Hemp Oil vs. Hempseed Oil vs. CBD Oil: What's the Difference?

In the words of Shakespeare:  "What's in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."  So what's the difference between hemp oil, hempseed oil, CBD, cannabis, THC?  What matters is what something is, not what it is called or (in this case) labeled to be.  For those seeking the therapeutic effects (and not simply the nutritional effects or perhaps the psychoactive effects) from the multi-talented hemp or cannabis plant, it matters.  And we're here to try to shed some much-needed light on the subject.

Hemp oil or hempseed oil and CBD oil are not the same.

CBD Oil is made from the leaves and flowers, and stalks of the hemp plant -- the only part of the plant where CBD (cannabidiol) exists.  Hemp oil or hempseed oil is (as the name suggests) made from hemp seeds with little to nonexistent CBD content.

Hemp oil or hempseed oil comes from the seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant.

The seeds do not contain CBD, but they still may have a robust amount of nutrients, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, nutritional antioxidants, essential amino acids, vitamins B and D, and other useful compounds that may offer significant health benefits.  These products are thought to offer benefits to improving skin, GI, and anti-aging conditions, and are also used in fibers, beauty products, food and nutritional products.  Hemp oil or hempseed oil contains no THC so the oil will not present psychoactive effects.  But do not be confused -- these products are not CBD.  Amazon policy does not allow the sale of CBD, but yet offers a massive amount of products labeled "hemp oil" or products made with "hempseed oil", and they are selling like hotcakes!  And many offer benefits as mentioned above, but they are not CBD.  To make matters worse, some crafty CBD companies are even fudging labels to meet Amazon's "No CBD" policies, so the best advice is...buyers beware!

CBD oil comes from the flowers and leaves of the plant.

Hemp-derived CBD is grown specifically for its high concentration of CBD and low concentration of THC (under the 2018 Farm Bill, less than 0.3% THC).  Currently, sophisticated extraction processes can produce an extract rich in CBD and other plant components, or can extract pure CBD isolate that is THC free.

Growing research and experiential evidence indicate that hemp-derived CBD products have profound and diverse therapeutic benefits -- including relief from pain and inflammation, stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders -- and have limited side effects or safety concerns.  But do not be misled.  Unfortunately, the hemp/CBD/cannabis industry suffers from murky federal regulations, disparate state regulations, and a clear lack of universally enforced industry testing and labeling standards.

The best way to choose your hemp-derived CBD products is to do your due diligence so that you can trust your source.  Check out the company's website for important product and dosage information.  And read the label!  All products should be appropriately labeled for content/concentration/potency of "CBD" or "cannabidiol" (not "hemp oil" or "hempseed oil"), should be formulated from organically-grown USA hemp, and should include a QR code that links directly to a third-party independent lab testing Certificate of Analysis for potency, purity, and quality.

What is CBD?

CBD is one of at least 100 chemical compounds unique to the cannabis sativa or hemp plant.  These compounds are referred to as cannabinoids. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the cannabinoid most commonly associated with marijuana.  However, unlike THC, CBD is non psychoactive and has been shown to offer a myriad of wellness benefits without the "high" effect of THC.  An ever-increasing number of health studies and growing experiential evidence show that CBD may be helpful in promoting calm, addressing muscle tension and soreness, and supporting the musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, nervous, and immune systems, among other useful applications.  Adding to these benefits, CBD is considered to be non habit-forming and well tolerated, making it a desirable supplement choice.

Cannabinoids are naturally effective in our bodies because, throughout our evolutionary development, we have been hardwired to gain the benefits of the cannabis sativa plant through the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex signaling network within the mammalian body that functions as a lock and key mechanism when cannabinoids are present or introduced into the bloodstream. These receptors exist throughout the body -- nervous, musculoskeletal, digestive, immune, endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, and other systems -- and are the reason why cannabinoids can have such diverse and profound effects.  All mammals, including humans and companion animals, have an ECS, and the body produces "endo" (internal) cannabinoids (naturally occurring substances such as anandamide) that operate to keep the body's systems in balance.  However, when an external force such as injury, illness, or stress is introduced, our body's own endocannabinoids may be depleted, resulting in an interruption to homeostasis that can manifest as anxiety, pain, inflammation, sleep disturbance, compromised immune function, and more.  CBD and related "phyto" (plant) cannabinoids are natural compounds that can supplement the body's own cannabinoids and lock into our cannabinoid receptors to address the imbalance and restore homeostasis. 

Laboratory Testing

We all want to get exactly what we’re paying for.  Unfortunately, all CBD products are not created equal.  Unscrupulous companies make wild product claims or may mislabel or mislead about the amount of CBD in the product.  As discussed above, some products may contain only hemp oil or hempseed oil, and do not provide the therapeutic effects of CBD.  Poor lab standards or manufacturing techniques can lead to a product that contains little or no CBD, or way too much.  So how can you tell the quality products from the rubbish?

In an industry that’s largely unregulated, many prominent companies have taken it upon themselves to self-impose quality control and testing standards.  Most companies that take this step will be happy to share their Certificates of Analysis (CoA) with consumers.  If an online manufacturer or a retail store doesn’t have the information, or refuses to share it, it is best to avoid that product and the retailer.

At Trove, we are proud of what goes into our products.  So we offer full transparency of our analytics process.  We test every batch of our CBD for potency, purity, and quality.  This ensures our final products do not contain any detectable amount of THC.  Additionally, we screen for the presence of any undesirable cannabinoids, bacteria, yeast, mold, residual solvents (VOC), pesticides, and heavy metals.  Dose accuracy is vital to the efficacy of any health supplement. We perform regular lot testing on our entire product line to verify cannabinoid content and concentration so that you know exactly what you are buying.

To take this process a step further and close the gap between manufacturer and consumer, Trove places a label with a QR code on the bottom of every CBD product we make.  This code can be scanned with any smartphone and will link directly to Trove’s website where we’ve made the CoA from every batch we’ve produced available to the public. 

Why is this important?  Due to the nature of the industry boom that has taken place with CBD, it’s hard to know who the legitimate manufacturers are.  And without packaging and labeling standards, it may be difficult to know how much, if any, CBD is really in your product.  Furthermore, the product you may be looking at online or on the retailer’s shelf may contain trace amounts of THC, which is still a controlled substance and may bring unwanted effects or compromise a drug test.  It is important to know that the products you purchase are safe and legal.

User Experience

If you’ve tried CBD products from other manufacturers in the past, you may have had the unpleasant experience of squirting a dropper-full of oil in your mouth that tasted like lawn clippings.  Or maybe you bought a product at a hard to pass up price, only to find that it didn’t seem to do anything for you or your pet.  At Trove, we understand those frustrations.  From the outset, we wanted to change the marketplace.  Hence our tagline:  “High-end wellness without the high”.  We sought to bring the same level of quality and user experience you would expect from a luxury cosmetic or premium supplement company to the world of CBD.  We achieved this by first doing exhaustive research and testing on effective dosages and concentrations.  This is the foundation of our products.  First and foremost, they must be effective.  Next we spread out into the marketplace.  What works and what doesn’t?  What makes products go from a tolerable supplement you have to take, to something you are excited to add to your health regimen?  What formulations are not only effective, but also eagerly gobbled up by horses, dogs -- and even cats -- as well as convenient for their owners?  Then we innovated!  Crafting essential oil blends for added health and wellness benefits, also ensuring that our products taste great, feel luxurious, and smell delightful.  We added tamper evident, graduated droppers for security and consistent ease of use.  And we expanded our product offerings from wellness products for people and animals to a must-have line of luxury skincare and beauty products.

Customer service

We’ve never met a horse, dog, cat, or person who didn’t like Trove products, but if you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, we’re here to help.  We’d like every Trove customer to be a return customer.  So if the Trove product you received from our online store at www.trovecbd.com doesn’t meet your expectations, you can get your money back.  Just let us know as soon as possible, for sure within 30 days of delivery, and we will be happy to replace it, exchange it, or refund your purchase in full.  No questions asked.  If you receive an item that is damaged or defective, please contact us at info@trovecbd.com as soon as possible, but in no more than 30 days from the date of delivery, and we will help you arrange for prompt replacement of the same item.  

As always, our customer support team is here for you.  Please don’t hesitate to submit a question via our online contact us form, email us at info@trovecbd.com, or reach out by phone at (833) 468-7683.  We encourage you to consult with your healthcare or veterinary practitioner about adding Trove for you or your animals, and we are happy to help you decide what product is right, discuss dosage recommendations, or simply answer questions that you may have regarding CBD and how it can help improve health and wellness for you and your family.

Copyright © 2021 Deborah Carter All rights reserved