- Product: Zero CBD Broad Spectrum Gummies, Grand Daddy Purple, (4 pcs)
- The option: CBD content 30 mg
- Just one pack
- Retailed price: INR 800 plus 50 for shipping anywhere
- Platform for purchase: https://itshemp.in/
- Brand: Zero CBD
- CBD type: broad spectrum, gummy infused with CBD
Now, moving to the actual review.
Yes, I am also trying CBD products for the first time.
The process is still underway.
The User because a product might behave differently across individuals
I am a non-smoker and a less-than-social drinker. However, I have taken prescription antidepressants before. Overall, in terms of profiling me as a user, the summary reads as someone:
- Who understand the difference between excitement and a high
- Without any existing addiction, not even caffeine
- Some love for the sweet stuff, especially when feeling low
- Slightly prone to bouts of low blood pressure – anything with a sleeping pill-like effect is not welcomed as the idea is not to feel like a zombie at work or home
- Who has suffered from anxiety for more than a decade and continues to fight GAD at many levels
- Who understands the dangers of trying something that might be even borderline addictive
- Who has a preference for natural products or at least those formulated in a way that added sugars, synthetics, and chemicals are used minimally
- Who does not want something that could irritate the stomach due to many years spent fighting IBS
The Product because first-time users would want to know everything:
Appearance: Grand Daddy Purple CBD Gummies look like candy-type chewies, slightly darker in color but not really purple as the name might suggest. The packaging is rather un-premium. You expect a lot especially if you are paying nearly 200 INR for one small CBD gummy. I would recommend packing them in one of those fancy-looking plasticky films with a better presentation of the ingredients and the branding. First impressions when actually holding the product in my hand? Made me question my purchase.
Taste: the typical candy taste with a subtle hint of sourness. Not sure if this is due to the CBD content or intentional to present it as a different type of confection. Not very dry. Not juicy. Just about right and it won’t stick to your teeth, along the inner side of the cheeks, or the throat. Very easy to swallow. You don’t need to love a health supplement and therefore, there is not much to talk about here.
Texture: soft and malleable. You really don’t need to chew it much. Takes less than a minute to chew and swallow it. I would not recommend tearing it or taking a bite and saving the rest of the gummy for later. You are better off using one whole gummy at a time.
Form: one reason to opt for CBD gummies over other edible Cannabidiol products was the ease of consuming the chewable gummy. You can carry the chewy anywhere and from what the manufacturer claims, it does not need any special storage considerations. Again, the packaging could have been better to ensure ease of carrying and storing it discreetly.
The Expectations because CBD edibles are not a cure or the magical pill
The biggest consideration was helping me relax without experiencing any high, especially not the type associated with whiskey or any other form of alcohol. I too had some reservations about CBD gummies making me a bit too relaxed or behaving differently. Heard a lot of CBD references in hip-hop music over the decade, and hence, the doubts persisted. This is why I opted for a rather modest dosage—the 30-mg packaging and using just one gummy at a time means that as per the recommended CBD dosing, I would be much, much below the level at which genuine, almost clinical benefits of authentic CBD edibles are expected. Suffering from anxiety every now and then, the idea was to use it during the daytime to help me stay in the zone without feeling stressed and carry some positive energy to the long drive when returning home. Never wanted the CBD gummy to help me sleep zone out or feel disconnected from the world around me. Once my anxiety levels are controlled, I become better at nearly everything and therefore, that remains the only expectation - help me kill the anxiety naturally and reduce the need for anxiolytics.
The Results with consistent usage with a daily summary [Day 1 to 4]
With my history of IBS and some, just a few, apprehensions about a new health supplement, I decided not to consume it on an empty stomach. It was always about using it in the early hours of the day so that if any discernible feelings surfaced, I would be more conscious to realize them.
Day One [chose a Sunday to ensure any negative effects would be managed privately]
The first dose of CBD gummy from Ishemp.in had almost no impact right away. Even till early evening, the gummy brought about no sensations or effects. I consumed it after a cup of milk and some biscuits at around 8 a.m. This made me question this brand of CBD gummy – did these guys even put something close to the actual product inside the product? However, by 7 p.m. I could feel a slight sense of relaxation but not mentally. I could feel my shoulders feeling a bit less heavy and the slight bloating that I had been suffering from almost five days giving way to expelling some gas and around dinner time, I was really hungry – unusual these days with my schedule.
I would summarize the first-day impressions as:
- Used less than the recommended dose
- Took it after a very light meal
- Was not effective right away
- Online research suggested feeling something within 2 hours or so but did not happen
- Did relieve anxiety in a subtle manner
- Not disappointing
- Not outright impressive
- This could be due to just one, 30-mg gummy for a 90-kg body weight range [and lots of surface area]
Day Two [sharing it like it happened sans any filters]
By the second day, I was sure that a single, 30-mg gummy posed no real threat in terms of digestion or any unwanted effects. There was surely some room to keep up with the entire strip to ensure that any cumulative effect with the product building up in the body/bloodstream could be felt. Still, just to ensure proper exploration of the product, made some changes too.
Second-day exercise and impressions include:
- This time, used it after a full meal
- Yes, eating it after a heavy meal does lead to the subtle effects kicking in much later
- The second day did not amount to any cumulative dosing effects
- The gastric relief was there, again – impressive!
- Using it during the evening hours does not hamper sleep
- Yes, some energy-uplifting effects but not remarkable – again, this could be due to the low dosage
- No relief from the pain – perhaps, 30 mg is not sufficient to experience the pain-relieving effects
Day Three [was hoping to feel something major by now]
I was sure about a few things by day three:
- Consuming post-meals just might lengthen the setting in time for the wanted effects but not by much
- One gummy a day, and that too just 30 mg of CBD content, is clearly not enough for adults
- You are much better off with at least 2 of these gummies, per day
- The taste grows on you – I started liking it a bit – can be consumed as a post-meal confectionary
- A couple of gummies can be eaten at any time of the day, even at work – there is no euphoria per se, and for the uninitiated, this was never about getting high in any possible way
You might feel a slight surge in the overall energy levels – imagine it this way: you consume two cups of tea between 4 pm and 7 pm to sustain the energy as you wrap up a busy day at work but now, a couple of black currant flavor gummies can keep you up and balance it with a more relaxed mind at work
Day Four: last day for the first strip!
Just a few things were left to try, and I attempted those: Took it after supper, around 9 pm and yes, it does not disturb the sleep pattern at all. However, there is no sleep-improvement impact either
On the last day, the price gets to you. Essentially, one gummy will cost you INR 200 and upwards. There are no additional health benefits to be experienced right away and you want the anxiety to settle down as the first, wanted effect – one gummy @200 does not do it. This was not supposed to be cheap but should you be paying that much for an herbal extract that is hard to procure but is being consumed across the world?
Some impressions at the end of this DIY trial:
Make it a good gummy – the product packaging says this is a CBD gummy but the 4 gummies are just too small and go down with a couple of bites/chews. For the price paid, at least make the gummy more sizeable. You have already infused sugar and syrups into the formulation so might as well add some more additives and make it a tastier, bigger gummy at a secondary level along with being a CBD confectionary primarily – does that make sense? Whatever the profit margin is for the manufacturer - can you route 5% of it towards adding to the size of the gummy and sweeten it up a bit more?
Flavor can be worked upon – the flavor is good. I could have called it Black Currant too. I would recommend making it less sweet and perhaps, upping the bitterness that stays as the aftertaste. Largely, this is good. Not a downside at all. But worth a reconsideration. Like I said, make it a good, chewy, sweet, and sour gummy along with the infusion of CBD benefits. Another thought for consideration - there is nothing on the product that talks about the gummy drying up or losing its flavor if kept outside its packaged confines. Sometimes, sharing such insight helps to establish more confidence in the buyer. Also, try a bubblegum flavor. I am pretty sure it will compete well with the Grand Daddy Purple. An alternate nomenclature could be:
- Purple Haze
- Black Currant
- Black Nectar
- Purple Honey
- Dark Flourish
Packaging sans confidence – the product packaging does not inspire you to buy again. Zero CBD gummy seems packed in a hurry in a makeshift warehouse. There is no initiative in terms of educating the audience. The CBD edible domain is still evolving in India. People need to be told more and the information on display is short on confidence. There is not much to say in terms of good product literature. A few guidelines for first-time users could have inspired better reviews and recommendations – definitely, room for thought if the right people in marketing and sales are listening/reading.
Offer pricing leverage, NOT one-time discounts – a couple of strips of CBD gummies are not going to be sufficient for most people. You have to hit home the idea of buying a bigger, more affordable packaging size. The current options don’t seem to address this. A small plastic jar containing 50 CBD gummies should offer a pricing leverage of at least 25% and again, this needs to be promoted and cross-sold in every single strip of packaging – what are the marketing people doing here?!
Border on daily health supplement – given the chance to reposition this product and make it a better deal for everyone, I would insist on infusing some easily soluble daily vitamins into the formula. This would mean getting your daily dose of some essential nutrients and an herbal formula that helps you relax and perform better. Handy tips could have been shared as a part of the product’s packaging, along the lines of – works better when taken with caffeine or should not be taken on a heavy, full meal. Repeating myself – the packaging does not inspire any confidence whatsoever!
Zero CBD with Zero Creativity – besides the brand, the platform itself – Itshemp.in, also does not make any attempt to help first-time shoppers connect with a brand. I was expecting some brochures or coupons within the package but found nothing. While the platform hosts a Blog that seems to talk about the benefits and safety of using CBD edibles and other products, the product actually delivered to a customer does not help the CBD supplement niche grow.
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