While cannabidiol (CBD) oil, based on one of the two most popular cannabinoid compounds alongside tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is a natural dietary supplement that has only recently become available to consumers, hemp oil or hemp seed oil has been around for decades and sold at health food stores in smoothies and for cooking and skin care purposes.
However, these terms are often used interchangeably nowadays even though CBD oil and hemp oil are associated with their own unique benefits, respectively.
The Difference Between Hemp Seed Oil Vs CBD Oil
If you’re someone who had never bought CBD before and were looking to buy, you’ve probably come across products marketed as hemp seed oil, or simply hemp oil.
Based on my experiences, I can tell you that many people think they’re both alike.
They’re not!
While hemp seed oil has its share of health benefits, it’s entirely different from what you get through CBD oil.
Hemp Oil Vs CBD Oil: Here are the Main Differences:
- Source of the product
In most cases, CBD oil is derived from the strains of the hemp plant. Hemp seed oil, on the other hand, is extracted from the seed of the hemp plant.
And if it wasn’t obvious enough already, let me just say that the biochemical makeup of hemp plants and hemp seeds are completely different.
So, you’ll be in for a big disappointment if you believe hemp oil if the answer to anxiety, pain, depression, insomnia, etc.
- The difference in biochemical composition
To put it simply – hemp plant contains CBD; hemp seeds do not.
It’s close to impossible to formulate the same amount of therapeutic benefits as one would get out of CBD, from hemp seeds.
In addition, the Full-spectrum variety of CBD oil contains many beneficial compounds such as CBC, CBN, Terpenoids, and Flavonoids.
- Different effects
We’ve spoken at length about the beneficial aspects of CBD, but to recap we can say that the substance influences your endocannabinoid system. Thus, it helps you with numerous conditions such as:
- Anxiety
- Pain
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Inflammation
- Withdrawal from drugs
We can go over the benefits of hemp seed oil as well, but what’s the point? CBD oil is far superior in every aspect anyway.
Hemp Seed Oil Vs Hemp Plant CBD Oil
The cannabis plant is listed on many a label in the current marketplace, but the specific main ingredient and the part of the plant that has been utilized during the manufacturing process are often obscured.
This is merely a marketing ploy that aims to exploit the significant price difference between CBD oil and hemp oil. Consumers are willing to pay more for CBD oil, and less reputable brands may incorrectly market these different varieties of oil extracted from hemp as one and the same for financial gain.
While hemp oil is produced by squeezing the seeds of the industrial hemp plant, CBD and other cannabinoids and terpenes are extracted from the leaves, flowers, and stalks of the plant.
Sneakily claiming that a product contains cannabis related ingredients often misleads consumers to believe that CBD is included in the mix. Nonetheless, hemp seed oil actually does not contain or may only contain a trace amount of cannabinoids.
So, let’s run through the basic characteristics of both hemp oil and CBD oil which will teach you how to differentiate between them correctly and know exactly what you’re paying for without being taken advantage of!
Hemp Oil Characteristics
Hemp oil is derived from the industrial hemp plant which is a form of Cannabis sativa species. In turn, Cannabis sativa species belong to the Cannabis genus of flowering plants in the Cannabaceae family.
Industrial hemp generally contains low levels of cannabinoids including THC and CBD. However, as previously mentioned, hemp oil is extracted by cold-pressing the cannabinoid-free hemp seeds via a process similar to that by which olive oil and coconut oil are obtained.
Any contamination with cannabinoids due to the plant matter adhering to seeds during processing is kept to a minimum through modern commercial manufacturing which decontaminates seeds to the level of 99.99%.
The resulting hemp oil can be used as cooking oil and in soaps and lotions but contains no CBD or any other cannabinoids.
Hemp oil does not cause the clogging of pores while it also provides anti-inflammation and moisturization benefits for the skin. In particular, gamma linoleic acid that is found in hemp oil has been shown to assist the battle against psoriasis, a skin condition that affects many individuals around the world.
Furthermore, this type of oil is considered to be a healthy and nutritionally powerful “superfood” that is rich in protein and antioxidants, omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, vitamins E, B, B1 and B2, and minerals such as potassium and magnesium.
Finally, hemp oil can even be found as an ingredient in plastics, paint, dressings, lubricants, and biofuel which further illustrates its widespread utility.
CBD Oil Characteristics
In general, CBD oil is most readily extracted from industrial hemp that has been specifically cultivated to contain a high % of CBD content with a trace amount of THC, thus ensuring a high CBD/THC ratio.
With the advent and the hype surrounding CBD oil and the mounting evidence that it may be used to alleviate a wide range of health issues including but not limited to pain, inflammation, insomnia, social anxiety, and epilepsy, it is easy to understand the reason behind brands rushing into this industry at a manic pace.
With regard to its strictly medical use cases, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Epidiolex in June 2018 as the first prescription pharmaceutical-grade highly purified plant-derived CBD-based anti-epileptic drug.
New research studies also demonstrate the skin benefits of CBD which have inspired a wide range of CBD balms to emerge on the market. In particular, much like its more established cousin hemp oil, it has shown anti-inflammatory properties which are beneficial for healing acne, sensitive skin, rashes, eczema, and psoriasis.
Generally speaking, the 2018 Farm Bill has provided a gigantic boost to the industry since it rendered industrial hemp-derived CBD federally legal in the United States.
By legal definition, industrial hemp includes cannabis strains with a low THC content of less than 0.3% which ensures the lack of psychoactive effects commonly referred to as the euphoric “high”.
However, the marketplace is becoming flooded with a wide range of cannabis-related products and it is essential to study the list of ingredients carefully to ensure the presence of CBD.
Always check through the list of ingredients
So, let’s assume that you have decided to purchase CBD oil but want to avoid falling into the marketing trap employed by a large number of brands selling CBD-free hemp oil.
So, what should you do?
Simply study the list of ingredients on the packaging label carefully – hemp oil will often be listed as “hemp seed oil” or “cannabis sativa seed oil”, whereas CBD products must include “cannabidiol”, “phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oil” or “full-spectrum hemp oil”.
It should be noted that the “phytocannabinoid-rich” term is often abbreviated as “PCR”. Remember, regular hemp oil derived from the hemp seeds does not contain any phytocannabinoids.
Finally, it is also common practice for brands to have the total amount of CBD clearly indicated on the bottle (often in milligrams) as well as the serving size.
A final word of caution
Unfortunately, you should be aware that some less reputable brands are also cashing in on the meteoric rise of the cannabis-related industry by making false claims that their products contain CBD while they absolutely do not.
Thus, it is important that you order CBD products only from the very best reputable brands. In order to assist you in this challenging task, the GreenTheVoteOK team regularly trials a wide range of CBD brands and their products while generating extensive reviews that you can browse through for free.
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