Your buyer’s guide to CBD gummies in the UK
If you keep an eye on the latest wellness products, you’ll have noticed a clear trend emerging in the UK since 2018: CBD.
Since CBD (cannabidiol) was legalised in 2018, Brits have gone all-in. Now, you can find CBD everywhere from food supplements to skin balm to chocolate.
But one clear front runner to become Britain’s favourite form of CBD? CBD gummies.
Much like a CBD capsule, CBD gummies offer a discreet, pre-measured, portable way to dose the ingredient - with the added bonus that they resemble a regular sweet. From cherry shapes to worms to sugar-coated cubes, the options for CBD gummies are almost endless.
CBD is found in the hemp plant. As a food supplement, it’s said to work with the body’s endocannabinoid system to improve functions like mood and sleep.
But which CBD gummy is best to try in 2022? We’ve searched through the options, weighing up all the essential details to deliver our choices for the highest-quality CBD gummy to buy in 2022.
1. CBII CBD Gummies, £34 for 30 gummies, 25mg CBD per gummy
In the top spot, we have CBII’s sugar-dusted cubes. Delivering 25mg of broad spectrum CBD per confection, four delicious flavours, and no hint of the bitter aftertaste prevalent in many hemp products, these gummies are difficult to beat.
Each jar contains watermelon, tangerine, lemon and raspberry-flavoured gummies. They’re all vegan, free of preservatives, and are coloured using extracts pulled from natural ingredients like turmeric and carrot.
Since they’re infused with broad spectrum CBD, these morsels also contain complementary minor cannabinoids - like CBG and CBN - from the hemp plant. These cannabinoids boost CBD’s benefits, a phenomenon known as the ‘entourage effect’.
The CBD itself is sourced in Oregon, which is known to be one of the most reputable markets in the US. From harvest to shelf, the gummies are tested a total of five times to ensure quality. And the final sweetener: there’s free shipping to all UK addresses directly from CBII’s website.
Read what others say here, here, here and here. Plus check out this article and this review too.
2. Medterra CBD Gummies Keep Calm, £34.99 for 30 gummies, 25mg per gummy
Medterra’s CBD gummies are simple and effective: 30 gummies, one flavour per bag, 25mg per gummy, and shaped as a fuss-free cube.
It’s worth noting that these gummies use CBD isolate instead of broad or full spectrum CBD. This means there aren’t supporting cannabinoids in the dose. While this may be good for users who want to avoid even trace levels of THC - the psychoactive compound in cannabis that causes a high - it means they won’t enjoy the entourage effect that can occur when a range of cannabinoids work together.
However, they do feature wellness-boosting ingredients turmeric and amino acid L-Theanine. While turmeric soothes inflammation, L-Theanine is used for its ability to boost mental function.
3. Indica Beauty CBD Gummy Worms, £20 for 20 gummies, various strengths
Indica Beauty’s CBD worms might come packed with as much as 20, 23, or 68.5mg of broad-spectrum CBD per gummy, but their bright hues, tangy flavours and crystalline sugar coating make them hard to tell apart from something you’d find in the confectionery aisle.
Indica Beauty strips out all unnecessary chemicals with a solvent-free extraction method that makes for a truly clean CBD experience. Further still, flavoured and coloured with ingredients such as turmeric, organic cane juice, and grape juice, the worms are vegan, gluten-free, and made using natural ingredients.
4. Zen Bears CBD Gummies, £39.95 for 30 gummies, 20mg per gummy
Zen Bears has just one product in its range, but the team ensures it’s done well: vegan CBD gummy bears, presented in a mix of jewel tones and packing 20mg of broad spectrum CBD per sweet.
Unlike many other gummies, Zen Bears’ edibles are pharmaceutically coated with CBD. This can result in faster delivery of the compound, but you have to chew or suck the sweet for 60-90 seconds to get the benefit.
To confirm each gummy is made up of what’s listed on the label, Zen Bears prints each jar with its own batch number - that means you can easily reference the Zen Bears website to find the third-party testing that applies specifically to your batch.
5. Eden’s Gate High Strength CBD Gummies, £44.99 for 25 gummies, 20mg per gummy
Another CBD-spiked bear option: Eden's Gate’s sugar-coated gummies, each packed with 20mg of broad-spectrum CBD.
With a CBD range that includes everything from oils to waxes, Eden’s Gate prides itself on maintaining the visibility and traceability of its range.
Frequent users rave about the gummies’ taste, and say it’s backed up with the noticeable health benefits they’ve felt: think everything from calmed minds to fewer aches and pains.
6. SOOL CBD Gummies, £49.99 for 30 gummies, 25mg per gummy
SOOL uses hemp sourced in Spain and Lithuania to craft its broad-spectrum CBD, which is then pumped into sweets flavoured to taste like apple and lemon. You’ll find a batch reference number on each jar so you can track down your jar’s full lab report; SOOL works with independent labs that adhere to the highest industry standards.
At 25mg per sweet, SOOL’s morsels will work for those looking for a hearty dose. However, at £49.99 for 30 gummies, SOOL is one of the more expensive offerings on the list.
7. Orange County CBD Gummy Cherries, £10 for 8 gummies, 25mg per gummy
If you’re dabbling with CBD gummies for the first time, and want to buy a small sample, Orange County’s gummy grab bag could be worth a go.
The sweets come in lots of different shapes - from bottles, to cubes, to strawberries - but cherries are a fan favourite. Packed with 25mg of broad-spectrum CBD per sweet, they carry a decent dose without compromising on taste. You’ll find these cherries strike a good balance of sweet and tangy, with a pleasant chew.
CBD gummy good-to-knows
Will CBD get you high?
CBD may be extracted from a plant in the cannabis species, but it’s a different chemical entirely from THC - the compound found in marijuana that causes a high. Whilst the hemp plant will contain trace levels of THC, CBD products have to contain less than 0.2 per cent THC to be sold legally in the UK.
How much CBD should you take a day?
The FSA guidelines advise against exceeding 70mg a day, and it’s important that you check with your medical professional before starting out. Once you’re ready to get started with CBD, it’s best to begin with a lower dosage, then work your way up depending on how your body feels.
CBD isolate vs broad spectrum vs full spectrum
As mentioned above, there are many cannabinoids present in the hemp plant. Together, these compounds boost each other’s effectiveness - an impact known as the ‘entourage’ effect. Whether or not your gummy will produce this effect depends on which type of extract makes up the dose:
- CBD isolate has gone through a crystallisation process to remove all other compounds, so a CBD isolate gummy means you’re consuming pure CBD.
- Full spectrum CBD is the rawest form of CBD you’ll find. Because of this, it often tastes stronger, and contains higher levels of THC - this can make it difficult to sell on the UK market.
- Broad spectrum CBD is similar to full spectrum, except the manufacturer has stripped out the THC. This brings it under the legal UK limit of 0.2 per cent THC, but means it still delivers the entourage effect.