going to win the market with nano-scale CBD particles infused into the water.

3. Better standardization

Just like with any highly successful new products, CBD products have been plagued with mislabeling and quality issues. The reason may be that with all the new products displayed on the shelves, efficient quality control was simply impossible. So despite all the health benefits that CBD products may hold, such dirty tricks may blemish the reputation of one of the most promising commodities to enter the market in the last decade.

“CBD sales are growing at double-digit rates, especially in the markets where it has been made legal”

However, things are slowly looking up. High-quality manufacturers like Allure Organics want to differentiate themselves from all manufacturers that are not up to par. One way to do this is with traceability. CBD may have issues, like where and how the hemp plant was grown, how the CBD component was extracted, where and for how long it was stored, and so on. Companies are now using Blockchain technology to help them and their customers trace the product from the organic farmer to the retail shelves.

4. Larger customer base

With everything that has been said and written about the emergent CBD market, we can no longer count it as a fringe movement. The customer base, which was once mostly composed of people who were very conscious of their health and wanted to consume only natural products.

“Cannabidiol is one of the many substances found in the plant ‘Cannabis sativa’”

Nowadays, baby boomers are amongst the most prolific customers when it comes to natural remedy consumption, CBD included. They will rather reach for a CBD functional water beverage and sip it all the time to alleviate different ailments than go for pharmaceuticals, especially when the malady is not life-threatening.

5. New sales channels

So far, the main sales channels for CBD products were natural and specialty retailers. However, because of the big boom of the market, it is expected that soon the big retailers will open their doors for CBD commodities. On top of that, web sales are expected to top 40% of all sales. Moreover, since small brands of CBD manufacturers are merging with bigger ones, we can expect the big names to act as channels of sale for multiple smaller specialty CBD beverage brands. In short, the market will diversify and personalize even further while at the same time slowly start consolidating.

What do you think most important CBD trends will be in 2020? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

“Both green tea, as well as CBD, are known to have healing properties”

What is functional water? This is a water-based beverage which is purported to have other functions apart from merely hydrating our bodies. By and large, there are two types of functional waters: in one type, the most popular and widely used, herb or fruit extracts are added to the water to give the beverage its added functionality. The second type of functional water is so-called because the water has been electro-chemically altered to have it gain some extra functionalities. The most popular additional benefits of such functional beverages are of course health-related, and, of course, more and more commonly, they are said to have anti-aging properties.

This is a huge magnet for health-conscious customers. For instance, approximately 63% of all women over 35 consider anti-aging properties to be the most important aspect of the beauty products they purchase. Anti-aging functional water, albeit a beverage, can also be considered such a beauty product. This makes anti-aging functional beverages a large and growing market.

“CBD does not make us high but has a rather soothing and calming effect on our bodies when we ingest it”

Anti-aging functional waters will contain several substances which are supposed to slow the aging process of the body. One of the most popular and most used substances with anti-aging properties is green tea. Green tea is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, second only to water. Known for its properties of energizing and rejuvenating our bodies, it is small wonder that it is so widely used.

Green tea has for centuries been used by the Chinese as a natural substance because of its medicinal properties. The Japanese, for instance, who are known to have on average the longest life spans globally and also the largest percentage of octogenarians is also first in the world in green tea consumption. Small wonder, then, that it is one of the most popular ingredients of beauty products which boast anti-aging properties.

“The most popular additional benefits of such functional beverages are of course health-related”

Despite the advent of modern science and medicine, very many people worldwide still prefer to use natural and traditional medicines over chemically manufactured pharmaceuticals. That is why many functional water manufacturers, such as Allure Organics from Slovenia, are also placing their trust in green tea as the main ingredient of their Anti-Ageing Bio Water. In combination with Vitamin B3, their functional beverage promises to boost your bodies with fresh and young energy.

Another ingredient that is growing in popularity tremendously is CBD or Cannabidiol. A derivative of Cannabis sativa, it is one of the most promising and exciting natural substances that has entered the market in earnest just a few years ago. In comparison to THC, another of the Cannabinoid substances, CBD does not make us high but has a rather soothing and calming effect on our bodies when we ingest it. The substance has of course been known as a very healthy natural ingredient but has for legal reasons been kept at the very fringe of the market until a few years ago. Now it has been legalized in most western countries and is thus easily obtainable for purchase, either as a tincture, vape, or as the herb which makes a functional water special. CBD has also been employed by Allure Organics in their Hemp CBD Bio Water, which they promise to have both anti-aging as well as energy-boosting properties.

“Since time immemorial, we have tried many recipes and concoctions to stave off our aging”

Both green tea, as well as CBD, is known to have healing properties. Both help with chronic infections and both help wounds heal faster. Allure Organics, the afore-mentioned Slovenian startup that bottles CBD and green-tea-based functional water, have developed a technique where nano-sized particles of CBD are delivered directly into our body cells with the water. Thus, they are supposedly much more efficient as carriers of the beverage’s anti-aging properties.

What are your experiences with anti-aging functional beverages? Do share your thoughts in the comments section below. And please consider giving us a clap if you liked this blog. Much obliged!

What is functional water? It is a water-based beverage with added fruit or herb extracts to give it extra functionalities. For instance, Allure Organics produces green-tea-extract functional water that may carry an anti-aging function that helps rejuvenate your body.

“Any company nowadays that wants to build trust amongst its customer base will have to put their supply chain on display”

But how do the customers know whether all the ingredients in the functional water are really what the label on the bottle says they are? Are they really organically grown and are they processed in the healthiest of ways? Has special care been taken to preserve the environment and lessen the carbon footprint? How can we as customers know for sure we are not being lied to?

As it turns out, this is possible with the appropriate oversight of the entire production and supply chain. And it can be achieved with Blockchain technology, which quite a few functional water manufacturers have already started using.

But what is this famous Blockchain technology, you will ask?

1. Blockchain for dummies — by a dummy

Blockchain technology can most easily be explained if you imagine you own a store. You have a book, a so-called ledger, where you log all the food items that have been brought into the store, and who brought them. Each item has a document declaring the food item fits all the standards. However, if you want to learn more about this item, you have to call the supplier and ask for more information, which they may or may not provide. Even worse, they would have to contact their own suppliers, who would, in turn, have to call theirs, and so on. The chain goes from the seed, fertilizer, soil, to the processing, packaging, transport, and storing. Each of these links in the supply chain has to have their own documents and each, in turn, have to trust — or scheme with — their own partners. Who’s to say that you as the customer can trust the entire chain?

Enter Blockchain. Imagine each stakeholder in the supply chain having the same version of the ledger where all the steps of the supply process have been entered. Every time one of the links in the supply chain enters information about the product, everyone sees it and approves it. If any of the stakeholders wanted to make a change in their entry, every single holder of the identical ledgers would have to approve the change. Not going to happen! Thus, fraud is much less likely. Also, imagine one of the stakeholders wants to check the history of an item that has been supplied. Easy! It is all entered in his ledger and all the other ledgers in this chain. This is how Blockchain works.

2. Unalterable data

If you use Blockchain to manage the supply chain, it is virtually impossible to change any data that has been entered into the distributed ledger system. That means, for instance, that if a functional water manufacturer says the ingredients in their beverages are 100% organic, the customer can always check whether this holds for the entire supply chain.

“Increasing transparency is one of the key roles of Blockchain technology”

For instance, Allure Organics, which manufacture CBD functional water, can always uphold their claim that the CBD extract comes from reliable suppliers and also that the CBD compound has been processed healthily. Even if one of the suppliers were to try and meddle with the data, that would be impossible since the entire chain would have to agree with the change — and that would never happen.

3. Traceable and verifiable

Take for instance, that you are buying CBD functional water from a new supplier. You do now know whether to trust them or not and whether you will be getting the health benefits from the CBD functional water you are paying the extra price for. All you have to do is have a look at all the entries in the Blockchain ledger you have been provided with as a customer and check for yourself. You can trace and verify each component and each ingredient from beginning to end. All the entries have been verified by all the stakeholders in the chain, therefore they are all traceable and verifiable. Don’t you wish all the items you buy anywhere were traceable and verifiable like that? It would make the entire shopping experience different.

4. Increasing transparency

Yes, it would make the whole shopping chain more reliable, honest, and transparent. Increasing transparency is one of the key roles of Blockchain technology. True, it has been built primarily to support the bitcoin exchange system, but has now by far exceeded its primary intention.

“How can we as customers know for sure we are not being lied to”

Every functional water manufacturer who wants to ensure their buyers that they are selling top quality products can now employ Blockchain. Allure Organics, for instance, traces many of its ingredients straight back to the original CBD supplier, which allows their business to totally increase its transparency.

5. Building trust

And why is increasing transparency important? Why else if not for the trust that the company needs to build around their products? Nowadays, despite all the security, there are still many manufacturers out there who claim they are selling top-quality stuff but are actually quacks. Who can be trusted? Are you willing to pay top dollar for a product that, of course, promises to deliver health benefits but there is no way for you to check that out? Any company nowadays that wants to build trust amongst its customer base will have to put their supply chain on display and prove that they are really trustworthy and reliable. And Blockchain technology enables exactly that.

What are your thoughts on using Blockchain for making supply chains more transparent? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Much obliged!

In the last couple of years, we have seen a sharp rise in the popularity and usage of Cannabidiol substances. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a cannabinoid that has been derived from Cannabis plants. In sharp contrast to THC, it does not get us high. However, when ingested, it begins a dance with our own body’s naturally-occurring cannabinoids and has some awesome health benefits. It has been proven scientifically that CBD helps with some forms of epilepsy. Other medicinal uses are being looked into, though. It is supposed to aid people with social anxiety and to alleviate joint and muscle pain. Ever since the USA passed the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD is now legally sold all over the States; Canada has also lifted its ban on CBD and some other Cannabis derivates, the rest of the world is quickly following.

“CBD is definitely one of the most exciting natural ingredients out there”

There are many ways we can ingest CBD, from coffee and tea to vaping, tinctures, and tonics. However, of late, CBD is also being sold in several functional water brands, like for instance the Allure Organics Hemp CBD Bio Water. CBD functional water is rather a latecomer in the market for it is not so easy to dissolve it in H2O. However, innovative startups have developed new procedures which are able to fuse CBD with alkaline water and give it a whole new function.

Here are some benefits we may be getting from consuming CBD-infused functional water:

1. Body regeneration

Functional water gets its name from the functions other than pure hydration that it carries. This is done by different extracts that it is infused with. When the extract is CBD, there are many benefits to be had. One of the most important is definitely body regeneration, at least according to some of the manufacturers. The positive effect of the water depends completely on how the CBD extract has been mixed into the water.

“CBD promises to become one of the best sleeping potions out there”

Some companies, like Allure Organics, have infused CBD nano-sized molecules into the liquid, which are much more efficient. They will carry the CBD directly to the core of our cells, the company says, and thus achieve their maximum effect. In this way, they will help restore our body functions and help us regenerate.

1. Anti-inflammatory properties

There are a number of tests looking into the healing properties of CBD. one of the most important is definitely the anti-inflammatory effect it may have on our bodies. Why would this be important? Chronic inflammations are the cause of many maladies that pester us, some that can be very dangerous. For instance, chronic heart inflammations may lead to risky heart conditions that could lead to premature death. However, we must definitely consult our doctor before we begin taking anything with the purpose of medicating ourselves.

2. Anxiety relief

CBD is definitely a way to relieve stress and social anxiety. Scientific studies are showing promising results in this field, although further testing is of course necessary. Naturally, we need to ingest a certain amount of CBD to feel its benefits and the quantities usually found in functional water are only a few milligrams. However, new ways of infusing the CBD compound into the water promise to resolve this issue.

“The positive effect of the water depends completely on how the CBD extract has been mixed into the water”

Nanotechnology is one of them. Because of the size of the nanoparticles of CBD, the substance will find its way into our cells much more easily than otherwise. Naturally, every person needs to find the best way to consume CBD to achieve the best effect.

4. Better sleep

There is a reason we say that “we slept like a baby”. Babies do not face the everyday worries that we are up against as adults. There are many things that keep us awake at night, like whether or not we will pass an exam, whether a meeting will go well, what the medical test will show and so on. However, if we are to function properly, we must get our night’s sleep. Sometimes we need to use outside help to achieve that. The easiest way would be to take sleeping pills. However, more health-conscious customers will not go for that option. CBD promises to become one of the best sleep potions out there. And why not consume it in a glass of functional water before we lie down? In this way, we will wake up fresh and hydrated.

5. Reducing stress

Ok, functional water will not reduce our stress load. Not really. What it can do, though, is help us cope. CBD is known to relax and calm our frayed nerves. In this way, we will be able to handle our workload and function better. Functional water is designed to help us hydrate our bodies more efficiently and also to enjoy the positive effects of its ingredients, in this case, CBD, to the fullest.

“It has been proven scientifically that CBD helps with some forms of epilepsy”

CBD is definitely one of the most exciting natural ingredients out there and we have only just scratched the surface of its potential positive effects. It also has some healing properties that have been proven by scientific research. However, never attempt to self-heal with any sort of CBD product without consulting your doctor first!

What are your experiences with CBD-infused functional water? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Much obliged!

“Most functional water consumers are also quite environmentally-aware urban professionals who care a lot about the planet”

The functional water market is a fast-growing industry with an annual growth rate expected to be well over 3.5%. Since the market is relatively young, it is still quite segmented and very innovative with forever new styles of processing, exciting new herbs and fruit extracts, and ingenious eco-friendly packaging techniques. One of the fastest growing segments within the market is definitely CBD water which shows great promise with all the health benefits it seems to carry.

So is functional water just a catchy new trend that will soon pass or is it a real innovation and will change our lives in the long run?

Let us have a look at some of the reasons why we should choose to consume functional water?

1. Carries benefits for health

One of the greatest benefits that come with functional waters, according to the manufacturers, are definitely the health-related perks. Because functional water is mostly water infused with different herbs or fruit, it means that our body also consumes all the vitamins and minerals that are to be found in them. Allure Organics, for instance, is now developing a type of functional water that promises to stave off aging, which it will supposedly achieve with a combination of green tea and different other compounds.

“With functional water, we are on a sort of diet, a mission, if you will, to improve our health”

Other ingredients like asparagus or kiwi carry antioxidants which scavenge loads of free radicals in our body and many scientists agree that this may reduce cancer cell growth. And ingredients such as hemp CBD help with social anxiety and panic attacks and are supposed to alleviate depression.

2. Gives us an immunity boost

Ingesting different fruit and vegetables is always on the list of doctor’s orders. This is not because medical staff are watching some outdated triangular picture of various foodstuffs or because they love to torment children. Fruit and vegetables carry very important substances — this is elementary school stuff! — that our body needs in order to aid our immunity system.

Allure Organics are developing the Anti-Aging water which carries four types of vitamin B that help with revitalizing our immunity system. On top of that, the CBD nanoparticles are carried directly into our cells, where they are said to prevent inflammation. It has also been indicated that this type of functional water may counter the development of chronic heart condition. Certain functional water sorts are also designed to improve our metabolism.

3. Keeps calories down

Who of us does not like to drink tasty and even sweet beverages? But there is a catch — such drinks usually have the accompanying sugar and calories with them. Or do they? With functional water, this ‘problem’ has been cast aside as functional water brands usually skirt sugar for natural sweeteners, such as stevia, which are just as sweet and will give us the satisfaction we crave for, but not ramp up the calorie intake.

“Functional water is most commonly a water-based beverage infused with herb and fruit extracts”

In Allure Organics’ Anti-Aging water, they have used Erythritol, which is a natural sugar supplement. Unlike sugar, Erythritol is not processed into high-energy nutrients in our body and does not get stored in our fat cells when we do not burn it up. As a consequence, drinking functional water that uses natural zero calorie sugar supplements is totally guilt-free!

4. Maintains our hydration

Of course, water will maintain our hydration, what else? That is what water does! However, when we do not drink sufficient quantities of it, our bodies are poorly hydrated. Functional water might alleviate that pain since — as many consumers have noted — It is way ‘cooler’ to drink than plain tap water. With no disrespect intended, tap water or normal drinking water is colorless and tasteless — If it is in the condition that it is supposed to be in, naturally.

“One of the greatest benefits that come with functional waters, according to the manufacturers, are definitely the health-related perks”

Perhaps because of this, we more oft than not simply forget to drink it. Functional water is different. With functional water, we are on a sort of diet, a mission, if you will, to improve our health. The regime of drinking is, of course, self-imposed, but we will time the drinking periods and also the quantity. All of this can be done with tap water, too, but it is probable that we will drink more regularly if we are consuming functional water.

5. Helps the environment

How might water help the environment, we might ask? Well, not the water itself, water is water, it circulates. The packaging, however, might be a different matter entirely. Most functional water consumers are also quite environmentally-aware urban professionals who care a lot about the planet and do not wish to further support plastic pollution. It is widely known that most of the plastic that forms the great oceanic garbage patches are plastic containers — plastic bottles if you will. Therefore, such consumers do not desire to add to the existing pollution.

For this reason, many functional water manufacturers have developed packaging of their own. This type of packaging will quickly biodegrade and leave no trace in our environment, let alone in the oceans. In this way, functional water consumers will be guilt-free not only when it comes to calories but also when it comes to the environment!

What are your experiences with CBD and functional water? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Oh, and please consider sharing if you liked this blog! Thanks!

“The HEMP CBD BIO water contains nanoparticles of CBD which are transported into each and every cell of our bodies”

As the market is predicted to grow further, there are many players in the field, all trying to position themselves with their own unique properties offering consumer their own unique benefits. Allure Organics is definitely one of the most exciting new entrants in the market of functional waters. This Slovenian startup will be penetrating the market with three different functional water types — the ANTI AGEING BIO water, the HEMP CBD BIO water, and the BOOST BIO water.

What benefits do Allure Organics’ functional water beverages bring to consumers and why should you definitely try them?

1. Health benefits

The greatest benefit of Allure Organics’ waters is most definitely the health benefit they carry. With vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, and C they will give us an immunity boost, especially in the ANTI AGEING BIO water. Green tea, which is one of the main ingredients of Allure Organics’ anti-aging water is well known for its health benefits as it can improve our metabolism, and several studies have indicated that it might help prevent chronic heart conditions.

The HEMP CBD BIO water promises to deliver all sorts of health benefits as it uses a special method of infusing CBD into the functional beverage. The HEMP CBD BIO water contains nanoparticles of CBD which are transported into each and every cell of our bodies. CBD is only now being recognized as almost a miracle substance, carrying with it all sorts of potential health benefits, such as stemming depression and anxiety, improving skin health, helping combat insomnia, alleviating pain, and decreasing the inflammatory response of our bodies. Hemp has only recently been made legal in certain countries, so we can certainly look forward to finding many yet undiscovered health benefits of Cannabidiol, which can be transferred to our bodies via Allure Organics’ HEMP CBD BIO water.

2. Energy Boost

Apart from health benefits, Allure Organics’ functional waters are also designed to give us an energy boost. The BOOST BIO water, where the main ingredient is guarana, can potentially be consumed as an energy drink. Guarana is a South American plant which contains Guaranine, better known as caffeine. Caffeine is a substance that energizes our bodies and gives us a feeling of alertness and youthful energy.

“Green tea, which is one of the main ingredients of Allure Organics’ anti-aging water is well known for its health benefits”

The ANTI AGEING BIO water contains the extract of green tea leaves, which also contain theine, yet another name for caffeine. It is recognized that green tea gives us an adrenalin rush when we consume a green tea product.

3. Guilt-free

Despite the fact that both the ANTI AGEING BIO water as well as the BOOST BIO water will give us an energy kick, we can consume them totally free of guilt. Why? Because they do not contain any sweet-tasting soluble carbohydrates, otherwise known as sugar. Sugar is a natural sweetener that breaks down into high-energy nutrients. While sugar tastes great and we love it, the sad fact is that it carries many calories, the intake of which we must control.

“Allure Organics is definitely one of the most exciting new entrants in the market of functional waters.”

Enter natural sugar supplements like Stevia or Erythritol, which are by several factors sweeter than sugar but do not metabolize in our bodies, making them virtually calorie-free. Stevia and Erythritol are used in the ANTI AGEING BIO and the BOOST BIO water, which makes consuming them totally guilt-free, no matter how much we have drunk.

4. Revitalizing your body

Because of all the nutrients that are present in Allure Organics’ functional waters, we can naturally expect our bodies to be rejuvenated when consuming them. From Vitamin C, which is an excellent antioxidant, to the four types of B-vitamin found in the beverages and are coenzymes, all of the substances in Allure Organics’ functional waters have a special part to play in the rejuvenation of our bodies.

“The functional water market is one of the most thrilling markets in the health and wellness sector”

On top of that, the CBD nanoparticles, which are carried to our cells, help with skin health and fight inflammation. Health benefits and an energy boost most definitely make for a happy customer, which is in its own right a revitalizing force.

5. Traceable water

Customers who buy functional water are if nothing else very health and environment conscious. They want to not only consume natural and organic ingredients but also be sure that the ingredients and the processing methods used in manufacturing the functional water are natural, organic, and above all healthy. This is where traceability comes into play.

Allure Organics enables all its customers to trace the CBD that is in the water back to its origins. This means that the customers will be able to see who produced the Cannabidiol used in the HEMP CBD BIO water and how. The method used for extracting CBD from the hemp is very important as it determines whether the CBD product is actually going to deliver on its promised benefits or whether it might actually do the opposite.

Have you already tried Allure Organics’ functional waters? Please tell us what you think in the comments section below and do consider giving us a clap if you liked the content of this blog. Much obliged!

Such an explosion of choice to select from is always good. Or is it? Many customers, who have heard of the near ‘miraculous properties’ of CBD oil products, head to the store or pharmacy to buy it, only to be faced with the dilemma — “which product should I buy?” The choice must be made carefully and the buyer should always consult a doctor about their choice, method of consumption, and dosage of CBD oil.

Here are some guidelines that might help a customer who is just beginning their search choose the right CBD oil product for them so that they reap the best health benefits from them.

1. Why do you need it?

Cannabidiol or CBD is a natural ingredient that occurs in the plant Cannabis sativa, which comes in two cultivars, marijuana, and hemp. The biggest difference between the two is that they have been cultivated for different purposes but are basically the same species of plant. Marijuana is most known for the THC compound which, if consumed, gives a person a feeling of being ‘high’. Marijuana is for this reason illegal in most countries. Hemp, on the other hand, is very low in THC but still contains CBD. As hemp is now legal in an increasing number of countries, this is usually the plant the CBD oil that is found in CBD products is extracted from.

“It is recommended that customers buy from a corporation that traces the CBD oil back to the seed”

CBD, when consumed, interacts with the naturally occurring cannabinoid receptors in our bodies, which may lead to many health benefits. While science has yet to sufficiently prove CBD’s actual health benefits for most of the uses it is being sold for, many users already report significant improvement in alleviating anxiety and pain, tackling depression and insomnia. Certain researchers are looking into anti-ageing properties of CBD, and beneficial uses in skin care. This is the first criterion the customers should follow — what they want to use it for? Different CBD products are used to alleviate different ailments.

2. What is its extracted from?

CBD oil may be extracted from either hemp or marijuana plants. Both are these are Cannabis sativa strains, but have different properties. Marijuana yields significantly more CBD than hemp does. However, as marijuana also contains significant amounts of THC, which is a psychotropic compound, marijuana-extracted CBD products are usually sold only at pharmacies. At the moment, most CBD products are derived from hemp as it is legal in an increasing number of countries, which makes hemp-based CBD products the more immediate choice.

There are different ways of extracting CBD. The cheaper extraction methods with toxic compounds like propane, hexane, pentane, or butane may not be as beneficial and customers who are really after health benefits should not opt for those. A method that is considered to yield much purer CBD is extraction with ethanol, which is said to remove the toxins and residue from the hemp. Apart from that, extraction and manufacturing of CBD oil can be done through the so-called “supercritical CO2 extraction.” This is a process where carbon dioxide is used to extract the CBD oil in an environment with very high pressure and cold temperatures. The equipment for such extraction is very expensive and it demands a much more complex refinement process, not to mention the high level of production expertise. However, the CBD oil extracted this way will retain its purity throughout the entire process.

3. Full spectrum or pure?

There are two variants of CBD on the market depending on which compounds are present. The first and most common is pure CBD. For a long time, pure CBD was the preferred choice of for most buyers and was thought to convey the most health benefits. However, it seems that full-spectrum CBD is the substance that will help the consumer reap more health benefits. Full-spectrum CBD contains cannabinoids like CBN and CBL as well as substances like flavonoids, and terpene compounds, such as pinene and limonene. These compounds supposedly work together with CBD to boost its effect through a natural process which is known as the ‘entourage effect’. Terpenes are believed to help with symptoms like insomnia, inflammation, nausea, or pain.

“Most CBD products are derived from hemp as it is legal in an increasing number of countries”

However, it is supposedly much easier to extract full-spectrum CBD from marijuana plants than from hemp. This, however, increases the danger of THC being present in the CBD oil. Therefore, consumers are well-advised to check for the presence of THC in the products they are buying lest they end up feeling ‘high’.

4. Traceable or not?

Hemp, the plant which most CBD is extracted from, is basically a hyperaccumulator. This means that it will absorb many of the substances that are present in the soil the hemp is grown in. If the hemp is organically-grown and the soil is high quality, then the quality of the CBD can be high. However, hemp, especially industrial hemp, may also be grown in non-organic conditions. Such poor-quality soil may be polluted with heavy metals, such as mercury and lead. If a CBD manufacturer opts to buy such hemp, the quality of their CBD is also poor and may even be harmful.

“CBD is among the most coveted ingredients for the health and wellness aficionados”

Therefore, it is recommended that customers buy from a manufacturer that traces the CBD oil back to the seed of the plant, the fertilizer, the farm, the extractor, etc. What is more, customers should check for third-party lab results printed on the packaging of the product. These will prove whether the CBD used in the product is of high quality or not.

5. Ways of applying

There are different ways to apply the CBD and they may have a different effect and different duration. CBD can be applied using tinctures, vaporizers, or it can be consumed through CBD-based functional water, skin-care ointment, etc. This is how it will affect the body. If vaping, the effect will be almost immediate and it may last for hours. A few drops of tincture on or under the tongue will take effect in 20–40 minutes and its effect will last for 4–6 hours. With applying balm or cream, it takes up to an hour to have any effect but will last up to five hours. Finally, if it is taken orally in chocolate, candy, capsule, or functional water, it takes from 20 minutes to two hours, depending on the concentration, to take effect, but will last up to six hours after the onset.

6. Concentration of CBD

Research has shown that many CBD products mislabel the concentration of CBD in the product. While it is supposedly not known whether high doses of CBD are harmful, it may not have the health benefits the customers are going for. If the consumer is just starting with a CBD diet, they should begin with lower doses and see what the effects will be. If necessary, they may increase the dosage after a while. However, it is always necessary consult their doctor for guidance.

What is your experience with the types of CBD product? Please write a comment in the comment section below.

In the last decade, CBD or Cannabidiol has become the number one hit substance in the world of health and wellness. CBD oil can be found in your morning latte, chewing gums, massage oils, candies, tinctures, functional beverages, tinctures, FDA-approved medicaments, even in some inhalers. Some have named it the new all-round, good-for-all wonder drug, others the investment opportunity of the decade. But one thing is certain — ever since CBD has been legalized in some major markets, the door has been thrown wide open for CBD oil to be thoroughly scientifically researched, manufactured in different forms, and marketed. Therefore, this is only the beginning of its path.

“CBD is being researched for a multitude of other health benefits”

But what is CBD and how can it be used to our benefit? CBD or Cannabidiol is one of the naturally-occurring components of different strains of the cannabis plant, the other being THC. Contrary to THC, which gets us high, CBD is not psychoactive and can be used as a natural remedy to many ailments. Our bodies themselves produce endocannabinoids, and together with phytocannabinoids they can help alleviate many maladies that pasture us.

Here are five of the most researched areas where CBD oil can positively affect our health.

1. Epilepsy

There are many researches that show the healing properties of CBD oil. However, so far only one has been studied thoroughly enough for the FDA to give a CBD drug the green flag, and that is epilepsy, more precisely two rare types of epilepsy, the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and the Dravet syndrome. The Epidiolex drug has been tested on patients who did not respond well to other treatments and the CBD drug, properly administered, has had very positive effects. The drug has to be used under control of the patient’s doctor.

2. Pain reliever

Pain is a companion through our entire lives. Mostly it is caused by benign reasons, which can be treated with painkillers. However, in certain cases, especially as we age, pain — from different causes — sadly becomes a daily reality. Be it because of a chronic disease like cancer, or from joint pains, it affects the quality of our life, inhibits movement, and sometimes saps our will to lead a normal life.

“CBD may prove to be the wonder drug of the 21st century as many have predicted”

For now, the most efficient painkillers are those based on morphine, but they have side effects. CBD may also have side effects, but it does not cause addictions, which makes it the preferred alternative in many cases.

3. Skin health

One of the nightmares that teenagers face is acne. In a time when they are most touchy about their looks, they get these ugly zits on the most exposed spots. Mostly, acne is not that acute of a problem (tell that to the teenagers, though!) and of course they will eventually fade away. However, in certain cases, they can be more than a mere nuisance.

“CBD oil relaxes our muscles and has an overall positive effect on our well-being”

They can wreak havoc in the lives of not just teenagers but adults, as well. It is cases like these where CBD shows great promise. CBD plays a double role in acne-prevention. Firstly, it helps lower the body’s production of sebum, an oily substance, the overproduction of which can lead to the formation of acne. Secondly, CBD has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. This may at least alleviate some of the pains that acne cause.

4. Inflammation

There are many ways an inflammation may appear. While most are painful and must be treated but are usually not a threat, chronic inflammations will lead to serious problems and may even cause premature death. Heart diseases or strokes are often caused by a chronic inflammatory disorder that involves the depositing of plaques on the walls of our arteries. This is a response to micro artery-wall injuries caused by high blood pressure. CBD stimulates the body’s natural cannabinoids to decrease the inflammatory response and thus reduce the risk of a heart seizure or a brain stroke.

5. Anxiety and depression

While CBD oil does not get us high, it still relaxes our muscles and has an overall positive effect on our well-being. There have been several recorded examples of people suffering from severe cases of social anxiety and depression who have lessened the effects of this malady of the 21st century by taking small but constant doses of CBD oil in different forms. Both anxiety as well as depression may turn our lives into a living hell, prevent us from functioning normally and may even cause a premature death, albeit by other reasons. While antidepressants are may be efficient but also have side effects, especially in combination with other drugs the patient may be taking, CBD have less side-effects and do not cause addictions.

In all the above cases, do not take any CBD treatment without consulting your doctor first!

CBD is being researched for a multitude of other health benefits, such as treating chronic insomnia, cancer prevention, treatment of Alzheimer’s in its early stages, tackling addictions, obesity problems and so on. Properly administered, it may alleviate many of the mentioned diseases of the modern age and may prove to be the wonder drug of the 21st century as many have predicted, one that is natural, organic, and in sync with our own bodies.

What are your experiences with CBD oil? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below and please consider sharing this post or giving us a clap if you liked this post. Cheers!

CBD oil, or Cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring component of the Cannabis sativa plant, of which there are two widely used (or abused) variants, marihuana, and the industrial cannabis or hemp. As opposed to THC, the other component found in Cannabis, CBD does not make the person who has ingested it feel ‘high’ or ‘stoned’. What it does do is that it gives the user a prevailing feeling of relaxation, a feeling which naturally oozes into their muscles and brain and helps them to relax, focus more at work, and overcome social anxieties, at least according to many people who have been using it for a while. This is opposite to THC, which may give a person who has consumed it a feeling of paranoia and might sometimes even induce a panic attack.

“CBD oil is purported to have many health benefits and is seen as a reliever of various maladies”

The other issue which places CBD oil and THC worlds apart is the fact that there are less and fewer restrictions on the manufacturing and sale of CBD oil in an increasing number of countries in the Western hemisphere, while THC is mostly still illegal. Ever since hemp was included in the Farm Bill in the USA and been made legal, the door has swung wide open for much more research and experimentation with this new all-round substance that seems to be the future wunder-drug of the early 2020ies.

CBD oil is purported to have very many health benefits and is seen as a reliever of various maladies, like for instance epilepsy and anxiety. Scientific studies have proven CBD oil’s efficiency in epilepsy treatment but scientists are still a bit skeptical about its other claimed medical benefits because they lack rigorous scientific testing. Now that hemp, and with it CBD, has been legalized in the USA, more research is expected to take place.

“It is part of the urban professional’s drive for natural and organic self-care, health, and wellness”

It seems that every era has its desired medicament. After the war, people popped loads of sedatives. In the 1990s, antidepressants where the thing and “Thank God for Prozac” was the verse psychiatrists used to sing at birthday parties. Now, anxiety and depression are the moods de jour. Teen bands seem to be able to sing of nothing else than how depressed and socially anxious they are. Therefore, CBD has now become the new cure-all medicine. On top of that it is seen as the all-natural, organic, green, and healthy alternative to pharmaceutical medications like Xanax, or Helex. We could say that it is part of the urban professional’s drive for natural and organic self-care, health, and wellness regime. That is why it is also making such headway into the beauty industry. In short, CBD is today what Bitcoin was in 2016, as Jason DeLand of Dosist stated recently.

Another interesting fact about CBD in the health and wellness industry is that it seems to be an industry that is dominated by women. Women are the biggest players in the beauty industry and it is no surprise that they would be the leaders in this new field of natural and organic compounds that seem to be able to alleviate so many different ailments and make us look fresh and rested at the same time. Who would go for anything less?

“CBD oil, or Cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring component of the Cannabis sativa plant”

CBD oil is definitely poised to become one of the biggest and most interesting trends in the health and wellness industry. Because it was not long ago illegal in most countries, science will only now really get the chance to study it for commercial purposes. So far, it seems, we have only scratched the surface of all the potential health benefits CBD oil could have for consumers.

What do you think the best use of CBD oil is? Please write your comments below and do give us a clap and share this blog if you liked it. Much obliged!

Functional water is one of the most exciting sectors in the health and wellness as well as in the food and beverage industries. There are new and new trends popping up in the market and global growth is near the double digits. The flavored and functional water segment is predicted to grow with a CAGR of 11.5% in the next four years. The market exceeded $100M in venture funding in 2017 and is expected to reach the $200M mark this year.

Because new innovative players are entering this beverage segment almost on a daily basis, the market is fast becoming oversaturated. That is why manufacturers are continuously placing their focus on strategies and innovations to stand out from the crowd.

Here are five trends worth watching in the functional water market in 2019:

1. Health-oriented beverages

For many years now, the main trend in the functional water market was increasingly health-conscious consumers. The health and wellness industry is expected to exceed the $1T mark and consumers are spending more and more money on staying healthy and fit. Since functional water brands stress the health benefits of their beverages, this has quite expectedly been the beverage of choice for the professional urban customer in the last decade.

“Most manufacturers are developing new, innovative containers to make a mark on the market”

What is functional water and why does it have health benefits? In short, there are broadly two main ‘families’ of functional water. The first is based on mineral water which has either had a herb or fruit extract added to give it certain health benefits, such as an immunity boost, added electrolytes, improved pH balance, it is rich in antioxidants, etc. The second family of functional water is altered at the molecular level with the help of electrochemical processes to give it extra health benefits, such as better hydration, better oxygenation, quicker regeneration of muscle tissue, etc.

All functional water types are so-called ‘no guilt’ beverages, meaning they do not add to our daily calorie intake but still give us a feeling of satiety.

2. Plant-based flavors

Due to the fragmentation of the market with many players entering the playing field, we can expect tremendous variety and diversity of colors and flavors. This year the predicted trend is plant-based extracts and flavors. So far, the major flavors were Aloe Vera, coconut water, and lime grass, but now several exotic herbs are appearing in functional waters of different manufacturers.

The most common plants apart from coconut to make their way into functional beverages are peanut, oat, and flaxseed. Different spicy flavors like habanero, ginger, chili, cayenne, and cardamom will be on the rise.

3. The rise of cannabinoid beverages

Slowly but securely, different cannabis derivatives have been making their way into the market. Even before the legalization of cannabis in certain countries, hemp had become a popular material for many different sorts of products, from the beauty industry to textile production. But now, CBD is making its way into the food and beverage industry, particularly into the functional water market. CBD supposedly has many positive effects on our overall feeling, so it is naturally very attractive to health-aware customers.

“That a specific meal is photogenic has been more important than it’s being delicious”

There are very many new manufacturers of functional water who infuse CBD extracts into the beverage, but also the big players, such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Anheuser-Busch are eyeing this opportunity or have already made important investments into CBD-beverage production. Since CBD functional beverages are projected to reach an estimated $600M share of the market in the next four years in the USA alone, this will be one of the most exciting trends to watch in 2019.

4. Must look good on social media

One of the growth trends in the last few years has been taking pictures of our meals in restaurants and posting them on our favorite social media. Of late, that a specific meal is photogenic has been more important than it’s being delicious. This is the direction functional beverages are taking this year and it is definitely one of the trends to watch. Functional beverages are now appearing in attractive colors and with a rich texture. Since the drink must above all else be healthy, artificial colors are out of the question. Therefore, herbs such as blue algae, matcha, and purple tea are on the rise.

5. Sustainability in packaging

Last but not least, functional water consumers are very environmentally aware, that is why plastic is out of the question now. Prompted by decisions of many governments to ban single-use plastic packaging, most manufacturers are developing new, innovative containers to make a mark on the market and differentiate themselves from the competition.

“The market exceeded $100M in venture funding in 2017 and is expected to reach the $200M mark this year”

The trend for the great majority of functional water manufacturers this year will definitely be to turn away from plastic containers — if they haven’t already — and offer new kinds and designs of packaging, be it glass or carton. Many already offer containers made of sugarcane materials or glass, but cannabinoid materials also hold great promise in this field.

The trends in the functional beverage market are interesting as ever and definitely worth watching. What do you think the trends will be this year? Leave us a comment in the comments section and please consider giving us a clap and sharing this blog. Much obliged!