August 6, 2019 Christine Gellado

What is The Difference Between Hemp Oil and CBD Oil?

For most people, hemp oil and CBD oil are terms that are used interchangeably. While there are some similarities between the two products, there are equally significant differences between them as well. With so many names used in the industry like marijuana oil and cannabis oil, it is difficult to identify the product you want without the right information.

The most complex factors about the two oils is that they both are products of the same plant. Also, they both have trace amounts of THC. That's as close as the two oils get and other than that, they are entirely different, especially in regards to their benefits. Here we will go in depth about the uses and benefits of both in order to gain a clear distinction of the two whilst attempting to stop the confusion.

CBD Oil

Let’s start with the trailblazer! CBD oil is an abbreviation of Cannabidiol oil which is a natural component extracted from industrial cannabis or hemp. In simple terms, CBD oil is cannabis oil that contains significant amounts of Cannabidiol.

CBD oil is extracted from hemp plants that are specially cultivated to be high in CBD and only have trace amounts of THC. This makes the ratio of CBD to THC higher.

For better understanding, THC is the psychoactive compound that causes a “high”. The types of hemp plants (Marijuana) used for smoking are bred to be high in THC. CBD on the other does not give a “high”. It works differently and has even been proven to counteract some of the effects of THC.

Unlike hemp oil which is extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant, CBD oil is obtained from the leaves, stalk and flowers of the plant.

How Does CBD Oil Work?

CBD oil is a unique product with significant medical benefits as supported by different studies. It works through the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The ECS keeps the body in a state of balance. It controls different functions like appetite, immune response, sleep, hormones, mood, and pain.

To keep the ECS system working optimally and boost the efficiency of the receptors, CBD stimulates the production of the natural cannabinoid in the body.

In addition to impacting the cannabinoid receptors, CBD also effects other receptors like the opioid, dopamine and serotonin receptors. By influencing these receptors, CBD can regulate various aspects like behaviour, motivation, cognition, anxiety and reward seeking.

CBD oil is also commonly referred to CBD Hemp oil. When buying, it is imperative that you carefully understand the composition of the oil and ensure what you buy has ideally zero trace or very low levels of THC.

Hemp Oil

Hemp oil is a product extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant. A hemp plant is a form of the Cannabis Sativa plant that is commonly grown for industrial use. Unlike other plants in the Cannabis family, the hemp plant has low levels of cannabinoids. Hemp oil has minimal amounts of psychoactive and has been around and legal in most areas for quite some time.

Uses

For a long time, Hemp oil has been used in a variety of ways. Some of the most common applications include:

Cooking
It can be used as a vitamin supplement. It is rich in Vitamins E, B, B1 and B2
As a natural moisturiser
In the production of eco-friendly paints
As a base for different forms of plastic
As a bio-diesel fuel like other vegetable oils
It is used to make lotions, some foods and soaps

Hemp oil does not contain any THC since the seeds from which it is extracted are also THC free. There might be a trace amount of THC present, but this is from contamination from plant matter. Most of the seeds are 99.99% decontaminated by manufacturers before processing to avoid THC contamination.

It is important to emphasise that some hemp oils can contain CBD depending on the brand and type you buy. Be diligent when buying your preferred oil and check the labelling to make sure you get the right product.

Summary

Despite the often confused description, these two oils are worlds apart. On the one hand, hemp oil is extracted from the seeds of the hemp oil and used for typical applications like nutrition, beauty and the production of soaps.

CBD oil is extracted from the leaves, stalk and flowers of a specially grown hemp plant that has a high CBD to THC ratio..

While the two products have very different benefits, they are also similar in other ways. They both contain very little THC and none of them can give you a high, thus they are both extracted from the same plant.