CBD (which is also known as cannabidiol) oil is a hemp-derived extract that is viscous, gold in color, and oily by nature. But if you continue closely studying the labels of more CBD merchandise, you will notice a few products that contain “water-soluble CBD oil”. What does that mean exactly? Isn’t it a fact that oil and water can’t mix? Let’s unlock the mystery of water-soluble CBD products below:
What does water-soluble mean?
Let’s quickly take a step back and clarify this potentially confusing term. Water-soluble is a property that is characterized by a substance’s ability to easily dissolve into water. Water-soluble compounds accomplish this feat by separating into ions or molecules that can bind directly to water molecules.
Are you wondering how to know if something is soluble in water? Just drop it into some water and watch! If it doesn’t quickly “disappear” and dissolve, it is not a water-soluble substance. Keep in mind that some water-soluble compounds may need some added energy through processes such as stirring or heating in order to completely dissolve.
Why doesn’t oil dissolve in water?
Many of us know that oil doesn’t dissolve in water. But how many people understand the underlying mechanism that causes this? Those of us who are somewhat in the know think that water and oil don’t mix because these liquids have different densities. Yes, it is true that oil is far less dense than water. However, that only explains why oil floats on top of the water; it doesn’t explain why they don’t mix.
- Polarity of Molecules
The primary reason oil and water can’t mix is due to a concept known as polarity. The H2O molecules that water is made up of are polar compounds. This means that these molecules actually have a type of electrical charge. If you look at the structure of the H2O molecule, you will notice that the oxygen atom is positioned on one side of the H2O compound while the two hydrogen atoms are station on the other side. This imbalance causes the hydrogen atoms to have a minor positive charge while the oxygen atom has a minor negative charge. On the other hand, oil molecules don’t carry any type of electrical charges. That is why they are known as “non-polar” liquids.
While the water doesn’t have any net electrical charge, the gradient of electrical charge in H2O molecules affects the way they interact with each other. Individual water molecules develop a chemical connection known as a hydrogen bond between each other. As you probably already know, things with a negative electrical charge attract things with a positive charge. In a similar fashion, a hydrogen bond describes the electrical attraction between the oxygen atom (which has a slight negative charge) in one water molecule to the hydrogen atoms (which have a slight positive charge) in another. While this bond is somewhat weak (chemically speaking), it is strong enough to keep non-polar substances from mixing with polar ones. However, other polar molecules can dissolve into the water because they will be able to participate in making hydrogen bonds as well.
So, how is it possible to have water-soluble CBD oil when oil doesn’t dissolve in water? Well, to be 100% technically correct , not really. But you CAN make oil-based products that can MIX almost seamlessly with water. All “water-soluble” cannabidiol products are actually really “water-miscible” products. Let’s look closer at this critical difference below.
What is the difference between miscible vs soluble?
As we mentioned above, the solubility of a compound describes how easily it dissolves in with water. However, the miscibility of a compound is characterized by how well its liquid form can make a homogeneous solution with another liquid. In essence, a pair of miscible liquids can essentially become a complete mixture without forming internal, electrical bonds with each other. On top of this, miscible liquids will mix completely regardless of the ratio of each liquid used.
How do they make miscible aka water-soluble CBD oil?
CBD oil, which naturally repels H2O, can be made into a more water-compatible form by being broken down to micro- or nanoemulsion droplets. Micro- and nano-sized droplets are much smaller than the normal CBD oil drop size and can be mixed far more efficiently into water-based solutions. The smaller droplets also provide a vastly increased surface area that also helps increase the bioavailability of the CBD involved. Sometimes, a compound known as a liposome is also used as a type of “carrying vehicle” for cannabidiol oil. Since liposomes are made of both water and oil, they can be successfully dissolved into the water while holding an oil-based substance within it.
Why make CBD oil water-soluble?
Roughly 60 percent of the human body is made up of water. Since oil-based products won’t mix with our bodies’ base liquid very easily, much of the oil found in tradition CBD supplements actually goes to waste and never gets activated. However, water-soluble CBD extracts offer a solution to create a more bioavailable cannabidiol product that produces far more effective and profound effects within the body.
Now that you more fully understand the subtle differences between water-soluble CBD vs oil, are you feeling educated enough to start using water soluble CBD in your products? If you are, please get contact CuBeD NaNo! Our company is solely focused on manufacturing and supplying the highest quality water soluble cannabidiol products. We accomplish our goal but never sacrificing on any aspect of our production; we source our products from the best hemp plants grown on Earth and we rigorously test our products to make sure they are compliant with our quality standards.