Both hemp oil and cannabidiol oil, more commonly known as CBD oil come from the same plant. This creates a lot of confusion, and most people mistake them to be the same thing with two different names. While both hemp oil and CBD oil are natural oils, they have a fair share of difference. It’s only upon knowing what both of these are and what is the difference between them that you would be able to figure out whether you need hemp or CBD oil. So, without any further ado, here’s how pure CBD oil and hemp oil are different.
WHAT IS CBD OIL?
CBD oil is extracted from the hemp plant and contains a concentration of cannabidiol. The reason why CBD is extracted from industrial hemp rather than cannabis is that hemp only contains THC in traces. Now, what is THC? Briefly, it’s a cannabinoid similar to CBD. But it has psychoactive properties that are highly undesirable when using it for health reasons. Pure CBD oil contains less than 0.3% of THC, and it’s known that CBD can cancel the effects of THC when THC is present in negligible amounts.
CBD oil is made using various parts of the hemp plant, such as the leaves, flowers, stalk, etc. This makes the concentration of CBD in CBD oil quite high since most of the parts of the hemp plant are used for the extraction of CBD.
Since CBD comes from the whole hemp plant, it may also contain terpenes and other cannabinoids that have various health benefits as well. However, the concentration of other plant parts and compounds depends highly on the grade of CBD being used. Different grades of CBD undergo different processes that filter out the various components of the plant from oil and make it what we call pure CBD oil.
WHAT IS HEMP OIL?
Hemp oil is also extracted from the hemp plant and contains a certain amount of CBD. As already mentioned for CBD oil, even hemp oil does not contain THC or at least contains only negligible amounts (less than 0.3%), since it comes from hemp. Hemp oil is different from CBD oil because hemp oil is exclusively extracted from the stalk of the hemp plant. However, the flowering parts of the plant are not used to extract the oil.
There is another variation in hemp oil, known as hemp seed oil. Hemp seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant and contains various other beneficial compounds that are not present in the hemp plant, like healthy fatty acids. Yet another significant difference between CBD oil and hemp oil is that while CBD oil can be extracted from other cannabis species plants, hemp oil is always extracted from the hemp plant. However, CBD oil coming from the hemp plant is recommended because of the low percentage of THC in hemp.
APPLICATIONS OF CBD OIL
Cannabidiol or CBD has a number of specific health benefits. Our body produces cannabinoids, known as endocannabinoids that help in balancing our physical and mental health. CBD mimics the effects of endocannabinoids and has a very similar effect on our body.
The results of various researches and experiments prove that CBD can effectively reduce pain, inflammation, anxiety, stress, depression, seizures from epilepsy, and the growth of cancer cells. Since CBD have these health benefits, many people intend to use pure CBD oil for specific health conditions. This is why it’s important to clear the confusion that hemp oil and CBD oil are one and the same. Hemp oil has a different set of benefits and applications, as discussed below.
APPLICATIONS OF HEMP OIL
Since hemp oil contains high amounts of vitamins, such as B, B1, B2, and E, it can be used as a natural supplement. Besides all these vitamins, hemp oil also contains magnesium, potassium, and omega -3 and omega -6. All these compounds make hemp oil quite healthy.
Hemp oil is also found in shampoos and lotions, paints, lubricants, and a number of other products because of its properties. Hemp oil is primarily used as a health supplement rather than treating a particular ailment. When we talk about hemp oil that comes from the stalk of the plant and does not contain CBD in high amounts, you can’t expect for it to work wonders for certain health conditions that can be treated or curbed using CBD.
Hemp oil also has antioxidant properties and certain acids. These acids and the antioxidant properties help in fighting the signs of aging, which is why hemp oil is also being used in skincare products these days.
HERE’S A LITTLE CATCH
Many brands use the term ‘hemp oil’ on the pack of their CBD oils. Now, this has a reason. These brands try to make it clear that the CBD oil they sell is extracted from the hemp plant and thus, contains less than 0.3% of THC. Many states that that make CBD oil legal have this requisite that brands should meet- the CBD oil should be extracted only from the industrial hemp plant. So, to tell their clients that the CBD product they sell is free of THC and completely legal, they use the term hemp oil.
So, in order to check whether you’re buying hemp oil or CBD oil in the name of hemp oil, make sure you read through the product details carefully. Brands that make pure CBD oil but use the name hemp oil would definitely mention CBD oil somewhere on their product. If you find it mentioned, you can be sure that you’re buying CBD oil. Furthermore, hemp seeds may also contain higher than legal amounts of THC. So, make sure you do your research and look for a trusted brand when you’re buying hemp oil or CBD oil. When you buy the right product for your specific needs, you can be sure of its positive outcomes.
