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Better Choices

RE Botanicals Becomes the First National, Certified Organic CBD Brand for US-Grown Hemp

As you may have already realized, CBD (short for cannabidiol — a cannabis compound) is exploding in popularity and is showing up in an increasing number of food, beverage and personal care products.

Despite the explosion of CBD oils and CBD-infused drinks, almost all of these products do not contain the USDA organic seal.

Boulder-based RE Botanicals has bucked this trend and has become the first national CBD brand to receive USDA organic certification for U.S.-grown hemp. Given who is behind RE Botanicals, the fact that it has achieved this milestone should not come as a surprise at all.

While many CBD entrepreneurs are new to the hemp world, company founder John Roulac has been involved in the industry for decades. Not only was he the founder and CEO of Nutiva, which he grew to become the leading organic hemp brand in the country, he was also deeply involved in helping to push for the legalization of industrial hemp farming. John is also the author of 3 hemp books, and the LA Times in 2002 referred to him as “The Johnny Appleseed of Hemp.”

I caught up with John Roulac the other day and spoke to him about his latest venture.

What is RE Botanicals?

RE Botanicals is a pure organic apothecary brand that meets the needs of consumers who want the best of the best.

The products from RE Botanicals are crafted with the highest quality, full-spectrum, organic hemp extract that taps into the human endocannabinoid system – the system that helps maintain the body’s overall wellness and supports many physical processes. Our goal is to provide consumers with the most innovative and responsibly-sourced CBD products in the marketplace today.

There are a lot of CBD oils on the market. How is yours different?

First and foremost, our products are USDA certified organic while most of the other CBD oils on the market are non-organic. Non-organic hemp is often grown on lands where GMO corn or soy was grown and/or where RoundUp herbicides were sprayed.

Second, our hemp extracts are crafted with certified organic MCT coconut oil, and combining both oils makes it easier for the body to absorb. It is important to note non-organic MCT oil is a common carrier for non-organic CBD brands, and it is made using chemicals and bleaching.

Third, not only do we have a classic line and an organic peppermint line, but we have also created a special line of pet tinctures.

The biggest differentiator, however, may be the feedback we receive from our customers. They are consistently telling us how much better our tinctures taste than the other brands on the market.

Regenerative farming is a key aspect of RE Botanicals. Why should this matter to consumers?

RE Botanicals is not only committed to shifting today’s chemical agricultural practices to organic but to regenerative farming methods as well.

The hemp used in our products is from U.S.-grown organic hemp that is farmed using crop rotations, such as clover or alfalfa, which improves soil health and fertility. We believe that the healthier the soil, the healthier the plants — and the healthier the end-product will be for the consumer. That is why shoppers should be seeking out products that embrace regenerative farming methods — methods that improve the soil.

Because of hemp’s “Wild West” culture, the vast majority of today’s hemp farming utilizes synthetic chemical fertilizers made from fracked natural gas, a leading cause of climate change and ocean die-off in the Gulf of Mexico.

With our organic hemp CBD products, consumers can now vote with their dollars for the type of future they want for their children and families.

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RE Botanicals is now available at select retailers nationwide and can also be purchased on the company’s website by clicking HERE.

 

(John Roulac, Founder of RE Botanicals and Nutiva)

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Living Maxwell

Better Choices

Have We Been Misled? 5 Organic Foods That Should Make You Think Twice

I spend an inordinate amount of time learning about the healthiest and newest organic food products available. Through my research at the various trade shows — most notably, Natural Products Expo East and Natural Products Expo West —  talking to industry contacts, roaming supermarket aisles, speaking with as many well-informed food people as I can and reading books, I have come to the following conclusion:

You can take almost any food in the world and some health expert will have something good to say about it while a different health expert will have something bad to say about it.

So, what I do is educate myself as much as I can and then make my own decision about whether I should be eating it or not.

The following five organic foods seem to be the most controversial. While books could be written on all of the foods below and by no means am I covering all of the pros/cons of each, I will try to highlight the most salient points.

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Organic Insider

Better Choices

Study: Organic Tomatoes Contain More Antioxidants than Conventional Ones

In yet another study, we have more evidence that organic is a healthier choice.

A report out of the University of Barcelona claims that organic tomatoes have a higher amount of antioxidants than conventional tomatoes.

Researchers used liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry to determine that organic tomatoes have a greater amount of phenolic compounds or polyphenols. Polyphenols, which are natural antioxidants of plant origin, are associated with the prevention of cardiovascular and degenerative diseases, and some forms of cancer.

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Living Maxwell

Better Choices

The Mystery Behind Organic Honey

One question has been really bothering me as of late: Is there such a thing as USDA certified organic honey?

Despite the picture you see above, there is good reason for me to have serious doubt.  Here is why.

In the past, I have spoken to numerous local beekeepers and when I asked them if their honey is organic, they have all told me that there is no such thing as USDA certified organic honey.

Yet when I go to the market, I see one or two brands of honey that have the USDA organic seal on the label. Almost all of the honey that has the seal on it comes from Brazil, which has made me wonder whether there is some type of corruption going on with the certification.

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livingmaxwell: a guide to organic food & drink