When dealing with cannabidiol (CBD), it feels like there are million terms and concepts to learn about. One common area of confusion is surrounding the connection between hemp oil and CBD oil. This is understandable as some people use the terms interchangeably, while others insist that there is a difference. We here at Nature Blend can tell you that both groups are right. Kind of.
But before we can explain that we should cover the basics.
What is CBD oil?
It is best to have a basic understanding of CBD to base your understanding of hemp oil on. So, let’s talk CBD.
CBD is a cannabinoid. This is a kind of chemical compound that is found in high numbers in cannabis plants. Cannabinoids are not your average compound. They interact with certain receptors found throughout the body called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). This system is responsible for helping maintain a number of different functions in the body. This interaction between cannabinoids and the ECS is why cannabis is so famous for having an effect on its users. However, there is one particular effect that is unfairly associated with all things cannabis. That effect is a psychoactive high.
There is a cannabinoid that causes the high that people associate with cannabis. That cannabinoid would be tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is the main psychoactive competent of cannabis. However, this does not stop people from incorrectly believing that CBD causes a high. Let’s clear that up right now. It does not cause any high or psychoactive effects. People also think that all kinds of cannabis will cause a high. This is also incorrect. There are a couple of different variations of cannabis. One of them, marijuana, has a lot of THC and does cause a high. The other, hemp, has only 0.3% THC and a lot of CBD. It does not cause a high as its THC level is not nearly high enough to have an effect. This, and the high concentration, is why hemp is used to make CBD products.
Speaking of CBD products, let’s get into some detail about CBD oil. It is CBD extract that has been mixed with a carrier oil. These carriers are usually some kind of inert essential oil, like coconut or avocado oil. It is definitely one of the more basic CBD products out there. They normal consist of just the above-mentioned ingredients. Some CBD oils have other essential oils to help with flavor or to give the oil a little bit of boost. It can be taken in a few different ways. One of the main one is by mixing it in with food or drink. You can also take it directly via your mouth, as most CBD oil bottles come with a dropper that makes dispensing the oil simple. There are even people who rub the oil on their skin or mix it in with lotion to create a CBD topical.
No matter how you take a CBD oil, it appears to offer some really impressive potential benefits. For example, some research suggest that CBD could be useful in helping deal with anxiety. Other studies have found that CBD may have anti-inflammatory properties that could help with any number of conditions. Clearly, there is a good reason for CBD oil’s popularity. The only way to know what CBD may do for you is by giving the cannabinoid a try.
Now that we’ve got all of that defined, it’s time to shift focus onto the main purpose of this blog.
Is it different from hemp oil?
The answer to this is yes and no. But it is not as complicated as it seems.
CBD extract comes in three different forms. Each form is defined by what cannabinoids and compounds are found in the extract, because CBD tends to bring friends when it is taken out of the hemp plant. The form of CBD extract that is in essence the “purest” is full spectrum CBD. It has all of the cannabinoids and compounds that may come with the CBD (including THC, but, as we know, it is not enough to cause a high). Full spectrum CBD is considered the purest because there is less done to it. Unlike other forms of CBD extract, there is no extra filtering process to go through. This kind of CBD extract, when mixed with a carrier oil, is considered hemp oil. This is because it has more of the hemp plant to it than any other form of CBD oil. So, when it comes to full spectrum CBD, the term hemp oil can be used interchangeably with CBD oil. But not so much with the other forms.
The two other main forms of CBD extract are broad spectrum and CBD isolate. Broad spectrum has a majority of the other cannabinoids and compounds with one exception; it has no THC. The reason that people seek out full and broad spectrums is that these compounds may provide the entourage effect. This is when compounds use each other to build up a stronger effect. Broad spectrum may help provide that without the concern over THC. CBD isolate is just CBD, with no other compounds or cannabinoids. CBD isolate’s effect may not be a strong as the effects of the other extracts, but its effect is likely to be clearer.
So, is hemp oil different from CBD oil? It really breaks down to this hemp oil is CBD oil, but not all CBD oil is hemp oil. It is also a good to know that hemp oil and hemp seed oil are two different things. Hemp seed oil is made just from the seed of the hemp plant, while hemp oil is made from the flower and leaves. Hemp oil is more likely to help provide you with the benefits of CBD, as it has a lot of the cannabinoid. Hemp seed oil does not have CBD in it and offers very little to its users. So, beware when shopping for hemp oil that it is actually hemp oil and not hemp seed oil.