CBG: Exploring the "Mother of All Cannabinoids"

Understanding the Benefits of Full-Spectrum CBG Rosin

White CBG cultivar grown by East Fork Cultivars. Image by East Fork Cultivars

Have you ever wondered how cannabinoids like CBD and THC come into existence? Enter CBG (Cannabigerol). This fascinating compound earns the moniker, "mother of all cannabinoids,” as CBG serves as the molecular template from which nearly all other cannabinoids are derived.

The Science Behind CBG

What makes CBG particularly interesting is its ability to interact with both CB1 and CB2 receptors in our endocannabinoid system. Unlike its more famous offspring THC, CBG achieves this without producing any psychoactive effects. This means you can benefit from its properties without experiencing the high typically associated with cannabis.

One of CBG's most intriguing characteristics is its relationship with the "bliss molecule,” anandamide. CBG works to strengthen anandamide bonds in the brain while simultaneously preventing its breakdown. This interaction helps enhance feelings of pleasure and motivation, while also playing a role in regulating appetite, sleep, and pain perception.

Potential Health Benefits

Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that CBG may offer a wide range of potential health benefits:

• Inflammation and Pain Management: Early studies indicate CBG's potential as an anti-inflammatory agent, making it beneficial for those dealing with chronic pain conditions.

• Digestive Health: People with conditions like Crohn's disease and IBS have reported positive results with CBG use, though more research is needed to fully understand these effects.

• Ocular Health: One of CBG's more studied benefits is its ability to reduce ocular pressure, making it a compound of interest for those with glaucoma.

• Mental Clarity: Perhaps one of its most appreciated benefits is CBG's nootropic properties. Users frequently report improved focus and mental clarity, describing it as lifting a fog from their minds.

The Natural Energy Alternative

If you're someone who struggles with the afternoon slump, CBG might be worth considering. It interacts with the adrenergic system – the same system affected by caffeine – but in a notably gentler way. Many users report experiencing increased energy and focus without the jitters or crash that often accompanies coffee consumption. Now that’s a pick-me-up!

Looking Ahead

As our understanding of cannabinoids continues to evolve, CBG's role as a foundational compound makes it particularly exciting for researchers and consumers alike. Its non-psychoactive nature, combined with its wide range of potential benefits, positions it as a promising option for those seeking natural wellness solutions.

At Nice, a full-spectrum experience has always been at the core of our brand ethos.

We've been especially excited to explore and enjoy the synergistic effects of full-spectrum CBG with other cannabinoids through rosin expression, as showcased in our single cultivar White CBG Lollipops and Rosin Drops. And for those seeking an elevated experience, we've developed CBG-focused ratios, to better help you make life Nice.

Cannabinoid breakdown shown for 1ml of our White CBG Rosin Drops

Remember, while the research on CBG is promising, it's always wise to consult with healthcare professionals before incorporating any new supplement into your wellness routine, especially if you're taking other medications or have underlying health conditions.

---

Check out our new single cultivar White CBG Rosin Drops & Lollipops here:

White CBG Rosin Drops

Buy Now

White CBG Lollipops

Buy Now

What is rosin & why is it so special?

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!

Photo by East Fork Cultivars

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!