There are a lot of terms that can confuse people when it comes to CBD products. One of the biggest questions is whether CBD oil is the same as hemp oil.
While there are similarities between these two, there are also important differences that one needs to be aware of.
So, without any more preamble, let’s delve into the differences and similarities.
What is Hemp Oil?
Hemp oil, also known as hempseed oil, is taken from industrial hemp and is obtained directly from the seeds of the plant.
Tests are carried out to ensure that hemp oil does not contain either CBD or THC, as the hemp oil that is readily available does not (and cannot) contain either of these cannabinoids.
The main use of hemp oil is as a superfood, it contains high levels of omega, vitamins, and other nutrients that are useful to your health.
While it is usually eaten or including in health food and health drinks, there are other uses for hemp oil, including in hair products and skin creams.
How is CBD Oil Different?
While hemp oil uses the hemp seeds from industrial hemp, CBD oil uses CBD, a cannabinoid that is found in the same plant. CBD is also extracted from industrial hemp; this ensures that the oil contains little to no THC.
EU law states that any CBD products sold legally in Europe cannot have a THC content higher than 0.2%, the laws in the USA are the same since the Farm Bill was enacted by President Trump in 2018.
CBD is not, at this point, available in as many places as hemp oil, this is due to the existence of cannabinoids within the products.
However, the purchase of CBD products is entirely legal, and with extensive scientific research being carried out into the possible health benefits of CBD, it is likely that the availability of these products will only increase in the near future.
While we cannot actively tell you about these (plausible) health benefits, there are many resources available online which can, and we cannot stop you from carrying out a Google search to research them, even if we wanted to.
Industrial Hemp vs Marijuana
Both hemp oil and CBD are taken from industrial hemp, but what exactly is industrial hemp? And what is the difference between industrial hemp and marijuana?
The answer to this question is pretty simple. Industrial hemp naturally produces high levels of CBD and low levels of THC. Marijuana is the opposite, containing high levels of THC, and substantially less CBD.
THC is the psychoactive molecule in cannabis which creates the ‘high’, while CBD is not psychoactive, and therefore does not produce those effects.
Contrary to the assumptions of some who have chosen to decide what CBD is without putting in any research, CBD doesn’t produce a ‘high’, that is not the point of the product.
What CBD does, is work with the naturally occurring cannabinoids in the endocannabinoid system. This is the system within the human body that helps to control serotonin release, it is also partly responsible for various other things, including fertility, memory, and pain relief.
It is the fact that CBD works alongside the endocannabinoid system that has led to the extensive research that is being carried out.
It is suggested that CBD can help right any imbalances within this system, and therefore assist with certain medical conditions.
Again, due to UK law, we cannot comment directly on these benefits, because we cannot promote the medical benefits that CBD may or may not have, but that hasn’t stopped others doing the same, so, again, the resources are available.
Final Word about Hemp oil…
So, all you need to know when it comes to the differences between hemp and CBD is that there are many, but both products are deemed (by many, we’re not passing comment ourselves) to be beneficial to your health.
Hemp oil is squeezed directly from hemp seeds, while CBD is a molecule found in abundance in industrial hemp plants.
Hemp oil does not contain CBD, making it an entirely different product. We are only beginning to realise how many different parts of a cannabis plant can be extracted to produce various products, and, at the moment, it is CBD that has everybody’s attention.
The important thing to note is that it is entirely fine to take hemp oil and CBD products together, one will not have any effect on the effectiveness or the other, nor are there any side effects caused by combining the two.
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