Hemp Seed Oil vs. CBD Oil: Common Misconceptions

There is a common misconception about hemp seed oil vs. CBD oil (CBD hemp oil). The term “hemp” can even be confusing, as it is often wrongfully thought of as the type of cannabis that is used for recreational and medicinal purposes, otherwise known as marijuana. Hemp is one variety of the Cannabis Sativa plant species which is specifically grown for industrial uses. Hemp naturally has very low THC and very high CBD content.  The type of cannabis known as marijuana has high THC and low CBD content.

Full-Spectrum CBD, Broad-Spectrum CBD, and CBD Isolate are all types of CBD oils derived from the hemp plant. Varying extraction methods are used with the best extraction method (and the most expensive) being CO2 extraction. Many CBD products are made from “hemp oil extract”— the word “extract” is the key. Despite sounding very similar to hemp seed oil, hemp oil extract is actually very different. Hemp oil extract is another term for CBD oil, (sometimes known as Phyto Cannabindoid Rich extract or PCR).

CBD oil and hemp seed oil are produced from different parts of the plant. CBD is made from the buds, flowers, leaves, and stalks of the Cannabis Sativa plant, while hemp seed oil is produced from only the seeds of the plant. Hemp seed is basically good for salad dressing or applied to the skin as a moisturizer – but it has no CBD in it.

Know what you’re paying for

With the ‘Green Rush’ happening of late, there are a lot of products that are misleading people into thinking they are getting CBD when really, they are only getting a hemp seed oil product.

As a consumer, it is very important to know the difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil or hemp oil extract so that you’re not overpaying for something that is not going to give you the results you seek. Often these terms are used interchangeably. If you are searching for a product that will give you the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids for therapeutic purposes, use products that contain Full-Spectrum CBD or Broad-Spectrum CBD, CBD Isolate, or CBD extract.

Companies aren’t required to list how many milligrams of CBD there are on the bottle, so as a consumer it’s important to know what you are paying for.  You can tell what you’re purchasing by simply checking the ingredients. CBD will usually be listed as: Full Spectrum or Broad Spectrum hemp extract, Cannabidiol, PCR (phytocannabinoid-rich) or PCR hemp extracts, CBD isolate, or hemp oil extract. Hemp seed oil will be often be listed as just that or as cannabis sativa seed oil.