If you’re an inexperienced CBD consumer, you might have come across a term that confused you: hemp oil. You may have thought hemp oil is the same as CBD oil.
But, even though both CBD oil and hemp oil are derived from the same plant, the hemp plant, these products have several differences.
To experience maximum benefits from hemp-derived products, you need to have precise knowledge about hemp and CBD.
The question of which product between hemp oil and CBD oil is better depends on what problem you’re trying to solve.
In this post, we break down the two products, and we point out the situations in which hemp oil or CBD oil are suitable.
Introduction to Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
Hemp oil is an extract of the hemp plant that contains minerals, nutrients, and negligible cannabinoid content. Many people use hemp oil to improve wellness.
The most common form of hemp oil that people are familiar with is cold-pressed oil, but hemp oil is available in other forms including gummies, pills, and serums.
Like hemp oil, CBD oil is also an extract of the hemp plant; it contains minerals, nutrients, and cannabinoids, and CBD is a popular wellness product as well.
Research suggests that CBD has extensive therapeutic value. Many people are shifting from OTC drugs to CBD for managing various health problems like pain and anxiety.
The Extraction of Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
Whether you’re buying hemp oil or CBD oil, one of the things you must consider is how the extraction process had been conducted.
Both hemp oil and CBD oil are extracted from the hemp plant, yes, but they are extracted from different parts of the hemp plant.
CBD oil is typically extracted from the flowers, stalks, and leaves of the hemp plant while hemp oil is extracted from the seeds of hemp.
CBD oil is commonly extracted through solvents, steam distillation, and C02 extraction. C02 extraction is automatic and failsafe and makes for the purest CBD oil.
And so, when buying CBD oil, ensure that the CBD has been extracted via supercritical C02, as opposed to other archaic extraction methods that raise impurities.
Hemp oil is extracted from hemp plant seeds via a method known as cold pressing. You load the seeds into the oil press machine and they are crushed until hemp oil is tapped.
Hemp oil may be infused with certain oils like peppermint oils to deliver smooth and amazing effects.
Differences Between the Effects of Marijuana, Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
When you take marijuana, it’s not long before you experience euphoria, relaxation, and mental calm, and these effects are characteristic of a mental high.
But, when you ingest hemp oil, you don’t experience any mental high. The compounds and nutrients typically activate various therapeutic benefits.
Also, when you take CBD oil, you don’t experience any mental high, but you may experience a slight body buzz as the Phyto-compounds and nutrients act on your system.
There are three distinct forms of CBD oil: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate CBD. Full-spectrum CBD denotes CBD that contains all the naturally occurring nutrients and cannabinoids of the hemp plant, including THC.
Broad-spectrum CBD denotes CBD that contains all the naturally occurring nutrients and cannabinoids of the hemp plant, except THC. Isolate CBD refers to the purest CBD form.
All these forms of CBD typically achieve different effects. But, most people prefer full-spectrum CBD, because its range of terpenes, nutrients, and compounds work synergistically to boost the effects of CBD in a process known as the entourage effect.
Is Hemp Oil and CBD Oil Safe?
You need to be careful when buying hemp oil and CBD oil, simply because not every company offers quality products.
If you’re unlucky to buy low-quality hemp oil or CBD oil, you end up missing the positive therapeutic contribution of these products, and your health might even be at risk.
Quality hemp oil is 100% safe, and it may be ingested by all persons, without any complications or side effects. But, there’s a small percentage of people who have experienced side effects like nausea and sweating.
Quality CBD oil is also 100% safe, and CBD is versatile, meaning it can be ingested orally, sublingually, topically, etc. Most people don’t experience any side effects, but there have been a few cases of side effects like diarhea, numb throat, and nausea.
But, always make sure that you’re buying quality hemp oil and CBD oil.
Factors to Consider When Buying Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
There are thousands of CBD companies out there. But, not all of these companies are trustworthy. Some of them want to take advantage of you.
Judging from complaints, these scammers seem to be succeeding by a lot. The following are some of the factors you must consider when buying hemp oil and CBD oil.
Avoid purportedly free stuff: if you come across a shady website where free CBD is promised, as long as you pay for shipping, please run. After paying, they might not send the product, or they might send you a third-rate product.
Check to see lab reports: quality CBD companies normally ensure that batches of their products have been tested by independent labs. The lab tests help with certifying that a product is free of harmful agents like metals, pesticides, and herbicides and that it contains all the listed ingredients. Quality CBD companies make their lab reports public.
Check online reviews: the thing with companies that cheat is that they are soon outed by vicious customers, especially through online reviews. And so, you want to stick to companies that generally attract positive reviews that have been published since the company started.
How to Use Hemp Oil and CBD Oil
Both hemp oil and CBD oil may be ingested in a variety of ways. It’s best to play around with different ingestion methods before deciding what suits you best.
Oral ingestion: this refers to swallowing CBD products. Some of the common products that are ingested orally include capsules, tablets, and edibles.
Sublingual ingestion: this refers to putting CBD underneath the tongue so that the CBD molecules are absorbed into the sublingual blood vessels. Some of the products that are ingested sublingually include tinctures and sublingual strips.
Topical ingestion: this refers to applying CBD resources to the skin. The CBD sinks into the body and exerts a positive therapeutic influence. Some of the products ingested in this method include creams, ointments, and massage oils.
Inhalation: this refers to smoking or vaporizing CBD.
As the CBD market expands and grows, novel CBD products are being propped up, which means the ingestion methods will only keep diversifying.
To Whom Are Hemp Oil or CBD Oil Ideal?
As we said earlier, choosing what is ideal between hemp oil and CBD oil depends largely on the kind of needs that you have.
If you have the following problems, hemp oil may help you recover:
- Suffering from atopic dermatitis
- Experiencing low blood pressure
- Having high levels of bad cholesterol
- Struggling with cardiovascular health
If you have the following problems, CBD oil may help you recover.
- If you’re experiencing pain internally or externally
- If you’re struggling with mental health disorders like anxiety and depression
- If you’re dealing with side effects of chemotherapy
- If you’re held back by low concentration and focus
In a general sense though, CBD seems to possess a greater therapeutic value, because it consists of diverse Phyto-compounds that work in unison to deliver potent effects.
The Takeaway: Hemp Oil VS CBD Oil
Both hemp oil and CBD oil are extracted from the hemp plant, but their effects are different. Both hemp oil and CBD oil have a range of benefits including managing mental health disorders and cardiovascular health, and many Americans have incorporated them into their daily routines. But, objectively, CBD oil has more therapeutic powers than hemp oil.
Sources
- Rupasinghe, H. P., Davis, A., Kumar, S. K., Murray, B., & Zheljazkov, V. D. (2020). Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa) as an emerging source for value-added functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals. Molecules, 25(18), 4078.
- Citti, C., Linciano, P., Panseri, S., Vezzalini, F., Forni, F., Vandelli, M. A., & Cannazza, G. (2019). Cannabinoid profiling of hemp seed oil by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Frontiers in plant science, 10, 120.
- Corroon, J., & Phillips, J. A. (2018). A cross-sectional study of cannabidiol users. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 3(1), 152-161.
- Ferber, S. G., Namdar, D., Hen-Shoval, D., Eger, G., Koltai, H., Shoval, G., … & Weller, A. (2020). The “entourage effect”: terpenes coupled with cannabinoids for the treatment of mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Current neuropharmacology, 18(2), 87-96.