Just about everyone has heard about cannabis as a wellness supplement, but what’s the difference between CBD oil and hemp seed oil? If you didn’t know better, you might think they’re the same thing. However, there are some significant differences you should know about.
When you want relief from body aches, using hemp seed oil won’t help. Why? Because it’s not formulated for that purpose. Hemp seed oil doesn’t contain the cannabinoids that affect your body that way.
CBD oil, on the other hand, can help with all kinds of issues, including body aches and trouble sleeping. There are many different cannabinoids in CBD oil, allowing the “entourage effect” that most benefits your body.
So, while CBD oil and hemp seed oil both come from the cannabis plant, there are distinct differences that should factor into your buying decision.
Let’s have a look at what makes CBD oil different from hemp seed oil.
What Is Hemp Seed Oil?
If you’re like most people, you’re probably surprised to learn that hemp seed oil doesn’t provide any therapeutic benefit, as CBD oil does. They come from the same plant, don’t they? Why don’t they work the same way?
While CBD oil is pressed from the buds, leaves, and stalks of the hemp plant, hemp seed oil only comes from the seeds. The moisturizing content of hemp seeds makes it easy to find hemp seed oil in skincare products to treat acne, rashes, psoriasis, and eczema.
Like CBD oil, hemp seed oil can have anti-inflammatory effects on the skin when applied directly. However, it’s mainly used for moisturizing the skin.
What Is CBD Oil?
Feeling a little confused? Let’s learn more about CBD oil, so you have a better idea about the differences.
CBD (aka cannabidiol) is one of the many cannabinoids of the hemp plant. It has properties that make it useful in therapeutic situations, so CBD oil is popular as a wellness product.
Extracting oil from the hemp plant involves a process where the stalks, leaves, and flowers are pressed to create a milky substance that is then evaporated with solvents. What’s leftover is a blend of many different cannabinoids, including CBD.
The cannabinoids are then blended with fatty oils, like MCT oil, to make it easy for the body to absorb them. The more cannabinoids in your CBD oil, the better the overall effects.
Is CBD Oil the Same as Hemp Oil?
CBD oil may sound the same as hemp oil, but there are some big differences. If you want CBD oil that contains cannabinoids, look for a full spectrum or broad spectrum hemp oil.
Also, make sure you purchase from reputable vendors, because some online vendors sell hemp oil that doesn’t have any cannabinoids.
While this is a deceptive sales practice, it’s not illegal, making it essential for you to know the difference.
How Much Does Cannabinoid Content Matter?
When you take a serving of CBD oil, the compounds that provide the wellness benefits are the cannabinoids. Without them, it’s basically just like any other oil.
While the science of cannabinoids is still in its early stages, we do know a few things. Cannabinoids target your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) to help hormones flow and help you feel better.
These hormones can help with aches, stress, sleep, and even digestion. Your ECS does this just fine on its own, but with the help of CBD and other cannabinoids, that process goes on longer, giving you more comfort and relaxation.
Not all cannabinoids work the same way. CBD, for example, works by targeting the brain and preventing it from stopping the ECS. CBG, on the other hand, binds directly to endocannabinoid receptors.
When all the cannabinoids work together, you get what’s called the “entourage effect,” wherein the brain is supported in many ways to improve ECS functions. Full spectrum products provide you with the most cannabinoids.
Broad spectrum products filter out THC to non-detectable levels, and isolates contain only one cannabinoid (unless the label says otherwise).
Thanks to the variety of cannabinoids, full spectrum products provide a deeper level of benefits, but broad spectrum products are capable of the same if they have additional minor cannabinoids included in the formula.
Finding the Best CBD Oil Products
The difference between CBD oil and hemp seed oil is in the wellness benefits, but the trait they share is that finding the best product can be tricky.
Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers can now legally grow hemp in commercial quantities. While this has made it easier than ever to find quality cannabis-based products, it’s also opened the door for cheap products to make it onto store shelves.
Picking the right product can make all the difference when shopping for both CBD oil and hemp seed oil, especially since some products are merely labeled “hemp oil.” Hemp seed oil sells for a lot less than CBD oil, so if you see a 32oz bottle of hemp oil selling for less than $20, it won’t possess the wellness benefits you expect.
Hemp seed oil supplements can come in clever packaging. Even though they don’t contain any of the cannabinoids that affect your ECS, the label might talk about its therapeutic effects. Don’t be fooled.
If the label doesn’t mention cannabinoids, like CBD, it’s not the wellness product you’re looking for.
Also, Amazon forbids the sale of CBD oil on their site. Shop elsewhere if you want a quality supplement that contains cannabinoids.
Now That You Know What to Look For…
There are many fake products out there (including fake CBD), but even the ones that contain real CBD aren’t always what they claim to be. Mass-produced CBD oil can be sold at meager prices. By pumping hemp plants full of synthetic fertilizers, commercial growers can reap huge yields that can be turned into budget-priced CBD oil.
The problem? It doesn’t work. In most cases, these are simply CBD isolates that leave behind the rest of the plant’s wellness properties. Plus, the CBD itself is weaker than organic products.
The lesson here is always to buy organic products. Sure, they cost a little more, but they’re definitely worth the money. By choosing organic products, you can be sure the product will work as intended.
You should also ask the vendor for a lab report. These helpful documents tell you everything you need to know about the cannabinoids in a product, as well as the presence of any harmful chemicals, solvents, or toxins.
By reading a lab report, you’ll know right away if a product contains real cannabinoids or only claims to. The right vendor will make it easy to find these reports and get the information you need. Vendors who can’t furnish a lab report should probably just be avoided altogether.
The more you know about your products, the easier it’ll be to keep making smart choices about your wellness.
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