CBD leaps over turmeric as top-selling herbal supplement

The majority of consumers seeking natural health remedies are now turning to CBD.

Sales of cannabidiol (CBD) products skyrocketed to become the best-selling dietary supplement in natural and health sales last year, replacing turmeric as the top seller, the American Botanical Council reports.

CBD purchases grew 333% in 2018 throughout natural and health-foods sales channels, adding to a total of $52.7 million in U.S. sales.

In 2017, only $7.6 million worth of CBD was generated from natural sales channels.

The rise in CBD occurred at the same time hemp-derived dietary supplements fell by 9.9% in 2018. Although some hemp strains have earned patents for their high-CBD concentration, most consumers use products such as hempseed oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids as nutritional alternatives.

“The reason for the sales decline is unclear, but it may be due to increased availability of and consumer preference for other plant-based sources of protein and fiber,” the American Botanical Council said.

Despite the CBD rush in natural foods and health stores, the group observes that CBD products have yet to crack the top 40 dietary supplements sold in mass-market channels, such as mainstream grocery and drug stores.

“CBD products have flooded the U.S. marketplace, and sales show no signs of slowing,” the American Botanical Council added.

Oscar Pascual is the editor of Smell the Truth, syndicated on GreenState and SFGATE. Smell The Truth is one of the internet’s most popular destinations for cannabis-related news and culture. This blog is not written or edited by Hearst. The authors are solely responsible for the content.