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I've Tested Over 50 CBD Products & These CBD Gummies Are My Favorite
As much as I'd love to be a chill person, I'm very aware that a zen state does not come naturally to me. I'm often a ball of stress, and it's very apparent to my coworkers, my roommate, and my Oura ring.
Knowing that regular stress can be toxic for your health, I'm always looking for ways to promote a more even mood—and one of my go-to tactics is taking CBD.* I've tried more than a 50 different CBD products (and a few with other cannabinoids) in my quest to becoming a more ~relaxed~ human being.
While many products have promised stress relief, better sleep, and improved focus, I've found few live up to their promise. Family owned wellness brand Naternal is an exception.
The North Carolina-based hemp brand offers CBD gummies, oils, drinks, and topicals to support every element of your day—from relaxation and recovery to sleep and fun. I've spent the last month trying out a different CBD and Delta 9 products from the brand to see how my overall mood, sleep, and recovery was impacted.
A sneak peek at my final thoughts
A sneak peek at my final thoughts
- Potent formulas powered by multiple cannabinoids
- Clean ingredient lists without too much added sugar
- Variety of formulas for different needs
- Family-owned business that sources from North Carolina
- Strong hemp flavor in multiple formulas
- Delta 9 products can be extra potent (& not great for beginners)
- Uses only some organic ingredients
Why I take CBD every day
First things first, I think it's important to clarify why I take CBD every day. Most of us are familiar with benefits of CBD, but very few of us understand how it actually interacts with the body.
Every single person has an endocannabinoid system or ECS. This cellular-level communication network helps maintain homeostasis in the body, which means it plays a role in every part of the human experience. Yes, that includes pain, mood, mental health, sleep, focus, appetite, and more.
Similar to other hormones or vitamin levels, the endocannabiniod system can get out of whack (which has been associated with various health conditions1). Consuming phytocannabinoids, like CBD, can support the overall health of your ECS or the "endocannabinoid tone2" by interacting with the ECS to help bring the body back to a state of homeostasis.*
As clinical nutritionist Carl Germano, R.D., CNS, CDN previously told mindbodygreen, "A full-spectrum hemp product essentially acts like a multivitamin for the endocannabinoid system."
Needless to say, I consider taking cannabinoids an essential part of my supplement protocol, but I like to play with the different ingredients to find what works best for me.
Well-being insight
How I tested Naternal CBD
As someone who spent the last year researching and editing CBD content, I was eager to test out Naternal. Not only was our vice president of scientific affairs, Ashely Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, familiar with the brand, but I liked the brand's ethos when it comes to Delta 9 products.
If you're unfamiliar, Delta 9 or tetrahydrocannabinol is a compound found in the hemp plant. Unlike CBD, Delta 9 can have psychoactive effects. And yes, it's still legal, as Naternal's Delta 9 is sourced from hemp plants, which must legally contain less than 0.3% THC per pound by dry weight.
When it comes to Delta 9, Naternal emphasizes finding your minimum effect dose or MED. Essentially this means you can find the dose where you maximize the desired therapeutic effects of the CBD without succumbing to feeling stoned, paranoid, or lethargic.
While I don't often love to test out other brand's Delta 9 products, I felt comfortable giving Naternal's a try. Plus, I had other CBD, CBN, and CBD products to test.
Every Naternal product that I tested
My testing experience with Naternal
Key ingredients: Full-spectrum hemp, cane sugar, tapioca sugar, pear juice concentrate
I'm not the only mindbodygreen staffer to give these full-spectrum gummies a shoutout; Ferira is also a fan. Each gummy has just 2 grams of sugar, with a delicate strawberry flavor that's only slightly overtaken by the taste of hemp.
When I take cannabinoids, I prefer to take full-spectrum products, which have the full array of compounds in the hemp plant. Yes, there are trace amounts of THC in full-spectrum products, but it's often not enough to get you high (as is the case with these Ease gummies).
Instead these cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes worth together to create the entourage effect. This theory suggests the various compounds in the cannabis plant work better together than apart—sort of like a football team.
I can confirm; although these are just a moderate strength at just 20mg of CBD per serving, I definitely feel their effect on a hectic workday. I find myself more at ease throughout my meetings and less overwhelmed by my work.*
If you're a hemp newbie, I think these make a great option—and more experienced users can simple double the dose to get a more potent effect.
The only downside: I'm not a huge fan of the plastic packaging.
Key ingredients: Cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), MCT oil
I've always been curious about the link between CBN and sleep. This lesser-known (and lesser-studied) cannabinoid is extracted from THC, but it doesn't have any psychoactive effects. Instead it interacts with you body's enodcannabionid system directly—and research suggests3 it can promote drowsiness.*
This makes Rest CBD + CBN the perfect combo to support multiple sleep stages; CBD helps put you into a relaxed state, so CBG can help you fall into a deep snooze.*
As someone who loves taking natural sleep aids, I was eager to see whether I felt the impact of this full-spectrum tincture versus the magnesium that I typically take. I'm happy to report my sleep score actually increased five points from the previous night when I first tested this oil.
My only warning: The oil does have a stronger hemp flavor, and I wasn't a huge fan of the vanilla flavoring. I typically lean towards mint CBD oils, so this felt heavier in my mouth without the zip of peppermint.
The only downside: I don't love the artificial vanilla flavoring of this oil.
Key ingredients: Cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), MCT oil
Similar to CBN, cannabigerol or CBD is an under-rated cannabinoid that does not get enough credit.
Its thought to have anti-anxiety effects, with researchers exploring its potential to help treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease4 and ocular diseases such as glaucoma5. What's more, CBG is believed to supports the body's inflammatory response—which is why it's a co-star in Naternal's Move oil.*
I preferred the Move oil's Ginger & Honey flavor over the Rest's Lavendar & Vanilla one, but I think the effect on my body was less prevalent. To be fair, I generally struggle to notice the impact of an ingested CBD for inflammation. Unlike topical CBD products, they don't give that same "instant" relief.
That being said, I'll still take this oil as a way to support my body's endocannabinoid system, as it's one of the stronger CBD oils that I've tried.
The only downside: It's harder to measure the impact of this CBD oil on inflammation.
Key ingredients: Hemp extract, cane sugar, tapioca sugar, pear juice concentrate
As mentioned, I can get a little stressed–and these Delta 9 gummies are my favorite way to get an noticeable calm without feeling stoned.*
Each gummy pairs 25 mg of CBD with 3 mg of Delta 9 THC, and surprisingly these taste less like hemp than their broad-spectrum counterparts (no, really). I actually think these are the tastiest gummies offered by Naternal, and one of my absolute favorites in the bunch for those who don't need to worry about drug testing.
Of course, I always stick to just one Lift gummy per day, and never take these gummies before starting my workday. However, I can attest that I've never felt lethargic when taking these gummies—only really, really chill.
Needles to say, these one of my favorite CBD gummies that I've tried in the last two years (and the ones that I need to restock first).
The only downside: The inclusion of Delta 9 means these gummies aren't for everyone.
Key ingredients: Hemp extract, cane sugar, tapioca sugar, pear juice concentrate
My first piece of advice: Do not take these gummies unless you're comfortable feeling a little blissed out.* As the brand says, "these pack a punch"—so much so, I'd actually not recommend taking them before work or driving.
Taking these gummies left me feeling light, buzzed, and a little bit giddy. My experience makes sense; each gummy combines both 10 mg of Delta 9 and 25 mg of CBG.
Due to the potent their effect, I take these gummies less often then the other products in my Naternal stash. That being said, I'm actually a big fan of the flavor. The lime flavoring adds a gentle punch, and there's no strong hemp flavor (perhaps due to the lack of CBD).
The only downside: There's a noticeable intoxicating effect.
My favorite product
The takeaway
If you want to experiment with Delta 9 products, then I can't recommend Naternal's products enough. The family-owned brand delivers with quality products that I can actually feel make a difference.* If you can only shop one item from the brand, I highly recommend that you check out Naternal Lift Delta 9 Gummies—no pun included.
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Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
What Is Meditation?
Box Breathing
What Breathwork Can Address
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
What to Eat Before a Workout
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love Languages
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