CBG Isolate Guide: What It Is, How It's Made & How to Use It

You already know what CBG oil looks like in a dropper bottle. Then you come across a small jar of white powder labeled CBG isolate and wonder what it is, and how anyone measures a serving that small.

CBG isolate is pure cannabigerol (CBG) separated from every other compound in the hemp plant. Pure CBG isolate typically tests at 99% CBG or higher and comes as a white crystalline powder. People weigh CBG isolate by the milligram and mix it into oils, capsules or topical bases.

At NuLeaf Naturals, we make full spectrum CBG products rather than a CBG isolate. We wrote this guide so you can see exactly how CBG isolate is made, how it compares with our formats, and how each one is measured.

What Is CBG Isolate?

CBG isolate is the single-cannabinoid form of cannabigerol, a compound the hemp plant produces in small amounts. Cannabigerol has the molecular formula C21H32O2 and a molar mass of about 316.5 g/mol. Researchers first isolated CBG in 1964.

CBG starts in the plant as cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). As hemp matures, the plant converts most of its CBGA into three other cannabinoid acids: THCA, CBDA and CBCA. The CBGA that remains becomes CBG once heat removes its acid group. Because of this conversion, most mature hemp contains about 1% CBG or less. That small share is why cannabigerol isolate producers start with large amounts of hemp, or with hemp bred for higher CBG content.

CBG belongs to the same cannabinoid family that gave the endocannabinoid system (ECS) its name. CBG is not considered intoxicating. For the full background on the compound, read our guide on what is CBG.

What Does Pure CBG Isolate Look Like?

Pure CBG isolate looks like a fine white to off-white powder or small, glass-like crystals. CBG isolate powder and larger CBG isolate crystals are the same compound at different particle sizes. Suppliers sell CBG crystalline powder and CBG isolate crystals under both names. Purity appears as a percentage on the product's Certificate of Analysis (COA), and quality batches typically list 99% CBG or higher.

There are 4 physical traits that identify crystalline CBG:

• Color: white to off-white.
• Texture: fine powder or small crystals.
• Taste and smell: close to neutral, because the terpenes are removed.
• Solubility: fat soluble, so CBG mixes into oils and does not dissolve in water.

Those 4 traits come from the way CBG isolate is made.

How Is CBG Isolate Made?

CBG isolate is made in 6 stages that remove everything from a hemp extract except cannabigerol.

• Grow and harvest hemp bred for higher CBG content.
• Extract the plant material with CO2 or ethanol to collect its cannabinoids and terpenes.
• Winterize the extract: mix it with ethanol, chill it, and filter out waxes and plant fats.
• Heat the extract (decarboxylation) to convert CBGA into CBG.
• Distill the extract, then run chromatography to separate CBG from THC and the other cannabinoids.
• Crystallize, dry and lab test the CBG.

Each stage removes more of the original plant. The finished CBG isolate no longer carries the terpenes and minor cannabinoids found in the starting extract.

Our own process stops much earlier. We use CO2 extraction to make a whole-plant extract that keeps hemp's natural cannabinoids and terpenes together. You can read about each step in NuLeaf Naturals' extraction process.

Is CBG Isolate THC-Free?

CBG isolate is a form of THC-free CBG, because chromatography separates THC from the CBG during production. The lab report confirms the result: a COA lists THC as "ND" (non-detect) when the test finds none. ND means the amount is below what that lab's test can measure. Full spectrum CBG products are different, since full spectrum extracts keep a trace of THC below 0.3% by dry weight. However, it is not guaranteed that you will pass a drug test after consuming this product.

CBG Isolate vs. Full Spectrum vs. Broad Spectrum: What's the Difference?

CBG isolate, broad spectrum CBG and full spectrum CBG differ in how much of the hemp plant each format keeps. The table below compares the three formats on 6 attributes, from what each one contains to how a serving is measured.

The entourage effect is the term for hemp's cannabinoids and terpenes staying together as one profile, the way the plant makes them. People who want a single-cannabinoid product with no THC detected often choose CBG isolate. People who want the whole-plant profile often choose full spectrum CBG, and broad spectrum CBG sits between the two. However, it is not guaranteed that you will pass a drug test after consuming this product.

For a closer look at the oil format, read our guide to CBG oil. For the same comparison across every cannabinoid, see full spectrum vs. broad spectrum vs. isolate.

How Do You Use CBG Isolate?

To use CBG isolate, weigh a serving and mix it into a fat-based carrier. There are 4 common ways to use CBG isolate powder.

Under the Tongue

Place the weighed powder under the tongue, or dissolve it in a few drops of carrier oil first. Hold it there for 30 to 60 seconds, then swallow.

Mixed Into a Carrier Oil

Stir the powder into MCT oil or hemp seed oil over gentle warmth until the oil turns clear. Measure each serving with a dropper. For example, 1 gram (1,000 mg) of CBG isolate in 30 mL of carrier oil makes an oil with about 33 mg of CBG per mL.

In Capsules

Fill empty capsules with a weighed amount of powder. Label each batch with the milligrams of CBG in every capsule.

In a Homemade Topical Base

Blend the weighed powder into an unscented lotion or balm. Mix the base well so the CBG spreads evenly through it.

The same 4 methods apply to CBN isolate, which comes in the same crystalline form.

How Much CBG Isolate Is in a Serving?

A serving of CBG isolate is measured in milligrams, so a scale accurate to 0.001 gram is the reliable way to weigh it. A 30 mg serving equals 0.03 gram, and most kitchen scales read in 1-gram steps. Follow the serving size printed on your product's label. For reference, our CBG Oil and CBG Capsules each list a suggested serving of 30 mg. Talk with your healthcare provider before adding a new supplement to your routine.

How Do You Choose a Quality CBG Isolate?

There are 5 things to check on a CBG isolate COA before buying. A COA is a lab report tied to one production batch.

• CBG purity: 99% or higher.
• THC: listed as ND (non-detect).
• Residual solvents: marked as passing.
• Heavy metals and pesticides: marked as passing.
• Batch number: the same number printed on your package.

An ND result for THC reflects the limits of that lab's test. Our guide on how to read a Certificate of Analysis explains each line of a COA.

When Does a Pre-Measured CBG Oil or Capsule Make More Sense Than CBG Isolate?

A pre-measured CBG oil or capsule makes more sense than CBG isolate when you want a set serving without weighing powder. We make three CBG products for that purpose, and none of them requires a scale.

• CBG Oil: full spectrum, with 60 mg of CBG per mL, in 15 mL (900 mg) and 30 mL (1,800 mg) bottles. A serving of 10 drops (0.5 mL) contains 30 mg of CBG. The oil has 2 ingredients: full spectrum hemp extract and organic virgin hemp seed oil.
• CBG Capsules: full spectrum, with 15 mg of CBG per softgel, in 60-count (900 mg) and 120-count (1,800 mg) bottles. A serving is 2 softgels (30 mg), and the softgels are tasteless and odorless.
• Clarity Broad Spectrum Oil: a THC-free blend of USDA Organic broad spectrum CBD distillate and USDA Organic broad spectrum CBG distillate in organic hemp seed oil, with 1,500 mg of cannabinoids per 30 mL bottle. However, it is not guaranteed that you will pass a drug test after consuming this product.

All three are made with USA-grown hemp in a cGMP facility. Each one is third-party lab tested, and a COA is available for every batch. 

CBG isolate and our pre-measured CBG products share the same cannabinoid. The difference is how much of the hemp plant comes with it, and how you measure each serving.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.