There’s lots of confusion when it comes to hemp seed oil and CBD hemp oil. Hemp seeds eventually turn into the plant where CBD is extracted from. Choosing which to buy is up to you, but in this blog, we’ll discuss the differences. Sometimes when looking for or purchasing CBD, it is common to find products that are mislabeled as CBD oil when they’re actually just hemp seed oil. So…what’s the difference?
You may be thinking that CBD is a brand-new innovation, but it has actually been around for 12,000 years; arising in the Neolithic age to help our ancestors survive and thrive. The spotlight on CBD has brought up many questions, one prevalent one being: what is the difference between hemp seed oil and CBD? First off, let’s separate the cannabis sativa hemp plant into two branches: hemp and drug plants. Hemp plants are usually used for materials, fibers, and seed oil, while drug plants are used for recreational, or medicinal purposes, and also produce oil, but with higher THC and CBD content. Hemp seed oil is not the same as CBD oil. The drug plants are further divided into two more branches: THC and CBD rich plants.
There is a component within these two types of plants that make each of them very different: resin. Hemp plants have low levels of resin, whereas drug plants have high levels. The amount of resin in the plants usually determine their legality within states. Marijuana, known as the plant that gives us a “high”, consists of very high levels of resin. Resin is found on the plants flower buds. These buds are the ones that contain CBD and THC as well as other cannabinoids and terpenes that interact with the body physiologically. Don’t worry, resin is not a bad thing. Resin is a good thing for CBD. The more resin, the more CBD that can be extracted from it. Hemp seed oil does not contain any CBD, THC, or cannabinoids, while CBD does. All in all, CBD is extracted from the hemp flowers, leaves and stalks.
Within the hemp plant, you have hemp seeds. This is where hemp seed oil is derived from. Hemp seed oil is known as a superfood for its healthy essential fatty acids and other health benefits. Seeds are cold pressed for oil production and the oil can be used in cooking (as in hempseed milk, hemp seeds, cooking oil), beauty products, and even paint. Hemp seeds can be eaten raw or alternatively, hemp oil is another option. Here are some of the benefits:
- Especially rich in omega and linoleic fatty acids (fats that are essential to our health)
- More than 25% of the calories derived from hemp seeds consist of protein
- May reduce risk of heart disease
- May benefit skin issues
- May reduce symptoms of PMS & menopause
Choosing between hemp seeds/hemp seed oil versus CBD is a personal choice. We want you to be aware of the differences, so that if you do choose to purchase CBD, you make sure to find a brand that is transparent and manufacturing actual CBD products. Amazingly, here at ReThink, we choose to use hemp seed oil as our CBD tincture carrier oil, so that on top of the CBD benefits, you may get all of the hemp seed oil benefits noted above. If you’re ready to reap the benefits of the cannabis sativa hemp plant, check out our CBD tincture oils.