Based in the UK, the George Botanicals CBD range is made up of full-spectrum hemp products, including oils, capsules, balms and gummies. They are a subsidiary of the Sativa Group, which includes Phytovista Laboratories, the well-known provider of third-party lab tests. With that kind of expertise to hand, my expectations are for quality and safety standards which are second to none.
These 5mg CBD capsules have been designed specifically for people who want to take a precise measure of CBD every day. They come in a small glass jar, which is perfectly sized to hold 14 capsules and a total of 70mg of CBD. The dark glass and deep green label are smart, and no space is wasted on unnecessary claims or information. The capsules contain a fine powder that’s been obtained via supercritical CO2 fluid extraction.
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Contents
Who are George Botanicals?
Founded in 2017, George Botanicals refer to themselves as ‘the UK’s leading CBD manufacturer and supplier.’ With extensive research and detailed scientific testing, they’ve developed each of their products to an impressive standard. As a result, they ship their products to customers throughout the UK and beyond as well as supplying wholesale items to other retailers.
Their close connections to UK lab PhytoVista have enabled them to benefit from cutting-edge information and state-of-the-art testing facilities. All of their products are made with hemp that’s been extracted with supercritical CO2 and then decarboxylated to convert the CBDa into its active CBD form. They have carefully designed each item they sell to be effective, suitable for vegans and gluten-free.
3rd Party Lab Tests
At George Botanicals, they state prominently on their site that they test for 14 cannabinoids and screen for a range of potential contaminants. Currently, no certificates are available for any of their products. According to their customer service department, they have been conducted and will be uploaded to the website soon. We ordered the products mid-June 2020 and at the time of publication (July 31st 2020), these have not been uploaded.
There are no excuses not to make this public, particularly when you have lab access via your own group of businesses. Even more so when you proudly state “100% lab tested” on your header and product pages state “we test all of our products” and link to nonexistent lab results.
George Botanicals CBD Capsules – Ease of Use
Capsules are likely to be the simplest way to take a precise amount of CBD. Each one contains 5mg and the directions recommend that you take 1 to 2 per day. They are large, but I found they were relatively easy to swallow with a small mouthful of water.
I really like that each jar is so small that it is easy to carry with you, and there is no extra space for the capsules to rattle around in. The 14 capsules exactly fit the jar, which is oddly satisfying. There is no child-safe lid, but it is easy to close firmly and the vegetable cellulose shell holds the CBD in powder form, so there is no oil to leak out.
Taste
I’ve tried capsules in the past that have had a strong flavour of their own, but these are almost completely tasteless. The capsule shell is made from Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), which is often used as a substitute for gelatine in capsules. It is a chemically produced polymer made from plant materials, it is a great way to take high-quality full-spectrum hemp if you don’t like the taste of CBD oil or are vegan.
Potency/ Effectiveness
I had two jars of these capsules and took the recommended two per day for two weeks. When swallowed, only about 4%-20% of the CBD makes it into your blood, so I did not expect that these capsules would be very strong. For me, taking 10mg per day in capsule form seems to have minimal effect.
Although they weren’t particularly effective taken on their own, these capsules would ideally be taken alongside other CBD items. Because they can be used so discreetly, they are useful to take at work or on a journey when you don’t have the time to count out the drops under your tongue.
Value for Money
One jar of 14 capsules holds a total of 70mg CBD costs £9.99. This is a great price and it makes them valuable to anyone who is just starting with CBD or someone who needs a low-cost top-up to go alongside other CBD products.
One 70mg jar is likely to have minimal effect in the long run, but at this price, you could easily get two or three to carry with you.
Would I Buy Again?
No, I wouldn’t buy George Botanicals capsules again. There were no available lab reports, the effects were poor and I felt this brand was a waste of money. If you want to know which capsules we recommend, check out our best CBD capsules review article and see which have performed best in our testing.
George Botanicals CBD Capsules Final Scores
George Botanicals CBD Capsules
Overall
These tiny, 14 capsule jars from George Botanicals are ideal to be carried in a pocket or bag. Each vegan capsule contains 5mg of CBD from a high-quality, full-spectrum extract in powder form. They're useful, affordable and are best used in a supplement routine alongside other products like oils or teas. They aren't particularly potent, so I would try elsewhere.
3rd-party lab tests
0
Ease of use
9.5
Potency/effectiveness
3
Value for money
9
Pros
They're packed in a small, portable glass jar
They deliver a precise measure of 5mg of CBD
The CBD powder is full-spectrum and was obtained by supercritical CO2 extraction
The capsule shell is made with HPMC making them suitable for vegans.
There is no intense hemp taste
They are ideal to be used alongside other more potent CBD products.
Cons
Because they don't contain oil you can't bite them open to absorb the CBD quicker
