Can You Freeze CBD Oil?

To freeze or not to freeze? It's a classic question facing anyone looking to increase the shelf life of their CBD oil. While you can freeze CBD oil, it's not recommended. 

Read on to find out why.

Key Takeaways

• Proper storage in a cool, dark place can keep CBD oil good for longer periods.
• Freezing might not cause your CBD to degrade or expire sooner, but it's not recommended.
• If you do freeze your CBD products, thaw them gradually by leaving them out or placing them in warm water.
• Too much heat, like from an oven or microwave, will damage your CBD, leaving it less potent or totally ineffective.

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How to Store CBD Oil

The way to store CBD oil properly is simple: Keep it in a cool, dark place, in its original packaging. You can store your CBD oil in a medicine cabinet, kitchen cabinet, cupboard, drawer, shelf out of direct sunlight, or any similar place. 

Avoid keeping it in your bag, car, or near a stove, oven, heat vent, or any other place that's likely to get a lot of light exposure and heat. 

It's best to store CBD oil at room temperature. The ideal temperature range is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. (That's between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, for anyone unused to freedom units.)

Freezing CBD Oil

Freezing affects the chemical composition of many products. At lower temperatures, molecules move slower. 

Freezing your CBD oil will likely make it thicker, and it can even become crystallized. That makes it much harder to use. Imagine trying to get a bunch of crystallized oil out of a small glass jar!

That's not all. Many CBD oils contain carrier oils. Examples include coconut oil, MCT oil, hemp seed oil, and grape seed oil. While your CBD oil might not freeze, the carrier oil might solidify.

Finally, freezing can affect the other compounds in your CBD product. Many CBD oils contain other products, like terpenes and various cannabinoids, which contribute to the flavor, smell, and effect. Sub-zero temperatures can make these products react differently, potentially leading to a weak oil.

So freezing CBD oil isn't ideal. But is it actually harmful?

At What Temperature Is CBD Destroyed?

The good news is that freezing CBD generally doesn’t destroy the CBD itself. The main danger is heat. High temperatures can damage cannabinoids in your CBD product, causing it to lose potency.

By heat, we mean anything above 210 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius. Going even higher, like in an oven or microwave, your CBD can be destroyed in just seconds. Even lower temperatures, like inside a car on a hot day, can cause your CBD oil to degrade faster.

Is CBD Oil Still Good if It Freezes?

Yes! If you're reading this with a bottle of cannabis oil already in the freezer, don't worry. It's likely fine. 

There is a chance your CBD oil will have become less potent or will expire quicker than you expected. That's due to the effect low temperatures have on compounds within the oil. But generally, freezing doesn't destroy CBD oil like heat does.

All you have to do to revive your frozen CBD oil is bring it back to room temperature. The easiest way to do this is to simply leave your CBD oil out of the freezer for a few hours. Just remember to keep it away from direct light.

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Can You Heat CBD Oil to Thaw It?

Having to wait an extended period just to use your CBD oil can be a pain. We get it. After all, you likely want the potential benefits of your oil, like pain relief, as soon as possible.

However, heating your frozen CBD oil in the microwave or oven is risky. It can cause cannabinoid degradation, which could destroy your CBD oil.

Fortunately, there are techniques to speed up the process of thawing your CBD oil. One simple method is to submerge your bottle in a bowl of warm water. Make sure the oil is in an airtight container, to prevent any water from getting in. 

Don't make the water too hot, no matter how tempted you are, because that can risk damaging the oil. And as always, keep it out of sunlight. 

Should CBD Oil be Kept in the Fridge?

This is a natural question. After all, the fridge is just a moderate version of a freezer, right? It's true that refrigerating CBD oil is less bad than freezing it. Some manufacturers even recommend keeping your oil in the fridge. 

The fridge might be a good option if you live in a particularly hot place. Remember, proper CBD oil storage involves keeping it at room temperature. But not all rooms are actually "room temperature."

If your room is much hotter than 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius), the fridge is the right way to go to maximize the shelf life of CBD oil. 

If your room is actually room temperature, then you should probably avoid the fridge. Keeping CBD oil good involves more than simply preserving its potency. You also want something that smells and tastes pleasant.

Unfortunately, the food and drinks in your fridge can impact your CBD oil. That's because CBD oil absorbs the chemical compounds that cause strong smells quite easily. 

Maybe you want your CBD oil to smell like Kimchi, fish, or cheese. If that's the case, don't let us stop you. But if that sounds like your worst nightmare, keep your CBD oil out of the fridge. Or, at the very least, make sure both your oil and the stinky stuff in your fridge are all kept in airtight containers. 

Storing CBD oil in the fridge can affect its consistency, just like freezing it can. It might become thick and cloudy. That's not necessarily bad, although it can make the oil look as if it's expired. It also might make it harder to use.

Warming it back up to room temperature should reverse these changes.

Does Freezing CBD Oil Extend its Shelf Life?

Unfortunately, neither the fridge nor the freezer will extend the shelf life of your CBD oil. If anything, improper storage can cause it to expire before its expiration date.

Fortunately, CBD oil naturally has a long shelf life. If stored properly, it can last up to two years. Most people who use CBD oil regularly go through a bottle in a month or two. So unless you're a very infrequent user, your CBD oil will likely stay fresh for more than long enough!

What Factors Affect CBD Oil?

When storing CBD oil, you want to avoid three things:

1. Direct sunlight
2. High temperatures
3. Oxygen

Each of these factors can cause your valuable CBD oil to degrade faster. At best, that just means it will become ineffective. The cannabinoids that make your oil effective will degrade, leaving you with plain old oil. 

At worst, your CBD oil could expire. It's rare for that to be dangerous, but there's no need to risk using expired CBD oil when proper storage is so simple!

Direct Sunlight and CBD Oil

We all love a bit of sunlight. However, we all know the potential dangers of too much sun exposure. Unfortunately, the valuable cannabinoids in CBD oil degrade when they interact with the UV rays in sunlight. That reduces the oil's potency and might affect the flavor as well. 

Manufacturers usually sell CBD oil in colored glass bottles to avoid this. You might see CBD oil sold in some variety of dark green, brown, or amber bottles. The dark containers protect the cannabinoids from sunlight. In turn, that extends its shelf life. 

Make sure you buy from a reputable manufacturer and keep the oil's original packaging.

Heat and CBD Oil

It's important to keep your CBD oil away from heat sources. High temperatures can degrade the compounds in the oil.

Oxygen and CBD Oil

CBD interacts with air molecules. Oxygen, in particular, can cause your CBD to lose potency quickly. Keep it in an airtight container, and make sure you close the lid tightly as soon as you're done using it.

Trusted Manufacturer

At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. The manufacturing process can affect the chemical profile of CBD oil. Carbon dioxide extraction methods are generally considered the best.

Conclusion

Ultimately, it's your choice whether to freeze your CBD oil or not. Doing so probably won't damage it, but it also won't help it remain fresh for longer. Freezing also makes it harder to use your CBD oil. Therefore, it's best to keep your CBD products properly stored in a cool, dark place.

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