The global Cannabidiol is worth $2.8 billion and rapidly growing. There are hundreds of products on the market that contain CBD or hemp oil. How can you tell which product will suit your needs? How can you distinguish CBD vs hemp?
You may have heard of CBD oil and hemp oil. They are both very different products, with different uses and production processes. Often, all products coming from a type of cannabis plant are under the general title 'cannabis.' There are stark differences between all the different 'cannabis' products on the market.
Keep on reading to understand the critical differences between the varying plants and products.
What Is Hemp?
Hemp or Cannabis Sativa is a plant. It is often grown commercially. The hemp plant has a lot of practical uses and properties.
Yarn is made from spinning hemp stems; this can become fabric to make clothing or rope. Biofuel and many biodegradable plastics are also made from hemp. It is a very sustainable material.
Hemp oil, or hemp seed oil as it is often known, comes from the hemp plant's seeds. The properties of hemp are very different from the properties of cannabis.
There is no THC in hemp. THC stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol, and it is the psychoactive chemical in cannabis. Hemp has no psychoactive properties, which is why in most states, hemp is legal. People do not experience the 'high' usually associated with cannabis by consuming hemp.
The seeds from hemp plants are very healthy and full of omegas (good fats). Many vegetarians and vegans eat hemp seeds to obtain their omega nutrients.
Another of the many benefits of hemp is that the seeds are a great plant-based protein source (another reason they are popular with a vegan or vegetarian diet).
Hemp seeds are also used to make hemp seed oil. To make the oil, the seeds are cold-pressed, the oil is unrefined and can be very good to use on the skin. People with inflamed or irritated skin often use hemp seed oil to soothe it.
You can also use hemp seed oil to make salad dressing, for example. Consuming these complete omegas is excellent for skin health.
What is CBD?
CBD stands for Cannabidiol and comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant too. It is the most abundant chemical in the Cannabis Sativa (hemp) plant.
CBD oil is made from the flowers, leaves, and stems of the hemp plant. CBD is obtained from the hemp plant through a process of extraction. One of the most common processes of extraction is CO2 extraction. Once extracted, the oil is distilled.
Once the oil is in its pure form, it is used for many different CBD products you see on the market. It can be used in beauty products, edibles such as gummies, or sold as oil for oral consumption.
You may be wondering what the benefits of CBD are. People use it to relieve multiple ailments and have done so throughout history.
The reason CBD is often an effective pain reliever is that it activates your serotonin receptors. Serotonin is the 'happy hormone' the one responsible for balancing your mood. If CBD can help balance our serotonin levels, it can potentially help with alleviating depression and anxiety.
Who should take CBD? Many studies suggest that CBD is beneficial to those suffering from anxiety, depression, or insomnia. Taking CBD in drop form is one of the most common ways to take CBD.
Using products on the skin enriched with CBD may also reduce joint pain or muscle soreness. Much research has gone into finding out if using CBD products is effective for those with arthritis.
CBD vs Hemp: What Are The Similarities?
There aren't many similarities of CBD and hemp as they come from different parts of the hemp plant. Although that is a similarity in itself - that they are both derived from the same plant.
Both hemp and CBD have antioxidant properties. Due to the antioxidant content, both CBD and hemp are thought to have potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Both hemp seed oil and CBD oil appear in skincare products. These products can treat skin conditions such as eczema, acne, and rashes. Remember to always consult your doctor or dermatologist before trying a new product to treat acute skin conditions.
Differences Between CBD and Hemp
Cannabis Sativa is the plant hemp comes from and has high levels of CBD. The Marijuana plant is the plant used for cannabis (what people typically smoke). There is a difference between these two plants.
Hemp is normally legal when it has no more than 0.3% THC. The Marijuana plant has more than 0.3% THC combined with CBD.
The hemp plant usually contains about 12-18% CBD, which is more than a typical marijuana plant. However, there are numerous different strains and combinations of CBD and THC in Marijuana plants.
The hemp plant may contain CBD, but the hemp seeds used to make hemp oil contain tiny traces if any, CBD. Hemp seed oil is not known to have pain-relieving properties as CBD oil does.
Hemp's health benefits are more significant than its ability to affect the body's serotonin levels.
Due to the extraction process the leaves, flowers, and stems of the hemp plant go through to get CBD oil, CBD is often much more expensive than hemp seed oil.
Choose the Right Product For You
All the information out there can be a little baffling, but don't get put off by all the different companies making different (maybe sometimes false) claims. You should also look out for hemp products falsely marketed as CBD products. CBD is more expensive, so just check you are actually getting what you pay for.
You now know the CBD vs hemp low down. The hemp seed oil has plenty of omegas and good fats and can be consumed as part of your diet or in skin products to nourish your skin.
CBD oil is for treating pain, anxiety, or depression. It can be taken as drops or applied to the body as a lotion, balm, or oil. If you would like to explore CBD body products, then check out our range of paraben and sulphate-free CBD topicals.