What is the difference between CBD oil and hemp oil?

A drop of oil

Let’s be honest, CBD product terminology is confusing. Before we jump into what the difference between CBD oil and hemp oil is, it is really important that we state the basics.

Cannabidiol and hemp oils all come from the same parent genus, Cannabis.

The cannabis genus has three main species:

  1. Sativa
  2. Indica
  3. Ruderails

To make things easy, I’ll focus on Sativa because that’s where the two terms are most relatable and often misinterpreted.

While CBD and hemp oil both come from the same plant species, depending on the parts of the plant and how it is extracted, the product types are actually different.

More details on that below in the ‘differences’ section.

What is CBD oil and what is it used for?

CBD/Cannabidiol, one of the 100+ cannabinoids (strains) found in the Cannabis Sativa plant. Unlike THC (psychoactive) that’s prevalent in marijuana, Cannabidiol is non-psychoactive and is found in both hemp and CBD oil.

The difference is how much CBD.

Reputable CBD-rich products will list approximately how much CBD is present in each drop.

These oils often stay sought out because of its medicinal and therapeutic benefits provided; without the ‘high’ often associated with marijuana.

Some of the benefits are treatments for anxiety, smoking cessation, psoriasis, insomnia, psychosis, nausea and vomiting, inflammation, chronic pain, seizures and epilepsy are a few to name.

The oils have little to no THC (less than 0.3%) and high in CBD content.

If you are ever unsure about whether a product is rich in CBD, check the nutrition facts on the packaging.

If the terms Cannabidiol, whole hemp extract, full-spectrum, or phytocannabinoids are nowhere to be found, be wary and take the additional step to research the company.

One good indicator that the product has high-quality standards for CBD is if the company is transparent about its extraction process and lab test results.

CBD oil extraction is much different than hemp oil extraction, as it is produced through a process called solvent extraction.

Solvent extraction is an extraction method that typically uses CO2 or ethanol to separate the different compounds of the hemp plant.

The process takes the stalks, flowers or leaves and separates the cannabinoids (CBD), terpenes (flavor profile/aroma) and trichomes (cream of the cannabis plant), isolating the cannabinoid-packed oil. Read our glossary of terms to better understand their definitions.

What is hemp oil and how is it different from CBD oil?

‘Hemp’; one of the most loosely used terms and often mistaken as having high concentrates of cannabidiol. Much of this remains on how hemp and CBD are marketed in the marketplace today.

Unlike CBD oils where the extraction comes from either the whole plant or certain parts of the plant, hemp oil comes from the seeds of the plant. The seeds contain low amounts of CBD and is extracted through a different process called cold-pressed.

This process mechanically removes most of the vitamins contained in the seeds to give us a rich nutritional product.

Hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats, essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6 acids, a great source of protein. Also known to have high amounts of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc.

While hemp oils are incredibly nutritious, it will not give you any of the therapeutic benefits CBD rich oils will.

If you plan to buy ‘hemp oil’ for its nutritional benefits, you’ll want to look out for terms surrounding cold-pressed hemp oil or hemp seed oil in the ingredients list.

Amazon and eBay are filled with sellers that position its oils for relief type benefits. When in reality they are selling a nutritional dietary supplement.

The biggest reason why we wouldn’t recommend buying CBD oils from Amazon/eBay is because there are no third party lab tests available and descriptions are too vague.

So you never know how much cannabidiol you’re actually getting (if any).

What is the difference between CBD oil and hemp oil?

As you are venturing into the world of oils, save this cheat sheet below to reference the key differences:

Double reminder: always remember to check the ingredients list to understand what exactly is in the product!

Still confused after checking the ingredients list? The next step would be to search for the company online. Look to see if they are transparent about its processing method and if they have third-party test results publicly available.

There are a handful of CBD companies that will list its lab test results for anyone to see. If you can’t find the company online, steer clear as there is no visibility on the company or its quality.

Return to the rest of our CBD education articles, leave us a comment or browse our in-depth reviews.