In the world of hemp-derived, wellness-boosting compounds, CBD undoubtedly reigns supreme, thanks largely to its relaxing, soothing benefits. But CBD isn’t alone. There are lesser-known compounds buried in the hemp plant, and with a recent spike in research, we’re discovering the unique benefits these compounds deliver for sleep, minor pain relief, and daytime energy.** CBG, another naturally occurring cannabinoid, offers its own unique wellness benefits that perfectly complement those of CBD. In fact, we include CBG alongside CBD in some of our tinctures, topicals, and even capsules. Both of these cannabinoids have their own beneficial attributes, making them a powerful duo for your wellness routine.
But what are the subtle differences between CBD and CBG? Why should you opt for a CBG-rich product, and how do you incorporate it into your daily wellness routine?
In this article, we’ll compare CBG and CBD side-by-side, dissect their key differences (and notable similarities), and unpack the distinct effects of this lone cannabinoid. We’ll also introduce you to our suite of CBG products and show you why CBG is not just a newcomer to the supplement world, but a rising star in the health and wellness space.
CBD 101: What Are Cannabinoids?
There are over a hundred different unique compounds nestled in the spiky green buds of the hemp plant, each one offering its own wellness, therapeutic, and even psychoactive effects. These are cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids offer their patented wellness benefits by interacting with your body’s endocannabinoid system.** This system exists in all animals—yes, including your couch-bound cats and doughy-eyed dogs. The endocannabinoid system is a network of receptors that works day and night to regulate essential functions, like sleep, mood, appetite, pain, and many more. When this system is out of sync, these functions are, too.
After you take a cannabinoid-rich product, like CBD gummies, the hemp-based compounds filter through your body, enter your bloodstream, and bind with your endocannabinoid receptors.** When they engage the receptors, the cannabinoids boost the system’s performance, leading to a cascade of wellness-based benefits.**
The prominent cannabinoid at play here is CBD.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most abundant of these 100+ cannabinoids. Within the past few years, this little cannabinoid has skyrocketed in popularity. Now, millions of adults use CBD daily, and sales in the CBD industry have entered into the billions. You can find this superstar wellness compound in vapes, tinctures, topicals, gummies, topicals, and even bath bombs—it’s very versatile. We extract CBD from raw hemp buds through a solventless extraction, using gold-standard practices to whittle the cannabinoid out from unnecessary plant material.
What Does CBD Do?
Unlike the other famous cannabinoid, THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, predominantly offering benefits for relaxation, stress, and minor pain relief.** Many adults take CBD during the day and just before bed. Now, CBD’s effects are more relaxing than energizing, but not too relaxing to cause daytime drowsiness or grogginess. These effects provide a balanced, stress-reducing experience, perfect for just about any time throughout the day.
What Is CBG?
Cannabigerol (CBG) is what’s known as a minor cannabinoid because it’s less abundant than the major two: CBD and THC. But just because it’s “minor” doesn’t mean it’s not special. In fact, CBG has been heralded as “the mother of all cannabinoids” due to its relationship with CBGA.
Raw cannabinoids exist naturally in an acidic form—that’s what that little “A” at the end of CBGA signifies—and CBGA is perhaps the most important. CBGA is the first cannabinoid to develop during hemp’s maturation. Over the plant’s life cycle, CBGA morphs into every other cannabinoid, including CBDA and THCA—the two precursor forms of CBD and THC. When heated, the CBGA molecules that haven’t evolved into the other 100+ cannabinoids convert into CBG, poised to offer a host of wellness-boosting benefits.**
What Does CBG Do?
Research into CBG’s effects is still ongoing, but one notable impact is its role in what we call “the Entourage Effect.” This phenomenon occurs when multiple cannabinoids simultaneously interact with your endocannabinoid system.** The system’s receptors are bombarded by cannabinoids, each one bolstering the others’ effects, leading to a more profound boost of wellness.**
Similar to CBD, CBG is soothing but not too soothing. It doesn’t elicit a sleep-heavy response like “the ultimate relaxation cannabinoid,” CBN. So, we add CBG to a number of our daytime products, helping you enjoy wellness-boosting benefits throughout your day.**
CBG vs CBD
So, what are the similarities and differences between CBD and CBG?
For starters, CBD and CBG are similar in that neither has psychoactive properties. So, you can take them without fear of the classic “high” that results from THC.
But, the main difference between the two is in how they’re used. CBG is still quite new, and interest in it isn’t as high as that of CBD. So, the number of products with CBG isn’t as all-encompassing as CBD. But you can still find CBG in a few of our products, like tinctures, topicals, and capsules. CBD is more popular for stress relief and sleep, while CBG is gaining notoriety for its daytime benefits and effects on minor aches and pains.** This is why you’ll find CBG in products like CBD topicals and focus supplements, not sleep gummies.
Here’s a helpful chart to settle the “CBG vs CBD” debate.
| Cannabinoids | Natural Abundance | Benefits** | Available Products |
| CBD | 20-25% in most hemp strains | Wellness-boosting, relaxing, minor pain relief, stress-reducing | Vapes, tinctures, topicals, gummies, capsules |
| CBG | Around 1% in most hemp strains | Wellness-boosting, relaxing | Tinctures, capsules & topicals |
Experience the Benefits of CBG
For those who’d like to experience the benefits of CBG, we carry a few different options.
CBD + CBG Morning Capsules
One serving of our CBD + CBG Morning Capsules is packed with 30mg of each cannabinoid, plus a number of naturally energizing and focus-heavy ingredients, like long-lasting caffeine, sharp PS, and L-tyrosine. We’ve designed these capsules to boost daytime energy, focus, and alertness, while minimizing the jitters—a classic, yet unfortunate side effect of standard energy supplements.**
CBD + CBG Wellness Tincture
Made with a 2:1 ratio of CBD to CBG, our CBD + CBG Wellness Tincture delivers more than a dynamic duo of cannabinoids. This all-natural, vegan tincture uses antioxidants, like curcumin and coenzyme Q10, to create a multifaceted daily wellness product. Just use the attached dropper to measure your desired dose, place the oil under your tongue, and keep it there for around a minute. The cells in your mouth will absorb the all-natural, health-enriching compounds, and filter them into your bloodstream—a pretty quick handoff. You can generally feel the calming effects of this Wellness Tincture after around 15 minutes.
Focus Blend CBG Mushroom Tincture
Another popular tincture, one that combines nootropic and adaptogenic mushrooms with cannabinoids, is our Focus Blend CBG Mushroom Tincture. Nootropic and adaptogenic mushrooms provide a number of energizing, focus-heavy effects, while complementing CBD’s and CBG wellness benefits.** This tincture uses natural mushrooms, like chaga, lion’s mane, and cordyceps, to help sharpen focus and boost energy.**
CBG Muscle & Joint Cream: Heating Formula
To soothe minor aches and pains, our CBG Muscle & Joint Cream: Heating Formula uses all-natural, vegan ingredients, like camphor oil, white willow bark, caffeine, tea tree oil, and (of course) CBG.** This unique blend of compounds seeps through the dermal layer, absorbing into the underlying tissue and joints, where the ingredients work together to calm minor pain and soothe aching joints.** Add this CBG cream to your post-workout routine, or stash it in your backpack for on-the-go relief.
Parting Thoughts on CBG
Like CBD just a decade ago, CBG is quickly finding its niche in the health and wellness space. Now, more adults are including “the mother of all cannabinoids” in their daily wellness regimen, making this once little-known cannabinoid an all-star in the hemp market, and, with our expansive suite of CBG products, we are excited to give you so many options to choose from.
So, is the CBG vs CBD debate settled?
Well, you be the judge.
