Is Hemp and CBD the Same Thing?

If you've ever seen people using hemp and CBD interchangeably, it's easy to become confused. In reality, the two are very different. 

We explain the differences between hemp and CBD to help you decide which you can benefit from the most.

Key Takeaways

• Hemp plants have been cultivated for thousands of years.
• The plants produce many compounds, including CBD.
• When these compounds are extracted, the resulting oil is called CBD oil or hemp extract.
• CBD has many potential benefits and is widely used for relaxation, recreation, sleep, mood, pain, and more.

Learn More: Can Delta-8 Be Used To Help With Pain?

Understanding CBD Oil and Hemp Oil

Meredith Farrow, founder of Clean Remedies, says:

"Hemp is a plant that produces many cannabinoids, including CBD. Both hemp and CBD have many uses and potential benefits."

If you've ever tried to buy hemp or CBD products, you've likely seen lots of seemingly similar terms.

CBD products are often defined as hemp-derived. Oils might be called CBD oil or hemp extract. Then there's hemp oil and hemp seed oil.

In some cases, these terms might start to seem interchangeable. But hemp and CBD are actually quite different.

Hemp is the name of a plant. CBD is a compound produced by hemp plants.

That's the fundamental difference. But what does that mean for specific CBD and hemp products? And does that difference mean hemp and CBD have different potential benefits?

The Difference Between Hemp and CBD

To understand the difference between hemp and CBD, we need to specify what each is.

Hemp

Hemp is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant. It has tall, thin stalks and iconic fan-shaped leaves.

Hemp plants have been cultivated for thousands of years. Traditionally, it was prized in large part for the fibers taken from the stalks of the plant. These strong fibers make for excellent ropes, textiles for clothes, and even building materials.

Hemp plants have also long been used for their seeds. Today, hemp seeds are widely considered a superfood. They have a rich nutritional profile, with protein, essential fatty acids, and minerals.

The 2018 Farm Bill made cultivating hemp legal under federal law. Under the law, hemp was defined as containing no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight. In other words, hemp plants do not produce enough THC to have an intoxicating effect.

Today, it's the flowers of the hemp plant that are particularly prized. These flowers, or buds, are packed with hundreds of potent compounds. That includes over 100 cannabinoids, including CBD.

CBD

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid. It's found in both cannabis plants and hemp plants.

Unlike THC, CBD does not have psychoactive effects. It can't get you high.

Today, cultivators have selectively bred hemp plants to enhance their cannabinoid content. Federal law only restricts THC content, not CBD content. Some strains of hemp can contain up to 20% CBD.

CBD Oil

So, how do you get the CBD from the hemp plant? One way is to smoke the hemp flower. Another, more popular method is to extract it.

There are several extraction processes. Some use solvents, like ethanol, to pull the cannabinoids and other compounds from the hemp plant. Others are more high-tech, using pressurized CO2 to separate the desired compounds from the hemp plant material.

After extracting the compounds, you're left with an oil. That's often called CBD oil, because it's often produced and taken with CBD in mind. It's also called hemp extract, because it was extracted from hemp.

When you buy CBD oil or hemp extract, you're usually not getting this pure oil. Instead, it's first mixed with a carrier oil, like olive or coconut oil. One of the best carrier oils is MCT oil, which is produced from coconuts.

These carrier oils serve a few purposes. The raw hemp extract usually needs to be diluted, both for dosing and to make it the right viscosity and texture for easy use. The fat in carrier oils also enhances the CBD's bioavailability.

Plus, high-quality carrier oils like MCT oil provide additional potential health benefits.

There are three main formulations for CBD oil.

The first, which we described, involves extracting all of the compounds in the hemp plant. That produces full-spectrum CBD oil, or full-spectrum hemp extract. The "full-spectrum" refers to the fact that the extract contains the whole range of natural compounds produced by the hemp plant.

Of course, that range includes THC. As we mentioned, hemp plants (and therefore hemp extracts) legally must contain no more than 0.3% THC. At those levels, the THC won't be intoxicating. But it might trigger a positive drug test.

If you don't want any THC in your hemp extract, you can choose broad-spectrum CBD oil, or broad-spectrum hemp extract. These are extracts with all of the natural compounds produced by hemp, except for THC. The THC is removed.

Some people wonder why CBD products contain these other compounds. After all, isn't the point to be taking CBD?

Well, these other compounds are believed to make the CBD more effective. It's a phenomenon called the entourage effect. And they have plenty of their own potential health benefits, too.

However, there are times when you might want CBD and nothing else. For that, grab CBD isolate.

When CBD extracted from hemp plants is used to make CBD products, it's referred to as hemp-derived CBD. That distinguishes it from CBD products made from cannabis plants, which remain illegal under federal law.

Bonus: Does CBD Actually Help With Muscle Recovery?

Hemp Seed Oil

Hemp seed oil and CBD oil are quite different. Unlike CBD oil, hemp seed oil is made from hemp seeds, not hemp flowers.

To make hemp seed oil, manufacturers usually cold-press hemp seeds to extract the oil. The result is a delicious food-grade oil with many uses.

Hemp seeds have a much lower cannabinoid content than hemp flowers or buds. As such, hemp seed oil usually contains much lower levels of CBD than CBD oil.

What hemp seed oil does have is nutrients. We already mentioned the nutritional benefits of hemp seeds; the seeds' beneficial compounds, from omega fatty acids to vitamin E, are also present in hemp seed oil.

Potential Benefits of CBD

We've covered some of the potential benefits of hemp and hemp seed oil. The nutrition. Taste. Fibers.

But what about CBD?

CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system. That's a complex system that helps support and regulate many crucial bodily functions, from mood to memory to pain and more.

By interacting with this system, CBD provides many potential health benefits.

For example, one of the most common reasons people use CBD is for relaxation. One 2024 review of several studies concluded that CBD had a "significant impact" on stress, in both the short-term and long-term.

Research also suggests that CBD can support sleep. For example, one 2023 study found that CBD enhanced sleep. Participants in the study also said they felt healthier overall after taking CBD.

Another common reason people use CBD is for pain. One 2024 review of dozens of studies concluded that CBD has both anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. A separate review from the same year similarly concluded that CBD may provide pain reduction.

Where to Get Hemp-Based CBD Products

Today, there are more hemp and CBD products available than ever before. But not all products are made equal.

To ensure you're buying high-quality products, look out for manufacturers that submit their products to independent labs for testing. Clean Remedies tests all of its hemp extract products with a third-party lab for purity.

CBD oil is one of the most popular types of CBD products. It's extremely versatile. You can take it straight from the dropper for fast-acting effects, mix it with your favorite food or drink, and use it to make delicious homemade edibles.

Clean Remedies' Full-Spectrum CBD Tincture is made from organic full-spectrum hemp extract. It's crafted from the whole plant, preserving the natural synergy of cannabinoids and terpenes and enhancing the restorative benefits of CBD.

If you prefer your CBD oil with zero THC, try our Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil Tincture. It provides the same broad range of cannabinoids naturally produced by the hemp plant, just without THC.

Another popular way to take CBD is with edibles. We have a few different kinds of edibles, tailored to enhance specific effects.

One example is our Relax & Calm CBD Gummies. They're made from organic broad-spectrum hemp extract, which means zero THC. Instead, the CBD is blended with natural flavors to produce a delicious gummy that provides a gentle sense of relaxation and balance.

Our Sleep & Soothe CBD Gummies take that ritual of relaxation to the next level. They blend CBD with other sleep-supporting ingredients, such as GABA and L-Theanine.

"This is a great product for anyone that has trouble relaxing or sleeping in the evening," explains Clean Remedies founder Meredith Farrow. "I take two gummies on nights that I'm really stressed out, and one gummy on other nights."

If you prefer something a little more uplifting, check out our Energy & Focus CBD Gummies. Broad-spectrum hemp extract is blended with caffeine, B-12, and L-Theanine to support clarity and calm energy without jitters or a crash.

And what about CBD isolate? Well, we offer 99%+ Pure CBD Isolate Powder. It's a flavorless, versatile powder that's completely free from artificial ingredients. Add it to a recipe, mix it with a morning beverage, or blend it into your supplement routine.

Conclusion

CBD and hemp are related but different terms. Hemp plants produce CBD, a cannabinoid. When you extract that CBD, you produce a hemp extract or CBD oil.

CBD has many potential benefits. People use it for relaxation, sleep, pain, and more. If you want to get CBD products, including CBD oil, make sure to check for quality by ensuring they were tested by a third-party lab.

Keep Reading: How Long Does It Take for CBD to Make Me Feel Relaxed?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Is Better, CBD or Hemp?

That depends on what your goal is. Hemp contains fibers that are great for making materials like ropes and textiles. Hemp seeds and hemp seed oil are extremely nutritious.

CBD, meanwhile, has many potential health benefits. It's used for relaxation, pain, sleep, mood, and more.

Does Hemp or CBD Help With Pain?

CBD is widely used for pain. Research suggests it has analgesic, or pain-relieving, properties.

Is Taking Hemp Daily the Same as CBD Daily?

Not necessarily. Hemp extract contains CBD, so taking that daily might be the same as taking CBD daily. But hemp seed oil does not contain much, if any, CBD. Taking that daily would not be the same as taking CBD daily.

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Clean Remedies is a woman-owned, independent family business that uses clean and natural hemp extract to create products that are free from harmful chemicals, cruelty-free, and made in the USA, meant to benefit your well-being and meet our own high standards of efficacy. For CBD facts, product discounts, and more, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.