Populum Embraces Plant-based Vegan Wellness

In 2019, my wife and I started our plant-based journey. As a lifelong meat eater, I was nervous to embark on a fully vegetarian diet. Being an avid runner that runs 25-40 miles per week, I was originally convinced that a whole-plant diet would leave me deficient of protein. Yet, the more I learned about plant-based eating, the more I was convinced that it was right for me. Fast forward two years later, and I am proud to be fully plant-based and excited to continue my mission through Populum by bringing vegan CBD wellness to our community.

Today, I am proud to announce that all our tinctures, capsules and topical products are 100% vegan, non-GMO and cruelty-free.

All Plant. All Vegan.

In recent years, there has been explosive growth in the vegan food industry, where more and more Americans are turning to plant-based food diets. With better meat alternatives coming to market, like Impossible Burger or Beyond Meat, it’s easier than ever to embrace a vegan diet.

While the food industry is making great leaps, the supplement industry drags behind. Many of us don’t realize are the hidden ingredients in mainstream supplements and topical products that contain animal byproducts. The traditional skincare industry is widely known for its harsh testing on animals—an abuse that organizations like PETA have been battling against for years.

Creating a formulation of simple, clean ingredients requires more research and upfront costs. Many companies rely on synthetic chemicals and preservatives because they are easier and cheaper to produce. This is especially prevalent in the CBD industry, as it is still young and unregulated. We’ve seen many brands cut corners on the quality of their ingredients and lab tests. This is not the case for Populum. As we continue to prioritize transparency and quality, we work hard to formulate products that are triple lab tested, ethical and cruelty-free.

The Truth About Vegan Supplements

When starting out a plant-based diet, I spent a lot of time reading labels and researching ingredients. The more I learned, the more I was disheartened to know I was consuming things that I did not agree with morally or were not good for me. For example, most supplements use a gelatin capsule, which is formed by boiling skin, tendons, or ligaments from animals like cows or pigs.

Upon this realization I quickly made it my number one priority to update the formulation of our Full-Spectrum Hemp CBD Capsules. Our capsules now use a softgel encapsulation which is made of vegetable glycerin, modified starch and purified water. Our capsules are now 100% vegan, and in addition to the vegan softgel encapsulation, only contain two ingredients: MCT oil & full-spectrum hemp extract.

Why Vegan Skincare Is Important

Unfortunately, similar to the supplement industry, the beauty industry is like the wild-wild west. It is highly unregulated and many commonly sold beauty products contain animal byproducts, chemicals or questionable preservatives. At Populum, we believe it’s just as important to understand what you’re putting into your body as it is to know what you’re putting on your skin.

Our topical lines including our Lavender + CBD Face Oil and our Cold Therapy Hemp Rub are both 100% vegan and do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. Additionally, last year, we updated our formulation of our Cold Therapy Hemp Rub to remove parabens. And bonus, we also provide third-party lab results that certify our ingredients and show proof of no pesticides, solvents, or microbials.

Simple Ingredients = Pure Benefits

Something that goes hand-in-hand with veganism is clean eating. When I started my plant-based journey, I naturally found myself being more conscious of what I consume. When it comes to things I eat, I think the simpler, the better. I think it’s important to be able to read and understand ingredients that you’re putting into your body, which is why most of Populum’s products have six ingredients or less.

The benefits of CBD should not be complicated. Our products are not packed with a long list of ingredients and chemicals that are hard to identify or even pronounce. Our products contain simple, clean ingredients that are natural and good for the body.

For example, here is a list of Populum’s Full-Spectrum Oil Tincture ingredients:

• Full Spectrum Hemp Extract: Helps to balance the body’s central nervous system. Our scientifically-tested extracts contains healthy concentrations of CBD, CBN, CBG and terpenes.

• Hempseed Oil: Provides essential fatty acids, vitamins, and various minerals.

• Cold-pressed Orange Oil: This essence is used to accent the flavor of the hemp oil. Experience how adding citrus can make a world of difference

• Grapeseed Oil: An excellent source of omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants to help strengthen your immune system and overall health.

• Coconut Oil: Contains fatty acids that are immediately converted into energy when consumed; boosting metabolism and immune system

Along with a small amount of stevia for taste, that’s it!

I’d Like To Be Transparent ...

As we continue to focus on plant-based wellness, there are two products that you can find at Populum that are not considered vegan which are our CBD + Orange Raw Honey and our Zen Pets Hemp CBD Chews: Salmon + Apple. Here’s why you can still find these on our shelves:

• CBD + Orange Raw Honey: Honey is not considered vegan because it is produced from the labor of bees. But more importantly, most vegans avoid honey because commercially produced honey could be harmful to the health of bees. Our honey is sourced from organic Sweet Summer Farms, whose mission is to “shed light on these intricate insects and inspire a new generation of beekeepers.” We guarantee that our honey is unprocessed and cruelty-free.

• Zen Pets Hemp CBD Chews: Salmon + Apple: Many of us consider our furry friends to be part of our family, but it’s important to remember that their bodies function totally differently than ours. Eating fish and meat is inherent in their genetic makeup and it’s important to provide our pets with nutritious high protein diets. Which is why we have decided to keep our Salmon + Apple Chews. They are formulated with wild Alaskan salmon, apples, and domestically sourced full-spectrum hemp extract and are all-natural CBD pet treats made with the highest quality ingredients for your furry friends.

Our Future

As I look to the future, we hope to continue to build on this approach with more ethical, clean, and vegan products that embrace the pure benefits of hemp CBD. Our goal is to develop quality CBD products that are focused around efficacy. We look forward to sharing these exciting new products with you in the new year.