The world of hemp-infused products can get confusing. Some products are labeled as CBD oil while some are labeled as hemp oil, and others might be called hemp extract – it’s a mess. Here’s a quick guide for the different types of CBD oil & what they are. This should prove helpful if you’re asking yourself: are CBD oil and hemp oil the same thing?
There are 4 main types of hemp oil:
- Full spectrum hemp oil: this type of CBD oil will contain not only CBD, but other cannabinoids like CBG, CBN, and THC. In order for a full spectrum hemp oil to be federally legal, it must contain less than 0.3% THC.
- Broad spectrum hemp oil: this type of CBD oil is similar to full spectrum, only it is refined to remove all traces of THC. That’s right, broad spectrum hemp oil is completely THC free. However, it will still contain other cannabinoids and terpenes. Broad spectrum hemp extract-infused products are also referred to as hemp distillate or CBD distillate.
- CBD isolate oil: This type of CBD oil contains nothing but CBD and a carrier oil. No terpenes, no additional cannabinoids, just pure CBD along with whatever carrier oil the CBD is suspended in.
- Hemp seed oil: Hemp seed oil is not CBD oil. Hemp seeds do not contain cannabinoids or terpenes and therefore it will not provide any similar beneficial effects to CBD oil.
Don’t forget about the carrier oil!
Another important differentiator of CBD oils is the carrier oil that they use. A carrier oil is a necessary part of hemp & CBD oil because it’s how our body absorbs the cannabinoids. Some of the most popular carrier oils are:
- MCT oil
- Olive oil
- Hemp seed oil
- Coconut oil
- Sunflower oil
- Avocado oil
Want to learn more? Read on about the differences between full spectrum and broad spectrum hemp.