Hemp Oil vs CBD Oil: What You Need to Know

Is hemp oil the same as CBD oil? The two terms are often used interchangeably, so here is how to understand the difference between hemp oil vs CBD oil.

CBD oil is trending as one of the most popular wellness products available today. Perhaps you have heard about it from a friend, watched a segment about it on your local news, or read about it on websites like this, raising your interest in CBD oil’s potential.

As you learn more about the natural benefits of hemp and CBD, you will no doubt come across the terms “hemp oil”, “CBD oil”, and “CBD hemp oil”. These terms are central to understanding the CBD market, but they aren’t always clearly defined. Often times, these terms are used interchangeably, which can make it even more challenging to understand how the two are related and the main differences in hemp oil vs CBD oil. 

The key to being able to discern the difference between hemp oil and CBD oil is to first grasp this overall concept: CBD oil is a type of hemp oil, but not all hemp oil is CBD oil. Think of hemp oil as a common term for both CBD oil and hemp seed oil.

The term hemp oil can be used to describe any and all oil that is extracted from any part of hemp, including the plant’s stalks, flowers, and seeds. While that includes CBD oil, the terminology used is different when talking about hemp oil vs CBD oil. In some instances, the term hemp oil is used to describe a nutritious oil called hemp seed oil that is widely-used in food preparation. Other times, hemp oil is used to describe CBD oil. 

While they both offer benefits, there is a distinct difference between the types of hemp oils, including hemp seed oil and CBD oil, that you’ll want to know – particularly if you’re seeking the balancing properties of CBD. Keep reading for more about hemp oil vs CBD oil. 

image of hemp plant

What is Hemp Seed Oil?

Hemp seed oil is a nutritious type of edible culinary oil made from hemp seeds. Hemp seed oil is made by cold pressing the small brown, nutrient-rich seeds of the hemp plant. Hemp seed oil has a dark to light green color and a naturally mild nutty flavor that works well in salads, dressings, and sauces.

Often described as a “superfood,” hemp seed oil is packed with vital nutrients, including amino acids, fiber, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, as well as an array of important vitamins and minerals. This makes hemp seed oil a valuable addition to any diet, especially those that may be nutrient deficient.

Available in most grocery stores and health food markets, hemp seed oil has an olive oil-like consistency and is commonly used as a substitute for traditional cooking oils with the exception of deep-frying. This hemp oil is also commonly infused into body care products to nourish the skin, nails, and hair. 

You can learn more about the benefits of hemp seeds and hemp seed oil

difference between cbd hemp oil and cbd oil - image of hemp leaves

What is CBD Oil?

Is CBD oil the same as hemp seed oil? No. Although they are extracted from the same plant, there are some important differences between hemp seed oil and CBD oil.

CBD oil, also called CBD hemp oil, is a thick botanical extract made from the stalks, seeds, and sometimes flowers of hemp varieties that are naturally high in CBD. CBD oil contains all the many essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids found in hemp seed oil, as well as greater levels terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids like CBD.

Unlike hemp seed oil, CBD oil contains high levels of CBD. CBD, or cannabidiol, is an all-natural and non-intoxicating cannabinoid that promotes balance by supporting the body’s endocannabinoid system, a signaling network that regulates many of the body’s functions, including appetite and metabolism, sleep, mood, and immune response. Over the years, CBD has become a highly sought-after cannabinoid because of its natural wellness effects.

CBD oil is made through a specialized solvent-free extraction process that pulls the CBD oil from the hemp plant using supercritical CO2, an extraction method popular in the food industry and listed as GRAS or “generally regarded as safe”.

Supercritical CO2 extraction creates incredibly pure and healthy CBD oil. This CBD oil concentrate can then be used daily on its own or infused into products like tinctures and liquids, capsules, topicals, vape oil, hair and skin care products, and more. CBD concentrate can also be purified through a proprietary filtration process that removes all excess plant material and compounds other than CBD to make a highly-concentrated powder called CBD isolate

Regardless of how you choose to take CBD oil, products like these allow you to tap into CBD’s balancing properties and boost your quality of life.

what's the difference between hemp oil and cbd oil - image of cbd oil on spoon

Hemp Oil vs CBD Oil vs Hemp Seed Oil

What’s the difference between hemp oil, hemp seed oil, and CBD oil? Although both CBD oil and hemp seed oil are considered types of hemp oil, hemp seed oil and CBD oil are used for different purposes. Hemp seed oil is used as a culinary ingredient for its nutritional value. CBD oil, while also nutritious, is primarily used as a source of CBD and trace levels of other cannabinoids.

Hemp seed oil is incorporated into foods and body care products to provide the body with vital minerals and nutrients, proteins, and fatty acids. Hemp seed oil is highly prized by health food enthusiasts for its nutritional content, but anyone can benefit. While less common, hemp seed oil also works as a fantastic substitute for any petroleum-based lubricants.

CBD oil, on the other hand, is used by those looking to encourage balance and naturally promote wellness through the beneficial effects of CBD.

One of the most common questions asked by our customers and those interested in trying CBD for the first time is “does hemp oil contain CBD?” While hemp seed oil is very nutritious, it lacks any substantial levels of cannabinoids to be useful as a source of CBD. In fact, hemp seeds contain only trace amounts of CBD – typically less than 25 parts per million (ppm). This is a major difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil.

When manufacturers look to make hemp oil that is abundant in CBD, they also pull from the plant’s stalks, flowers, and leaves, which contain up to 150,000-ppm CBD, providing a much higher concentration of CBD than in hemp seed oil.

Are CBD Oil and Hemp Oil Legal?

In the U.S., hemp products like hemp oil, including both CBD oil and hemp seed oil, are legal to manufacture and purchase. The 2018 Farm Bill, signed by President Trump in December of 2018, removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, making it legal to cultivate hemp, process it as a raw material, and use it to create a wide range of products, like hemp seed oil, CBD oil, hemp clothing, and more. 

cbd isolate effectsMedical Marijuana, Inc. and CBD Oil

All of the hemp oil products from Medical Marijuana, Inc. are made with CBD oil, not hemp seed oil. Our products feature award-winning CBD oil derived from specifically selected cultivars of non-GMO, high-CBD hemp. They’re designed for those interested in benefiting from the balancing and natural wellness properties of CBD. Our top selling products include those in popular brands like RSHO™ and Dixie Botanicals®.

Our Real Scientific Hemp Oil™ (RSHO™) is our award-winning CBD oil concentrate brand. Available in four different labels, RSHO™ provides 50 mg to 190 mg CBD per serving. RSHO™ CBD oil is also available as tinctures and liquids, capsulesvape oils, topicals, and isolate

The Dixie Botanicals® brand was designed with the adventurous at heart. These ready to go CBD oil products let athletes and weekend warriors support their favorite activities with the benefits of CBD. Whether training, competing, or recovering, CBD products from Dixie Botanicals® give users the edge they need to perform at their peak. Dixie Botanicals® CBD products include tinctures, vape oils and liquids, topical balm, capsules, edibles, and more. 

Buying CBD Oil Products

Curious to know where to buy CBD oil? Medical Marijuana, Inc. CBD oil products are available in health food stores, wellness shops, yoga studios, chiropractic and other health practitioners’ offices, specialized CBD stores, and more. You can also find Medical Marijuana, Inc. products online. You can get started with CBD oil products today through our online shop.

Our store also carries nutritious hemp food products. Learn more here.

Learn more about CBD oil by visiting our CBD Oil Education page. Get some guidance finding the right product for you through our Buyer’s Guide.

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