Full Spectrum Hemp Oil vs CBD – The Truth Unpicked

hemp oil vs CBD

Hemp oil vs CBD Oil - Which One Is Better For You?

Are you confused by all of the branding and terminology when you’re trying to buy CBD oil products? Hemp oil vs CBD oil is no different.

I’m not surprised. There are all sorts out there, full-spectrum hemp oil vs CBD, Broad-spectrum CBD, Isolate?! 

There are differences between CBD oil, hemp seed oil, CBD extract, pure CBD…and the list goes on!

Unfortunately, some less reputable vendors play on this branding, subtly changing terms and replacing them with something similar.

Hence why we are presented with so many similar-sounding products by CBD companies.

Here, we give you the facts about hemp oil vs CBD oil so you can be informed when making a decision.

I will also lay out the differences between full spectrum hemp oil, broad-spectrum CBD products and CBD isolate.

Hemp vs Marijuana - An Overview

So let’s start off with the basics. What is the difference between hemp and marijuana?

Both hemp and marijuana plants are a variation of the Cannabis plant species, specifically cannabis Sativa.

Not to be confused with cannabis Indica.

Cannabis plants contain a variety of different compounds called cannabinoids.

These react with cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system part of the human body and produce a range of different effects. 

The two most well-known cannabinoids are THC and CBD.

THC has psychoactive effects, which means it can get you high and is found in high concentrations in marijuana plants.

CBD does not have psychoactive effects and has been linked to health benefits such as relief from joint pain, relaxation, and aiding in the healing of some serious medical conditions.

In 2018 The Food and Drug Administration of the United States government introduced the Farm Bill.

This re-classified hemp as any cannabis Sativa plant containing less than 0.3% THC.

Hemp products according to this definition are legal across the United States and similar laws exist worldwide. 

The leaves of the hemp plant contain little or no CBD, and the seeds of the hemp plant have zero CBD content.

CBD is mostly concentrated in the flower the female hemp plant, commonly referred to as the ‘bud’.

Legal CBD-rich hemp flowers can reach levels near 10 percent CBD or higher as long as the THC content remains below 0.3%.

Industrial hemp has been used for centuries to make rope, clothing, and textiles.

By contrast, marijuana is any cannabis plant that contains more than 0.3% THC.

So whilst science doesn’t differentiate between the two plants, the government definitely does.

Illegal cannabis, produced for recreational use tends to contain high levels of THC as this is the psychoactive compound that gives you the euphoric high. 

Hemp Oil vs CBD Oil - The Facts

Now we know the difference between hemp and marijuana according to the law, how does that affect the differences between Hemp Oil vs CBD Oil?

To make CBD oil, cannabinoids are extracted from the raw material (cannabis plant) using methods like CO2 extraction.

This is a safe and sustainable way of distilling the extract.

The plant extract is then blended with a carrier oil and diluted to the appropriate strength. 

At this point, what we have is CBD oil or hemp oil, there is no distinction between the two.

Keep reading to understand where artistic licensing takes place from rogue vendors.

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Hemp seed oil

As I mentioned before, the part of the cannabis plant that contains CBD is primarily in the bud, the seeds of the cannabis sativa plant have no CBD content!

Hemp seeds however can be a very nutritious source of essential fatty acids, but, just to be super clear, they do not contain CBD or any other cannabinoids.

Hemp seeds and the oil that is extracted from them does contain omega 9, omega 6, and omega 3 fatty acids, as well as essential vitamins like vitamin E.

These essential ingredients give hempseed oil anti-inflammatory properties.

Hemp Seed oil is sometimes labelled as “cannabis sativa seed oil.”

It is commonly found mixed with essential oils as an ingredient in beauty products, and also with the cooking oils.

It can be used as a drying oil because it can harden into a polymer.

Due to its essential fatty acids, hemp seed oil is popular in varnishes, paints, and plasters.

Despite its plethora of uses, hemp seed oil is not the same as CBD oil.

It is more similar in it’s make up and in terms of benefits to other oils containing amino acids such as fish oil or olive oil.

It is also cheaper in price when compared to CBD oil. 

Hemp seed oil doesn’t have some of the potential wellness benefits attributed to CBD products but the labeling and reference to the cannabis Sativa plant can mislead casual buyers, despite being wholly accurate.

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Differences Between Full Spectrum CBD Oil and Broad Spectrum CBD oil?

Cannabis contains hundreds of chemical compounds as we’ve referred to previously as cannabinoids.

When you ingest the whole plant extract, all of these compounds are believed to work harmoniously together to provide what’s known as the “entourage effect.”

Creating different types of CBD oil by altering what chemical compounds are left in can alter the effects.

Full spectrum CBD, broad spectrum CBD and isolate oil are varying types of CBD product created by altering the extraction process.

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What is The Entourage Effect?

The entourage effect is the combined effect of all of the different compounds found in cannabis working together to produce a greater effect than if working separately to produce separate effects.

The three major cannabis compounds that lend to the entourage effect are cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. 

The entourage effect is felt by ingesting the cannabis plant in the most authentic way, closest to how nature would have intended it.

The more the extraction process is refined, the more diluted the entourage effect becomes.

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What Is Full Spectrum (CBD) Hemp Oil?

Full spectrum CBD oil is the result of CO2 extraction.

The term “full spectrum” refers to the full spectrum of different cannabinoids and other chemical compounds found in cannabis associated with the entourage effect. 

Full-spectrum CBD oil has had zero cannabinoids removed, including psychoactive cannabinoids like THC.

Although if this oil has been distilled legally from help (less than 0.3% THC) then there will only be low levels of THC included. 

The reason for keeping every active ingredient goes back to the entourage effect.

All of the cannabinoids work together to give the optimum therapeutic benefit, essentially a holistic approach to CBD use. 

Full-spectrum CBD products should still have a link to their lab report so you can check out exactly what is in the active ingredients list.

A small amount of THC is very unlikely to cause any psychoactive sensations.

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What Is Broad Spectrum CBD Oil?

After the initial extraction process has taken place and you’re left with full-spectrum hemp extract, some CBD companies opt to remove THC from their products.

They do this to ensure there are no psychoactive effects in their products.

The popular term for this final product is ‘broad spectrum CBD oil’. 

Understanding that many consumers aren’t keen on THC but still want to benefit from the entourage effect, most remove only THC to create broad spectrum CBD oil.

Broad spectrum CBD still offers the synergy of the other cannabinoids and there will still be an entourage effect but it may be lessened.

Broad spectrum CBD oil is an excellent choice for those people that don’t want THC in their system.

Broad spectrum CBD products are unlikely to make you fail a drug test but will still give you the benefits of consuming a plant based product with high levels of CBD.

What Is CBD Isolate oil?

If there was ever a product that does what it says on the tin, it is CBD isolate oil.

Yes you guessed it, this is when the CBD cannabinoid has been isolated from all other organic compounds in the plant material.

This is essentially the purest form of CBD (99%+).

When you are looking for a product that is branded as pure CBD it should not contain any other cannabinoids or plant compounds.

There are benefits to consuming pure CBD but remember you are missing out on benefits within the whole-plant extracts and will not receive any of the entourage effect.

Some people prefer to use pure CBD oil as they better understand what they are consuming or because they experience side effects from other cannabinoids.

Hemp Oil vs CBD Oil - The Bottom Line

Let’s look back at what we’ve learnt.

What’s the difference between hemp oil and CBD oil? 

Essentially legal CBD oil and hemp oil are the same thing.

However, “hemp oil” should be viewed with caution.

Many products labelled “hemp oil” are actually hemp seed oil and not CBD oil.

We know that these do not contain any CBD or cannabinoids.

So always look for third party lab analysis to prove that it is CBD oil.

All of their products go to a third party for unbiased lab testing.

The test results display the full cannabinoid profile for each small-batch hemp extract, as well as safety screening for quality assurance.