Restorative Botanicals Bolder Gummies Product Review: Hemp Extract Treats, Variety Pack

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Brand Details

  • Full Spectrum
  • Lab Test
  • USA Made
  • Organic
  • Vegan

Description

Smell (Irrelevant to effects)

The gummies come inside a resealable plastic bag and smell pleasantly fruity upon opening the airtight seal. Through the sweet scent of cherry, lemon, and berry (the cherry is pretty dominant compared to the other two), a subtle herbal aroma comes through.

Similar to green tea or matcha, this scent likely owes to the terpenes of the full-spectrum CBD contained within the gummies. It’s relatively mild, barely perceptible through the smell of the cherry gummies, but it is worth noting.

Each of the gummies reflect their own individual scent mingling with the herbal notes from the full spectrum hemp extract. The cherry smell is more maraschino than Rainier, so expect a flavor closer to cherry candy than actual cherries.

The raspberry gummies smell pleasantly sweet (not unlike a raspberry-infused green tea we tried recently), and the lemon flavor smells more sweet than tart, like a Lemon Head rolled in matcha.

Taste (Irrelevant to effects)

The cherry gummy is probably the most assertive of the flavors, but it was milder than we expected from its scent and not at all cloying. The sweetness lingers for a few moments after swallowing, along with the herbal flavor. Some of our testers found this a little odd, but not off-putting. That said, if you aren’t a fan of cherry candies or maraschino cherries, this may not be the flavor for you.

The raspberry flavor is rather mild next to the boldness of the cherry, and features a pleasant tartness we enjoyed. That tang helped minimize the herbal aftertaste in a way that complemented it without emphasizing it, making this flavor a crowd-pleaser.

The lemon flavor is enjoyably citrusy and probably does the best job among the three of seamlessly integrating the herbal notes into the fruity flavor, with a minimal aftertaste and a sunny citrus profile.

Consistency

The colors of the gummies vary slightly from what we expected: the lemon is a traditional yellow and the cherry is a warm pink, but the raspberry flavor is decidedly orange. This isn’t really a big deal, it’s just something we noticed that stuck out as a little different.

The gummies are cloudy and very squishy (owing to their composition of a mixture of tapioca starch and gelatin), but with a firmer-than-expected bite. Cut into roughly half-inch cubes, each gummy contains 10 mg of CBD (300 mg per bag in all).

The combination of tapioca and gelatin makes these gummies a bit firm when chewed, despite their exceedingly squishy exterior. They weren’t unpleasant, but were chewier than we expected since they look more like a super-soft tapioca gummy. Their gelatin heritage is evident in their bite texture (and makes them not vegan-friendly, though they are free of gluten and dairy).

Effects (Onset, Duration, Intensity)

In line with other edible CBD products, we started to feel the effects about 45-60 minutes after eating a gummy. At this dosage strength (10 mg per gummy), the effects were relatively mild, but still notable and effective against mild to moderate symptoms, especially anxiety and low mood.

You can always try a second gummy if you find yourself in need of stronger relief, though you may want to be careful about upping your dose this way if you’re watching your sugar intake (more on that in a moment).

At a dose of a single gummy, we noticed an improvement in focus and mental clarity, increased physical relaxation, and easing tension and pain within muscles and joints. We felt our bodies relax and our minds slow down, reducing the racing thoughts associated with anxiety and making it easier to focus and stay on task. These effects grew stronger at higher doses – not necessary for most of us, but a few of our team members needed higher doses to manage chronic pain or symptoms of anxiety effectively.

At two or three gummies, a few of us started to experience drowsiness, which made it easier to fall asleep but may not be ideal for midday. To avoid inadvertently making yourself sleepy, we recommend waiting about an hour before taking a second gummy if you’re prone to drowsiness.

You won’t knock yourself out at a 30 mg dose, but there isn’t much benefit to taking more than you need to manage your symptoms. We recommend starting lower and working your way up as needed.

Because of the relatively high sugar content (26 calories per gummy have to come from somewhere), it may be better to use oil to increase the dosage for consumers minding their sugar or carbohydrate intake, or for those who need higher doses for complete relief. The gummies are delicious, but too many of them can overload your system with sugar without you noticing.

Best used for

Because of their longer onset time, these gummies are best suited for relief from chronic rather than acute symptoms. We feel they’re most effective when used regularly (perhaps in the morning and evening) for long-lasting symptom relief. We especially like them before bed – their extended effectiveness helps address pain, stiffness, and other symptoms related to inflammation all through the night, helping provide a more peaceful sleep.

We found these gummies helpful with chronic pain, soreness, muscle tension, and joint and skin inflammation, as well as symptoms relating to anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood disorders, and insomnia. At the dosage indicated, these gummies can help alleviate mild to moderate symptoms without causing drowsiness or mental fog during daytime use.

Best used with (Complimentary Product)

Since the gummies, like other ingestible CBD products, take longer to take effect compared to inhaled or orally absorbable products, we recommend combining them with a tincture, like Restore CALM or Restore PURE6. When absorbed through the soft tissues of the mouth, the tinctures will take effect more quickly (closer to 15 minutes), providing relief from more acute symptoms.

For targeted relief from soreness, tension, and inflammation, we recommend using a topical product like Restorative Botanicals’ Comfort Balm. The CBD within the botanically derived formula will help alleviate symptoms at the surface, speeding and intensifying pain relief. For severe or intense symptoms, you might find that what works best for you is combining multiple types of products, and that’s okay. Listen to your body and do what works for you and your health.

Value/Price

Each bag contains 30 10 mg gummies, for a total of 300 mg per bag, and costs $49.99. This yields a per-milligram cost of about $0.16 and a price per dose of $1.65 — not too shabby, considering the quality of the gummies.

While they may not be ideal for extremely budget-conscious consumers (in which case, we recommend the PURE6 oil for the most bang for your proverbial buck), the gummies make a flavorful and therapeutic treat that combines symptom relief with quality ingredients.

Competition/Alternatives

We feel these gummies stand up well to their competitors in terms of value, potency, purity, and quality. The flavors are enjoyable enough to count as a treat, worthy of an afternoon pick-me-up or sweet and soothing end to an evening.

These gummies meet our CBD Buyer’s Guide criteria for quality, purity, and potency, and they are independently tested to verify the therapeutic dose of CBD they claim.

Label

We should note that the label on these gummies is surprisingly minimal and, honestly, we wish it had been just a touch more thorough. We would particularly like to see the sugar content of each serving, which isn’t specifically listed but is likely pretty high since each gummy contains 26 calories.

Sugar has an inflammatory effect on many of the body’s systems, and we think it’s important to keep an eye on your daily sugar intake, especially in treat items like these gummy candies.

For reference, granulated sugar contains 4 calories per gram, tapioca syrup contains about 3 calories per gram, and gelatin contains 0.62 calories per gram. Since each serving is about 5 grams, that calorie content indicates a significant amount of sugar and carbohydrates, which may be important to some consumers looking to limit their sugar or carbohydrate intake.

We’d also like to see the dietary fiber and protein contents listed in the interest of being thorough. Ultimately, we hope to see more detailed labeling in subsequent batches of gummies. Here’s the label as it exists presently:

WHY CHOOSE RESTORATIVE BOTANICALS?

Restorative Botanicals manufactures and distributes great-tasting organically-grown, and highly effective full-spectrum hemp oil supplement products.

Full-spectrum hemp extract is well known to foster holistic benefits such as anxiety & stress relief, healthy sleep support, enhanced mental clarity and reduced inflammation — plus an array of other benefits that support an overall sense of balance and well-being.

With particular attention to product purity and an amazing consumer experience, Restorative Botanicals offers the cleanest and best-tasting products of their kind!

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1 pieces
Servings Per Container: 30
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 26
Calories from Fat: 0
Total Fat: 0 g
Hemp Extract: 20 mg

Other Ingredients: Tapioca syrup, cane sugar, gelatin, fruit pectin, xanthan gum, citric acid, MCT coconut oil, natural flavors and natural colors

Gluten free, dairy free, non-GMO, made in USA, Colorado Proud

First Hand Review

Testimonial

I love how they taste, MORE!

Aubrey Kat

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