Top 3 things everyone should know about hemp oil

The hemp plant has been cultivated for millennia, with its various parts being manufactured for many purposes, including oil. Recently, the popularity of hemp oil products has skyrocketed, and along with that rise came a lot of confusion, like what do people use hemp oil for, and are hemp oil and hemp seed oil the same thing? Read on for answers to these questions and others, so you can be an educated consumer who knows the difference between hemp oil and hemp seed oil and when to purchase one or the other.

1. Hemp oil is another name for CBD oil

A genus of the plant Cannabis sativa, the hemp plant is harvested, in part, to make hemp oil. This product is made from the flowers, stalks, and leaves of the hemp plant, which contain the plant’s 100+ cannabinoids, including CBD and trace amounts of THC. Therefore, hemp oil is commonly referred to as CBD oil, but may also be labeled “hemp oil extract” or “hemp extract.”

1. Hemp oil is not the same as hemp seed oil

So what’s the difference between the two? A few important distinctions:

Hemp oil (a.k.a. CBD oil) can legally contain up to 0.3% THC. If a hemp plant contains more than 0.3% THC, it is no longer considered a hemp plant and is instead classified as a marijuana plant. Labeling products as “hemp oil” is illegal if this legal threshold is exceeded. 

However, producing hemp seed oil requires harvesting a different part of the hemp plant altogether. Hemp seed oil is obtained exclusively from the hemp plant’s seeds by cold pressing them to extract the oil. This process is similar to that which produces cooking oils, like olive and sunflower. However, there are no cannabinoids in the hemp seeds, so the benefits received from ingesting hemp seed oil are very different from those received from hemp oil (CBD oil).

1. The benefits of hemp oil vs. hemp seed oil

Hemp oil supports the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS plays an important role in regulating essential systems in the body, including sleep, appetite, mood, and pain among others. All these processes work toward creating equilibrium in the body, a state known as homeostasis. Hemp oil works with the ECS’s receptors to help maintain the body’s balance and harmony.

Hemp seed oil also has benefits. It is full of lots of great stuff, like omega-3 fatty acids, the good fat our brains and organs need to function properly. It’s also a great source of antioxidants vitamin E, chlorophyll, magnesium, and carotene. In addition, hemp seed oil has been shown to have antibacterial properties and skin-pleasing fatty acids? According to a study, hemp seed oil is beneficial for healthy skin and can be used to treat a variety of skin issues, like eczema, dermatitis, varicose eczema, psoriasis, lichen planus, and even rosacea. It also helps strengthen the skin’s own natural defenses, equipping it to fight infections from bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Now that’s plant power!