If you tend to follow a lot of wellness and health trends, then chances are you must have heard of hemp and CBD oil. And like most people who are unaware about these oils, you too must have confused these two with Marijuana or looked at them with a sceptic’s eye. Well, now we have crossed the confusion flyover and thus, are there to pass on the information.
There is a lot of confusion around the names of these compounds. Usually, we see people equating hemp oil with CBD oil or referring hemp seed oil with hemp oil. The point to be noted here is Hemp seed oil and CBD oil are very different products.
Manufacturers of CBD oil use the stalks, leaves and flowers of the hemp plant in its production, which contains a higher concentration of CBD. In contrast, hemp seed oil comes from the seeds of the Cannabis Sativa plant, which doesn’t contain CBD but houses tons of nutrients, useful bioactive compounds, fatty acids.
The confusion doesn’t end just there; some of us equate CBD with Marijuana. Before proceeding with the article further, let’s first debunk this. Cannabis and hemp are two varieties of the same plant species, Cannabis Sativa. The Government of India has legalised medicinal cannabis or hemp products provided it comes from industrial hemp and contains less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Under Ayush Ministry license, companies can manufacture Cannabis-based modern and classical drug formulations, which carries a high percentage of THC provided they are licensed and authorised under their State government’s Ayush department. Having a better understanding of the difference between hemp oil, hemp seed oil and CBD oil will allow you to make an informed choice and choose the safest and most appropriate product for you.
The clear difference between Hemp Seed Oil and Hemp CBD oil
Hemp Seed Oil: Hemp seed oil derives from the seeds of the Cannabis sativa and contains omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, gamma-linolenic acid and other nutritional antioxidants. Having loads of nutritional content, most of the manufacturers of nutritional supplements use hemp seed oil in their composition. Since the oil comes from the seeds and not the leaves, flowers, or stem of the plant, it contains little to no CBD and doesn’t contain even a trace amount of THC, a psychoactive compound known to give a “high” effect. Due to this, it cannot be used for recreational purposes.
Hemp CBD oil: It comes from the flowers and leaves of Industrial hemp. Manufacturers can draw out an extract rich in CBD and other compounds with a specialised extraction process. CBD oil usually comes in three different variants: Full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, CBD isolate. Full-spectrum contains all compounds of the cannabis plant, including THC at a legal level; broad-spectrum CBD oil contains several compounds but doesn’t contain THC; CBD isolates only contain CBD compounds.
Health benefits of Hemp CBD Oil
From treating several conditions, including anxiety, pain, depression, and PMS, it is no wonder that CBD oil is currently being touted as a powerhouse when it comes to providing health benefits.
Pain relief: We all know how Chronic pain can reduce the quality of our life. So, if you are waking up feeling sore every morning, then give CBD a chance to work its magic. Some studies suggest that CBD oil may affect the brain receptors that manage pain.
Reduces anxiety: Nobody likes Anxiety as it can disrupt our mental health. As suggested by some studies, CBD oil changes the way the receptors in the brain respond to serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, cognition, and learning.
Can be used as an anti-acne treatment: New research has come out that states the benefits of skin-related one can get from CBD. CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory for the uninitiated and houses tons of different antioxidants. It can reportedly help in acne, rashes, eczema, and psoriasis. However, the results can vary depending on the person. Hence, it is always advisable to consult your dermatologist before using CBD for skin treatments.
Alleviating cancer symptoms: Some studies suggest that CBD might have a role in preventing cancer cell growth changing the way cells reproduce which is useful in stopping the spread of tumours. At the same time, it could also help alleviate symptoms related to the side effects of chemotherapy.
Reduces blood pressure: We all know how high blood pressure can become a serious condition like a stroke or heart attack. As given above, CBD has an active role in calming down anxiety levels. Other studies suggest that CBD also has a role related to the heart and circulatory system, which helps reduce blood pressure.
So we are saying...
Both Hemp CBD oil and Hemp seed oil belong to the same cannabis family; hence they are often incorrectly marketed as the same thing. When it comes to hemp, CBD, Marijuana, THC, it is important to be educated about the nitty-gritty of this herb to ensure you do not fall into the trap of weed washing which is starting to emerge. Quite often, a brand can add hemp seed oil to a product and place marijuana leaves on the packaging to make consumers think they are buying a genuine CBD product when in reality, the product doesn’t contain CBD at all.
So if you are wondering, how will I know what I am purchasing?
It’s pretty simple, though; just check the ingredient list. Hemp Seed Oil will be either listed as plain Hemp Seed oil or Cannabis sativa seed oil, whereas CBD oil will be listed as Cannabidiol, full-spectrum hemp, hemp oil.
