I've Tested Over 50 CBD Products & These CBD Gummies Are My Favorite

As much as I'd love to be a chill person, I'm very aware that a zen state does not come naturally to me. I'm often a ball of stress, and it's very apparent to my coworkers, my roommate, and my Oura ring.

Knowing that regular stress can be toxic for your health, I'm always looking for ways to promote a more even mood—and one of my go-to tactics is taking CBD.* I've tried more than a 50 different CBD products (and a few with other cannabinoids) in my quest to becoming a more ~relaxed~ human being.

While many products have promised stress relief, better sleep, and improved focus, I've found few live up to their promise. Family owned wellness brand Naternal is an exception.

First things first, I think it's important to clarify why I take CBD every day. Most of us are familiar with benefits of CBD, but very few of us understand how it actually interacts with the body.

Every single person has an endocannabinoid system or ECS. This cellular-level communication network helps maintain homeostasis in the body, which means it plays a role in every part of the human experience. Yes, that includes pain, mood, mental health, sleep, focus, appetite, and more.

Similar to other hormones or vitamin levels, the endocannabiniod system can get out of whack (which has been associated with various health conditions1). Consuming phytocannabinoids, like CBD, can support the overall health of your ECS or the "endocannabinoid tone2" by interacting with the ECS to help bring the body back to a state of homeostasis.*

As clinical nutritionist Carl Germano, R.D., CNS, CDN previously told mindbodygreen, "A full-spectrum hemp product essentially acts like a multivitamin for the endocannabinoid system."

As someone who spent the last year researching and editing CBD content, I was eager to test out Naternal. Not only was our vice president of scientific affairs, Ashely Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, familiar with the brand, but I liked the brand's ethos when it comes to Delta 9 products.

If you're unfamiliar, Delta 9 or tetrahydrocannabinol is a compound found in the hemp plant. Unlike CBD, Delta 9 can have psychoactive effects. And yes, it's still legal, as Naternal's Delta 9 is sourced from hemp plants, which must legally contain less than 0.3% THC per pound by dry weight.

When it comes to Delta 9, Naternal emphasizes finding your minimum effect dose or MED. Essentially this means you can find the dose where you maximize the desired therapeutic effects of the CBD without succumbing to feeling stoned, paranoid, or lethargic.

Key ingredients: Full-spectrum hemp, cane sugar, tapioca sugar, pear juice concentrate

I'm not the only mindbodygreen staffer to give these full-spectrum gummies a shoutout; Ferira is also a fan. Each gummy has just 2 grams of sugar, with a delicate strawberry flavor that's only slightly overtaken by the taste of hemp.

When I take cannabinoids, I prefer to take full-spectrum products, which have the full array of compounds in the hemp plant. Yes, there are trace amounts of THC in full-spectrum products, but it's often not enough to get you high (as is the case with these Ease gummies).

Instead these cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes worth together to create the entourage effect. This theory suggests the various compounds in the cannabis plant work better together than apart—sort of like a football team.

I can confirm; although these are just a moderate strength at just 20mg of CBD per serving, I definitely feel their effect on a hectic workday. I find myself more at ease throughout my meetings and less overwhelmed by my work.*

If you're a hemp newbie, I think these make a great option—and more experienced users can simple double the dose to get a more potent effect.

Key ingredients: Cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), MCT oil

I've always been curious about the link between CBN and sleep. This lesser-known (and lesser-studied) cannabinoid is extracted from THC, but it doesn't have any psychoactive effects. Instead it interacts with you body's enodcannabionid system directly—and research suggests3 it can promote drowsiness.*

This makes Rest CBD + CBN the perfect combo to support multiple sleep stages; CBD helps put you into a relaxed state, so CBG can help you fall into a deep snooze.*

As someone who loves taking natural sleep aids, I was eager to see whether I felt the impact of this full-spectrum tincture versus the magnesium that I typically take. I'm happy to report my sleep score actually increased five points from the previous night when I first tested this oil.

My only warning: The oil does have a stronger hemp flavor, and I wasn't a huge fan of the vanilla flavoring. I typically lean towards mint CBD oils, so this felt heavier in my mouth without the zip of peppermint.

Key ingredients: Cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), MCT oil

Similar to CBN, cannabigerol or CBD is an under-rated cannabinoid that does not get enough credit.

Its thought to have anti-anxiety effects, with researchers exploring its potential to help treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease4 and ocular diseases such as glaucoma5. What's more, CBG is believed to supports the body's inflammatory response—which is why it's a co-star in Naternal's Move oil.*

I preferred the Move oil's Ginger & Honey flavor over the Rest's Lavendar & Vanilla one, but I think the effect on my body was less prevalent. To be fair, I generally struggle to notice the impact of an ingested CBD for inflammation. Unlike topical CBD products, they don't give that same "instant" relief.

That being said, I'll still take this oil as a way to support my body's endocannabinoid system, as it's one of the stronger CBD oils that I've tried.

Key ingredients: Hemp extract, cane sugar, tapioca sugar, pear juice concentrate

As mentioned, I can get a little stressed–and these Delta 9 gummies are my favorite way to get an noticeable calm without feeling stoned.*

Each gummy pairs 25 mg of CBD with 3 mg of Delta 9 THC, and surprisingly these taste less like hemp than their broad-spectrum counterparts (no, really). I actually think these are the tastiest gummies offered by Naternal, and one of my absolute favorites in the bunch for those who don't need to worry about drug testing.

Of course, I always stick to just one Lift gummy per day, and never take these gummies before starting my workday. However, I can attest that I've never felt lethargic when taking these gummies—only really, really chill.

Needles to say, these one of my favorite CBD gummies that I've tried in the last two years (and the ones that I need to restock first).

Key ingredients: Hemp extract, cane sugar, tapioca sugar, pear juice concentrate

My first piece of advice: Do not take these gummies unless you're comfortable feeling a little blissed out.* As the brand says, "these pack a punch"—so much so, I'd actually not recommend taking them before work or driving.

Taking these gummies left me feeling light, buzzed, and a little bit giddy. My experience makes sense; each gummy combines both 10 mg of Delta 9 and 25 mg of CBG.

Due to the potent their effect, I take these gummies less often then the other products in my Naternal stash. That being said, I'm actually a big fan of the flavor. The lime flavoring adds a gentle punch, and there's no strong hemp flavor (perhaps due to the lack of CBD).