What are full-spectrum cannabis extracts?
The darker colored, honey-like textured sauce is HTE
Full-spectrum extracts, also known as whole-plant extracts, are cannabis extracts that maintain the full profile of the cannabis plant. As opposed to isolates which contain only one cannabinoid – typically either THC or CBD, full-spectrum extracts contain a variety of cannabinoids, including THC, THCa, CBD, CBDa, CBG, and CBN, as well as terpenes and other compounds found in the plant.
What’s so desirable about full-spectrum extracts?
Full-spectrum extracts replicate the flavor and aroma profile of the plant, and the combination of cannabinoids and terpenes provides an entourage effect. The entourage effect is when the various cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds work together to enhance the THC and/or CBD.
How full-spectrum extracts are made
Full-spectrum extracts are infamously tricky to produce since the goal is to keep as many desirable compounds as possible while eliminating unnecessary components. Some extraction methods filter out undesirable bits, while others use chemicals to strip away undesirable ones.
Different plant factors that affect extraction:
Live vs. Dry Resin – An extract of live resin from a fresh plant has a different profile than that of dried plant material because some compounds can change during the drying.
Age of plant – Older plants with more exposure to light and oxygen can have THC converted to THCA, which is eventually converted to CBN.
Part of the plant – It’s possible to have multiple full-spectrum extracts with different profiles from the same plant.
Environmental factors – The soil type, the amount of sun and water, and things like pesticides all impact the final extract.
Supercritical CO2 extraction
This is the extraction method that Clearly California uses. Temperature and pressure are controlled to create phase changes in CO2. CO2 has gas-like viscosity and low surface tension, so it can more easily penetrate porous solids and force out compounds of plant matter based on their weight.
Types of full-spectrum extracts
There are yet to be fully regulated parameters for what constitutes a full-spectrum extract, so some brands act fast and loose with labeling their products. But a lab test is the only real way to tell if something is full-spectrum.
Live Resin
Live resin is produced using fresh, sometimes frozen, cannabis plants instead of dried plant material.
Note: Not all live resins are full-spectrum extracts. Their composition will depend on how they are processed.
High terpene full-spectrum extract (HTE)
This extraction process is designed to maximize the yield of terpenes – sometimes up to 40%. HTE is viscous and clear, with an appearance and consistency similar to honey. Sometimes it’s called “sauce.” Note, however, that not all sauce is full-spectrum.
Clearly California has a high terpene full-spectrum extract in our Pebble Beach Twin Fin.
Enriched HTE
Enriched HTE is the thin layer of oil on the top of extracts that contains tons of micro diamonds. It’s like a bunch of powdery THC diamonds mixed with the HTE.
High cannabinoid full-spectrum extract (HCE)
With HCE, processes are tweaked so that the final product is high in cannabinoid concentration. The resulting substance is very similar to sugar or diamonds.
Fun fact: Although HTE and HCE can be produced from the same plant, they are both considered full-spectrum extracts since they still contain a full profile of desirable compounds in raw material.
Ready to go?
If you need some help choosing a product to get started, we can help.