HEMP OIL VS CBD OIL: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

If you’re on the market for relief using cannabidiol (CBD), you’ve probably come across the terms “hemp oil” or “hemp-derived oil” online. What the heck do they mean? You've been searching for plain-old CBD oil, and now you're wondering if there's something you're missing!

The good news is, you weren’t missing much. The differences when evaluating hemp oil vs CBD oil basically come down to imprecise naming. But there may be a big difference in the final product and what it does.

Let’s get you up to speed fast so you can choose the product that’s right for you! Here are the answers to your most burning questions about hemp oil vs. CBD oil:

Is hemp just like cannabis?

Not exactly! Here’s the deal: Hemp is a type of cannabis plant, but cannabis isn’t always hemp.

Hemp is a cannabis plant with less than the federal legal limit of psychoactive THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is 0.3%. Cannabis that has more than 0.3% THC is sometimes called marijuana, but either way, they're both in the same genus of plant: cannabis.

Hemp oil vs CBD oil: Are they the same?

Hemp oil isn't necessarily the same as CBD Oil, though it could be. First, "hemp oil" is a vague definition. It can mean an oil that's heat-infused with hemp or an alcohol-based hemp tincture.

But the real difference is that the term hemp oil is typically used to describe hemp seed oil, which isn't the same as CBD at all. Hemp seed oil is a cold-pressed extract from hemp seeds that is highly nutritious and great for cooking (we see you, omega-3 fatty acids!), but it has no cannabinoids in it—so it won't give you the benefits you expect from hemp-derived CBD oil!

The value in CBD oil comes from the phytocannabinoids, the chemicals that originate in the cannabis plant, and have effects on the human body's endocannabinoid system. But while the plant’s leaves, stems, flowers, and trichomes contain pretty much all of the cannabinoids and terpenes in hemp, the seeds contain nearly none! This is what makes hemp-derived oil (CBD) vastly different from hemp seed oil.

What are the benefits of the hemp-derived products?

Absolutely! Hemp-derived CBD oil—or, what’s basically just called CBD oil—is:

• Non-psychoactive (in the way THC is). You can’t get high on hemp-derived CBD oil because the amount of THC (< 0.3%) is too small to have a noticeable effect. And “broad-spectrum CBD” or “CBD isolate” have no THC. “Full-spectrum CBD” may have a little of it, however.
• Promotes feelings of calm. CBD oil is a great way to chase away excess worry, get focused, and fight those Monday-morning blues.
• Federally legal. Marijuana oils are legally available in some states with medical approval, but only hemp-derived CBD oils are legal nationwide.

How can you tell if stuff is hemp-derived and not hemp seed?

First, reputable sellers will advertise that their CBD oil comes from hemp, where that hemp comes from, and explain the product's effects. That's not true with every seller, so if you're not sure, just ask! At Sunday Scaries, our CBD tincture is 100% hemp-derived from Colorado-grown plants.

Hemp seed oil effects

Most people who use hemp seed oil do so in the kitchen as a cooking oil. It has a range of documented benefits, including potential impacts on brain health, skin health, heart health, and more. You might enjoy some long-term health benefits when you consume hemp seed oil regularly, but you won’t notice acute effects like many people report with CBD.

Research findings on it include:

• “Dietary hempseed can provide significant cardioprotective effects during postischemic reperfusion” (it may enable blood to flow better to an organ after being blocked) in a 2006 study on rats.
• “Dietary hempseed oil improved clinical symptoms of atopic dermatitis” during a 2005 study on patients with dry skin and itchiness.

On the other hand, the World Health Organization Reports clinical evidence that CBD has the following properties:

• Anxiolytic
• Antipsychotic
• Analgesic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-asthmatic
• Neuroprotective

Again, CBD is hemp-derived, so the label could imprecisely call it “hemp oil”—but it’s more likely to have a generic label like “CBD oil.” Hemp oil is usually really hemp seed oil.

Bottom line: Closely evaluate the product to determine what it is!

Get your Sunday Scaries relief with CBD from Colorado-grown hemp

At Sunday Scaries, we love hemp-derived CBD oil! We know that adulting is hard, and many people want CBD's benefits without the side effect of getting high. So, we use the best Colorado hemp we can find and test every batch twice to make sure it’s what you’re looking for!

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