We break down why rosin is the most superior extraction method of cannabis
What is rosin?
Rosin is a pure and potent extract made by pressing the cannabis plant using only high pressure and low tempertures. Unlike other extracts produced using solvents (think isolates and distillates) we never use any harsh chemicals, for a true solventless concentrate. Rosin has the added benefit of being truly full-spectrum, as it contains all of the cannabinoids, terpenes and phytonutrients of the cannabis plant.
Just as it grows, just as nature intended. We call this our "Pressed Plant Magic".
Why is it so Pure?
Rosin is only as good as the hemp it was pressed from. How the plant was grown, the terrain, how the soil is treated, neighboring plants and crops, all of it play a major role in the final product. Much like wine has distinct flavors and aromas depending on where and how the grapes were grown, so does cannabis. With rosin, there’s no hiding anything.
There’s a dirty secret in the cannabis and specifically cbd industries, that most manufacturers don’t want you to know. Most of the cbd and cbd products on the market are made with isolates or distillates. Not only are harsh chemicals used for these extracts, possibly leaving behind all kinds of nasty residual chemicals and heavy metals, but the industrial hemp used to make these extracts is not something you’d ever want to ingest. This hemp is best used for things like paper and fiber, not for consumption. People run the crop through industrial machines to extract cbd, isolating the single cannabinoid. They'll often add in terpenes or other cannabinoids to achieve a better taste and effect. It’s a whole lot of processing to try to turn a sub-par plant into essentially a cash crop.
Rosin is a much more organic process. It uses only minimal heat and literally tons of pressure to separate all of the beneficial compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, etc.) from the plant fiber. Think of the difference of an organic cold pressed juice to a juice made from concentrate and refortified with vitamins. We never need to reintroduce these compounds, as they never left. This is important because all of these compounds work together synergistically to produce an effect greater than the sum of its parts. This is known as the Entourage Effect.
what makes it so effective?
The Entourage Effect occurs when all of the cannabnoids, terpenes and phytonutrients of the plant are present and allowed to work together, resulting in a much greater effect than any compound used in isolation. 1 + 1 = 5. As a result, full-spectrum products have the greatest overall effect, more so than broad spectrum or isolates, allowing the use of a lower effective dose. Meaning with a full-spectrum product you're getting a lot more Nice for your nickels.
While research on the exact way this works is still ongoing, we do know that the interplay of different cannabinoids/compounds amongst themselves and our bodies own endocannbinoid system plays a major role. That's right, your body has an endocannabinoid system, meaning our bodies were actually designed to interact with this plant. Pretty cool, huh? The endocannabinoid system (ECS) works to maintain bodily homeostasis across many systems of the body. In fact, many disorders (IBS, fibromyalgia, migraines) may be linked to dysfunction of the endocannabinoid system and are currently being studied for such. The ECS has three main components: endocannabinoids (made by the body), receptors that they bind to and enzymes that break them down to elicit a response. The most abundant receptors are CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are mostly found in the central nervous system, while CB2 are mostly found on the peripheral nervous system especially immune cells. Cannabinoids elicit therapeutic effects by binding to these receptors.
So remember how we discussed the difference of a full-specrum product? This is why that makes such a big difference in its effects!
our nice philosophy
Nice was founded with the intention of making the best, most efficacious products possible, while being fully transparent about both our ingredients and our manufacturing methods. Since the launch of our initial company, Nice Canna Co. in 2015, we've only ever infused our products with rosin and have never wavered in our commitment to bring clean, full-spectrum products to the people. We are extremely proud to have helped shift the landscape of cannabis from a linear, percentage only place to one where the power that is full-spectrum is fully realized.
buyer beware
So the secret is out and it seems rosin is popping up everywhere. And while we're thrilled this potent, solventess extract is getting its moment to shine, it seems all that glitters is not always gold. As with most things lucrative, there will always be those looking to exploit and capitalize on a trend. We say this in the most loving tone but it can't be stressed enough: EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE. Your best option is to really educate yourself on what you can look out for to avoid getting ripped off. Some brands out there are claiming rosin in big, bold letters on their packaging, touting the benefits of full-spectrum. Great, right? Well on closer inspection, many of these products are almost entirely infused with an isolate or distillate, with a minimal amount of rosin added in. You know, just so they can say it. Pretty shitty, if you ask us. Furthermore, many of these brands aren't transparent about their extraction/infusion methods. Often you have to scroll through pages and pages of pretty pictures and buzzwords to find this information. It's almost like they have something to hide...
an educated consumer
Knowledge is power and education is key. So what are some things you can look for to avoid getting bamboozled? Glad you asked! There are some major things you should always look for to make an informed purchase. First, where does the hemp come from? Who grew it? How was it grown? Were any chemicals or pesticides used? Next, you'll want to find out what extraction/infusion method is used. There's always going to be at least one type of extract, either solventless or chemically extracted. We'll do an entire blogpost in the future to help breakdown all of the different types of extracts and what they all mean. For now, bear with us. It will either be an isolate or distillate (chemically extracted), or a hemp oil/butter, hash or rosin infusion (solventless). But solventless doesn't necessarily equate to clean. Again, you'll want to refer back to the hemp and where/how it was grown. We proudly source our hemp from East Fork Cultivars, who is both USDA Organic certified as well as Sun + Earth certified and press our rosin in house. Companies should have this info readily available and if not, you should be asking yourself why? Many times we see "hemp oil" or "CBD oil" listed without any further clarification. Intenionally vague wording is a tactic often employed to avoid scrutiny. Be wary! Lastly, there should be a COA (certificate of analysis) for each product showing test results from a verifiable third-party. Again, these should be readily available and easy to find.
Get nice
Thank you for reading our blog! We hope you learned a thing or two that may help you on your journey to better health & wellness. We know this is a lot of info we threw at you and we look forward to diving deeper into many of these topics in the near future. Feel free to reach out to us with questions. We're always here to help make life a little Nicer!