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Hemp Seed Oil
Hemp oil is more commonly called hemp seed oil since it’s extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant. It is an amazing food product that’s composed of between 70% and 90% healthy fats (polyunsaturated fatty acids). Additionally, it’s a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, linolenic acids, and tocopherols.
There’s a chance hemp seed oil may also contain both CBD and THC, though this depends on how it’s handled. The majority of hemp seed oils keep THC down to 0.3% or less.
How Hemp Oil Is Made
Manufacturers harvest hemp seeds, and cold press them, much in the same way olive oil is made. The oil is kept in a cold, dark place.
How Hemp Oil Is Used
The primary use of hemp oil is in cooking and adding flavor and nutrition to meals. Many people drizzle it over salads, parfaits, and other meals where an earthy, nutty flavor is desired.
Hemp oil is so healthy that it’s often taken as a direct health supplement by slurping it straight from the spoon.
Industrially, hemp oil is used in varnishes, paints, and other coatings, as well as in linoleum and other oil-based products.
What Are the Benefits of Hemp Oil?
Hemp oil offers a range of health benefits, including boosting omega levels (it has a 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids). This helps with blood pressure, reducing inflammation and pain, and improving cardiovascular health.
Hemp seed oil has a dense profile of nutritional components:
- Omega-3, -6, and -9 essential fatty acids
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Phosphorus
- Iron
- Calcium
- Chlorophyll
- Sulfur
- Carotene
- Antioxidants like vitamin E
Are There Any Side Effects or Health Risks?
There are a few drawbacks to consider. The first is that hemp seed oil can easily go rancid due to its high fat composition. It also has a low flash point, meaning it will start to evaporate or burn at a low temperature. That makes it a poor choice for frying.
The best way to use hemp seed oil is at low temperatures and by storing it in the fridge or freezer.
CBD Oil
CBD is the primary cannabinoid in the hemp plant, and it’s currently got the spotlight as one of the coolest kids in the cannabis gang. While it won’t get you high like THC (which is found primarily in marijuana), it does have a host of health benefits that scientists are working to uncover as we speak.
CBD oil helps the brain and body by delivering CBD along with a carrier oil like coconut oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, and others. This CBD interacts with our bodies’ endocannabinoid systems, which regulate functions like sleep, stress, mood, pain, and inflammation.
How CBD Oil Is Made
Extracting CBD from hemp is a bit more complex than extracting hemp seed oil. Manufacturers extract CBD and other cannabinoids from the hemp plant’s dried buds through a mechanical process involving carbon dioxide.
Manufacturers then add this CBD and its accompanying cannabinoids to the carrier oil until they reach the specified potency. Some manufacturers also add other ingredients for nutrition, aroma, and flavor.
How CBD Oil Is Used
CBD oil is by itself a dietary supplement that people take for anxiety, pain, epilepsy, sleep, and a wide variety of other purposes. They often take it from a medicine dropper, though it appears in many other forms like drinks, beauty products, creams, and pet products.
What Are the Benefits of CBD Oil?
CBD oil has a multitude of benefits, many of which involve its ability to restore our bodies and minds to homeostasis (in other words, our state of natural balance). The benefits of CBD include the possibility of relieving:
- Pain
- Epileptic seizures
- Mental struggles like depression, anxiety, and PTSD
- Digestion
- Inflammation
- Oxidative stress
- Hypertension
- Insomnia
- Cancer
Are There Any Side Effects or Health Risks?
CBD is famously free of side effects, though it can cause dryness of the mouth, nausea, diarrhea, and mood changes if either it’s taken in excess or it simply doesn’t agree with you.
Summary
Hemp seed oil is great for physical health and nutrition, and CBD is excellent for relieving physical and mental ailments.
