South Shields: your guide to CBD gummies in the UK
If you feel like you’ve been hearing about CBD edibles non-stop lately, there may be a good reason for it.
Since being legalised in 2018, the CBD market has exploded across the UK. Then, plunge the entire nation into two years of uncertainty, and it’s clear to see why the food supplement’s popularity has flourished.
CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is found in the hemp plant. It’s said to work with the body’s endocannabinoid system to regulate functions like motor control, mood, and sleep, and Brits are using it to help treat a range of conditions like anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and insomnia.
You can buy CBD in forms from capsules, to oils, to vapes, to tinctures. However, with their pre-measured doses, delicious tastes, and nostalgic shapes, it’s CBD gummies that are quickly becoming a favourite among British users.
Will CBD get you high?
Unlike its relative THC - the psychoactive cannabinoid found in the marijuana plant - CBD isn’t intoxicating. And whilst it’s true that trace levels of THC can be found in the hemp plant, CBD manufacturers must reduce this to less than 0.2 per cent to legally sell their products in the UK.
How much should you take?
It’s best to start with a small dosage, keeping track of how your body reacts over a few days and adjusting your intake accordingly. The FSA recommends taking no more than 70mg a day but be sure to check with your medical professional before starting out.
Broad spectrum vs isolate - what’s the difference?
Depending on how the CBD has been extracted, there may be other cannabinoids present in your gummy. These additional cannabinoids - such as CBG and CBN - can harmonise with CBD to create a stronger effect known as the ‘entourage effect’. If you’re taking broad-spectrum CBD, your gummies will carry the supporting cannabinoids responsible for this impact.
However, some people prefer to take CBD isolate, which is pure CBD devoid of even trace levels of THC. This means they won’t experience the entourage effect.
Which CBD gummy should you buy?
With their increasing popularity, there’s a growing number of gummies to choose from. To narrow it down, we’ve tossed up factors like price, dosage and accompanying ingredients to bring you seven high-quality CBD gummies to consider trying in 2022.
1. CBII CBD Gummies - 30 Pack - £34
CBII’s gummies strike a perfect balance of texture, taste and potency for a morsel that’s delicious, clean, and good value for money.
Fully vegan, with no artificial preservatives, and colours extracted from natural ingredients, the gummies come in a recyclable glass jar brimming with 30 sweets. You can expect a mix of four flavours in each jar: watermelon, raspberry, tangerine and lemon, with each confection containing a 25mg dose of broad spectrum CBD.
CBII’s CBD is extracted from hemp grown in Oregon - the most strictly regulated market in the US. Post-harvest, CBII works with Swiss manufacturer Linnea to extract CBD from the hemp in a method that’s said to be gentler and cleaner than alternative strategies. This prevents unnecessary damage to the plant, producing an extract that’s as close to its natural form as possible.
As with all reputable manufacturers, you can find third party lab test results confirming the gummies’ make-up and potency on CBII’s website.
2. CBDfx Multivitamin for Women/Men - 60 pack - £50
These simple gummy discs might not offer the fantastical shapes or fun flavours of other options on this list, however, what they lack in novelty they make up for in health benefits.
Formulated in two options - one for women and one for men - these gummies come packed with 25mg of broad-spectrum CBD. However, it doesn’t end there: they’re also loaded with supporting vitamins specifically blended to boost the overall health of men’s and women’s bodies. Think vitamins A, C, D3, and E, as well as minerals like calcium and zinc.
You’ll find independent lab results on CBDfx’s website, guaranteeing consistency and quality.
3. Cannaray CBD Gummies - 30 pack - £18
Looking for a lower dose? Cannaray’s gummies - flavoured to taste like orange - have 10mg of CBD per morsel. Striking the perfect balance between zesty and sweet, the gummies are vegan, and come devoid of sulphates or GMOs. To achieve their deep orange hue, they call on natural colouring from concentrated pepper and carrot.
It’s good to note that since Cannaray’s gummies use CBD isolate, they’re well suited for anyone wanting to avoid even trace levels of THC – however, users won’t experience the entourage effect that comes with broad spectrum CBD.
4. CBDistillery CBD Gummies - 30 pack - £60
Another CBD isolate option, except this time with a dose per gummy that’s 2.5 times higher than Cannaray’s: CBDistillery’s vegan gummies pack 25mg of CBD into each sugar-coated sweet.
Within each jar, you’ll find a choice of three flavours: raspberry-lemon, lemon, and strawberry. The gummies call upon ingredients such as organic white grape juice, red fruit juice and evaporated cane juice to conjure a pleasant taste that’s sweet and fruity.
5. Swiss Peak CBD Gummy Strawberries - various tub sizes - £19.99-£28.99
Swiss Peak’s range of CBD edibles is full of interesting shapes and flavours, from bears to cherries, but we particularly enjoy the tangy strawberry gummies: with a pleasant, sweet flavour, a distinct tang, and an enjoyable chew, they can be hard to tell apart from regular confectionery versions.
But it’s not all about taste and looks: Swiss Peak offers up gummies in various strengths - 10mg, 25mg and 50mg - meaning the range is appropriate for a wide scope of users. A certificate of analysis can be found on Swiss Peak’s website for full transparency.
6. SOOL CBD Gummies - 30 pack - £49.99
Unlike most CBD you’ll find in the UK, SOOL’s CBD is European-sourced, extracted from hemp grown in Spain and Lithuania. The simple, dome-shaped gummies come in both lemon and green apple flavours, striking a pleasant balance of tart and sweet.
If you’re looking for a higher dose of CBD, these morsels could be a good bet, offering 25mg of broad-spectrum CBD per gummy. For traceability and transparency, each bottle is stamped with a unique batch code, which means you can track down your bottle’s exact lab report via SOOL’s website.
7. Vitality CBD Gummy Bears - 40 gummies - £17.99
At the lowest end of the CBD dose spectrum, Vitality CBD’s bears come with just 5mg of CBD in each sweet. The brand recommends that these gummies are used in conjunction with other CBD products - such as oils or vapes - if you’re wanting to get closer to the maximum 70mg-a-day dose.
Despite the delicate dose, regular users maintain that Vitality CBD’s offerings have soothed issues like anxiety. However, vegans and vegetarians, take note: since these gummies contain gelatin, they aren’t vegan.