Carrier oil

A carrier oil is the edible fat in which a cannabinoid extract is dissolved so that it can be measured, swallowed or applied evenly.

Cannabinoids are fat-soluble and do not mix with water, so a liquid product needs an oil base to hold them in solution at a consistent concentration. Common choices are medium-chain triglyceride oil from coconut or palm kernel, hemp seed oil, olive oil and, in topicals, jojoba or sunflower oil. The carrier determines taste, shelf life, texture and, to some degree, how readily the cannabinoids are absorbed, since fats taken with food raise the amount of a lipid-soluble compound that reaches the bloodstream.

The carrier is listed under ingredients and is separate from the cannabinoid content declared in milligrams per milliliter. It matters for allergies, since some carriers derive from tree nuts or seeds, and for pets, because certain oils are poorly tolerated by animals. Carrier oil is inactive and makes no contribution to any effect a product may have; the term is sometimes confused with hemp seed oil, which contains no meaningful cannabinoids on its own.