Cannabis Extracts vs. Concentrates
What is the difference?
While you may hear the terms “extract” and “concentrate” used interchangeably, cannabis extracts are actually a specific type of cannabis concentrate. Or, to put it another way, extracts are always concentrates, but concentrates aren’t always extracts.
What are cannabis concentrates?
Concentrates are potent forms of cannabis available in a variety of solid and liquid formats. They are made by separating active ingredients such as cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids from plant material, such as buds, leaves and stems.
How are concentrates made?
Concentrates can be made with or without solvents. Both methods effectively extract the active ingredients from the rest of the plant.
Solventless concentrates employ physical methods, such as sifting, freezing and pressing, as well as heat and water extraction to separate active ingredients from plant materials.
Solventless concentrates include:
Concentrates made with solvents are exposed to evaporating solvents that strip the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids from the plant for a concentrated and potent format. Some combine solvents with physical production methods such as heating, stirring or whipping.
Concentrates made with solvents (also known as extracts) include:
shatter and wax
badder/batter
What are extracts?
Cannabis extracts are a subcategory of cannabis concentrates made by separating (extracting) the active ingredients inside cannabis using solvents, such as butane, carbon dioxide, alcohol and ethanol. After that, they may also be combined with a carrier oil to prepare the extracts for ingestion.
Extracts include products like:
cannabis oils
capsules
oral sprays
softgels
sublingual strips
What is a carrier oil?
Cannabis extracts are a subcategory of cannabis concentrates made by separating (extracting) the active ingredients inside cannabis using solvents, such as butane, carbon dioxide, alcohol and ethanol. After that, they may also be combined with a carrier oil to prepare the extracts for ingestion.
Extracts include products like:
jojoba oil
coconut oil
sweet almond oil
olive oil
grapeseed oil
argan oil
avocado oil
sunflower oil
fractioned coconut oil
Carrier oils are chosen based on their specific characteristics, such as absorption rate, shelf life and the intended use of the final product.
When it comes to potency and the onset, peak and duration of effects, experiences will differ for every individual. There are many variables that factor into how cannabis can affect you, such as your metabolism, weight and how much food you eat before consuming.
All information derived from OCS Article “Cannabis Extracts vs. Concentrates: What’s the Difference?”
