With so many hemp products on the market today, it’s easy for consumers to confuse terminology. Not only must you know the difference between CBD hemp and industrial hemp, but you must have an awareness of unique products within these subcategories.
As the hemp market continues to grow exponentially, we regularly get questions about the difference between CBD oil and hemp oil. This isn’t a surprise, as both of these terms are somewhat vague.
Hemp oil is a nutritious food source, while CBD oil is a term used to describe several cannabinoid-based wellness products. While they are both sourced from hemp plants, CBD oil, and hemp oil are quite different in the way they are manufactured and consumed.
What is Hemp Oil?
The correct name for hemp oil is actually “hemp seed oil.” Namely because hemp oil is pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant to make a nutritious food source. People use hemp oil in a fashion similar to olive oil – they cook with it and mix it with dressings.
Another important thing to note is that hemp seed oil comes from the industrial hemp plant. Unlike CBD hemp plants that are grown for their cannabinoid-rich flowers, industrial hemp plants are grown for their fibrous stalks and nutritious seeds.
Hemp oil is made with an oil press machine. In today’s food manufacturing space, hemp companies utilize expeller screw presses and hydraulic presses to process oil from seeds. With both technologies, seeds are put under immense pressure until oil is leached from other materials. The hemp oil is then filtered for greater purity.
Hemp Seed Benefits and Uses
People have long enjoyed hemp oil for its health benefits. Whether you make a stir fry with hemp oil in a wok, or use hemp oil as the base for a vinaigrette dressing, it will greatly increase the nutritional value of any meal.
Scientific studies published in the article Hempseed as a Nutritional Resource tell us that hempseed is “technically a nut.” The article continues, hemp seeds contain, “over 30% oil and about 25% protein, with considerable amounts of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.” Due to this intense concentration of nutrients, hemp oil is often referred to as a “superfood.”
Key benefits of hemp oil include:
- Fatty Acids: Hemp oil is an extremely potent source of “polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)” and “the two essential fatty acids (EFAs) linoleic acid (18:2 omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 omega-3).” Fatty acids are known to be extremely good for the cardiovascular system and even help reduce heart disease in certain circumstances.
- Vitamins & Minerals: Oil from hemp seed is also a rich source of protein, vitamin E, micronutrients, and macronutrients. A single tablespoon of hemp oil provides minerals and supplements such as zinc, iron, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and sodium.
- Protein: Hemp seeds contain almost as much protein as soybeans. As such, they are a great option for vegetarians looking to supplement their diet with protein from a plant-based source.
- Amino Acids: Hemp oil contains every “essential amino acid.” As seen with fatty acids, amino acids also play a critical role in regulating the cardiovascular system and reducing blood pressure.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is an umbrella term used to describe cannabinoid extracts made from the hemp flower. As such, “CBD oil” is often used to describe hydrocarbon extracts, CO2 extracts, as well as tinctures made from CBD. In essence, CBD oil is a concentrated form of all the beneficial compounds found in hemp flowers.
While hemp oil is made from the seeds of industrial hemp, CBD oil is made from the flowers of CBD hemp. These hemp plants are cultivated for their prized flowers that contain beneficial compounds like CBD, CBG, and terpenes.
CBD Oil Effects and Benefits
Until recent years, CBD was a little-known, rather obscure cannabinoid. However, the legalization of hemp in the United States has led to massive global interest in CBD. Today, people from around the globe use CBD hemp oil to treat physical and psychological ailments like chronic pain, sleep disorders, and anxiety.
While millions of people can attest to the benefits of CBD, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to approve the cannabinoid as a medicine or dietary supplement. That being said, our knowledge of CBD hemp oil today comes from patient testimonies as well as novel scientific research.
- Seizure Medicine: While the FDA has not approved any plant-based CBD medicines, they have approved a synthetic CBD drug known as “Epidiolex.” Doctors regularly prescribe Epidiolex “to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), Dravet syndrome, or tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in patients 1 year of age and older.”
- Pain Relief: Relief from chronic pain is one of the most widely reported benefits of CBD. In fact, professional athletes such as football legend Brett Favre regularly endorse CBD oil as a healthy alternative to addictive prescription painkillers. With an opioid epidemic sweeping the nation, the potential value of CBD cannot be overstated.
- Sleep Aid: People also report that CBD hemp oil is a great sleep aid. Whether people are suffering from post-traumatic stress or simply restless, millions of people declare that CBD offers them relief.
- Anxiety Relief: CBD has also gained worldwide renown for anxiety relief. Just as seen with pain killers, CBD oil could be a healthy alternative to harmful prescription drugs like Xanax and Klonopin.
What is the Difference Between CBD Oil vs Hemp Oil?
While the terms “hemp oil” and “CBD oil” can be easily confused at first, a bit of careful research shows that these two products are indeed quite different. Hemp oil is pressed from hemp seeds and used as a highly nutritional food source. Conversely, CBD oil is extracted from the flowers of hemp plants and used for wellness purposes.
The nuances of the hemp oil vs CBD oil discussion aside, the fact that such different products come from a single plant really speaks to the amazing nature of hemp. Whether it be with nutritional oil from seeds, or cannabinoid-rich extracts from flowers, hemp is a literal cornucopia of health and wellness.
Talk to High Grade Hemp Seed
High Grade is constantly in touch with farmers and processors in both the CBD hemp and industrial hemp verticals. To this end, our team is well versed in nutritional and wellness products within each market segment.
Contact us today with questions!
