One of the most common questions we get at our retail location is "What difference between hemp seed oil and cbd oil?"
Hemp seed oil seems to be popping up everywhere these days. As a result, many people think that they can just walk into their local big-box store, buy a big jug of hemp seed oil, and get their daily dose of CBD. However, although hemp seed oil contains many beneficial compounds, it’s not the same thing as CBD oil.
Hemp Seed Oil vs CBD Oil
Our product expert Adam Brewer says: “There’s a misconception that hemp seed oil or hemp oil are the same as CBD oil. But hemp oil is a very general term. Hemp seed oil is made from cold pressing or chemically extracting oil from infertile hemp seeds. In a nutshell, CBD is a much more labor-intensive and time-consuming process. It takes an entire season to grow a crop of hemp.”
That means, of course, that CBD oil is going to be more expensive than hemp seed oil. However, CBD oil has powerful benefits that plain hemp seed oil can’t provide. So, how do I know I’m getting CBD?
Hemp seed oil comes from the seeds of the hemp plant, while CBD oil comes from other parts of a mature hemp plant known to be high in cannabidiol, or CBD. That includes the stalks, stems, and flowers of the plant. CBD and other cannabinoids contain powerful anti inflammatory, anti-oxidant properties that you’re looking for. So, check the ingredient list to make sure that your products contain a high percentage of CBD and other cannabinoids, and not just hemp seed oil.
Hemp seed oil doesn’t provide the myriad benefits of CBD oil. It’s used as a cooking oil but doesn’t interact with the immune system in the dramatic, beneficial way that CBD oil does.
What is hemp seed oil?
Hemp seed oil is made from hemp seeds using a process known as cold pressing. It’s listed as an ingredient in many products that are trying to capitalize on the popularity of CBD. You may see it under different names too, such as “cannabis seed oil” “hemp oil” or “hemp extract.”
Hemp seed oil is a healthy oil that is rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, along with antioxidant-rich Vitamin E. Because of this, it is sometimes used as a “carrier oil” for CBD. However, it does not interact with the immune system in the powerful way that CBD does.
Therefore, it doesn’t provide the many benefits of CBD on the human body. The Hemp Industry Association has stated that “CBD is not a product or component of hemp seeds, and labeling to that effect is misleading and motivated by the desire to take advantage…of CBD.”
What is CBD oil?
Hemp is the primary source for commercial CBD oil, because it contains very small amounts of THC. CBD extract is made from parts of the hemp plant through time-consuming, high-tech processes including C02 extraction. This results in a very pure, powerful product. As more and more scientific studies reveal the benefits of CBD oil, it has exploded as a consumer product. You can find CBD in cocktails, beauty products, chocolate, salad dressing…the list is seemingly endless.
Cannabidiol (CBD) has many health benefits, including the support of mood, sleep, immune function, and stress levels. It has a broad-based effect on the body’s entire endocannabinoid system. It is being widely researched by the US government and abroad because of its powerful compounds.
One reason that CBD oil is more expensive than hempseed oil is that it contains extracts from parts of the whole industrial hemp plant. To make these extracts potent and pure, high-tech scientific processes and standards are needed. First, high-quality seeds are used, hemp strains are carefully selected and nurtured, and costly extraction processes are used. These procedures result in a product rich in full-spectrum CBD, terpenes, and other cannabinoids.
CO2 extraction is considered the best method to extract CBD. It’s also the most expensive, requiring special equipment and training. However, it results in a purer extract that doesn’t leave toxins or petroleum in the product. It is the most effective way to obtain high quality CBD in a safe, gentle process.
What are some other ways CBD iss different from hempseed oil?
CBD oil is a carefully blended product designed to help customers in a targeted way. You can find excellent lotions for aches and pains and inflammation; delicious, all-natural gummies for CBD on the go; even specialty foods and beauty products infused with high-quality CBD for gut health and hydration. A good product contains natural ingredients that are blended in just the right quantities. They are specially designed to benefit a range of consumers.
Products touting the benefits of hemp oil or hemp seed oil may be poorly manufactured and lacking the high-quality product development of CBD products. Quality CBD products are also third-party tested to make sure that you’re actually getting what’s on the product label. Knock-off or low-CBD products may not display the results of third-party testing
Because much of the current hemp market is unregulated, it’s important to make sure that the results of testing are available to you, the consumer. You may be getting a weak product with little CBD, or even a product contaminated with pesticides, toxins, heavy metals, or petroleum residue.
What is the safest way to make sure I’m not wasting my money?
If you’re buying a product without knowing for sure that it contains an effective amount of CBD, you may be wasting your money. There are many new products out there that label their products as containing hemp oil, hemp seed oil, etc. This is also true of products from well-known chains or online retail stores, which don’t always vet their products carefully enough. Because these products are not regulated by the US government, there’s no guarantee that what you’re buying contains much CBD.
The safest approach is to learn about the different companies, what kind of farming they do, and what their extraction process is. But no worries- we have done the work for you. We dedicate a lot of time and energy into finding the best brands made from the purest CBD available. We investigate the CBD farms and delve into the manufacturing process. We keep track of product testing and stock only the finest products for you, our valued customer.
