More and more people are joining the hemp movement. Lauded for its wellness benefits, hemp has become the focal point of a billion-dollar industry that aims to provide people with all-natural products that provide relief in various areas of everyday life.
Today, every part of the hemp plant is used to manufacture products that meet the demands of the growing consumer base. And while hemp seeds get their fair share of recognition, these antioxidant-rich pellets provide entirely different benefits versus CBD-rich hemp flowers.
Hemp seed oil, or simply hemp oil, is the pressed extract of hemp seeds. Cold pressed and unrefined, this oil appears dark in color and finds a comfortable spot on the store shelves of numerous natural wellness vendors across the country.
Previously, hemp seeds were illegal along with hemp itself. The reason was that lawmakers believed that hemp could cause the same mind-altering effects that marijuana does. Of course, they had a logical reason to think that way since both hemp and marijuana come from the same plant.
But after decades of study, researchers discovered that hemp actually didn’t contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the main and only psychoactive compound in all the cannabis plants. Marijuana, on the other hand, contained copious amounts of the organic cannabinoid THC.
This prompted lawmakers to adjust the ban, excluding hemp from their list of controlled substances. This included every part of the plant — from its flowers down to its seeds.
Presently, hemp seeds get sold through registered retailers that offer them to farmers and various other manufacturers that produce things like hemp seed oil. Considered a wellness wonder, hemp seed oil enjoys relative popularity alongside other worthy oils like olive oil, virgin coconut oil, and jojoba oil.
For the record, hemp seeds do contain cannabinoids, but at very low concentrations. According to some studies, there’s only about 6.66 to 64 μg/mL of CBD in hemp seed oil. It also contains THC and CBN but at even lower concentrations (0.3μg/mL and 0.11μg/mL respectively.)
So if it doesn’t even have (enough) cannabinoids in the first place, why was it ever banned? Well, the government didn’t want anyone to grow their own hemp plants during a time when the plant itself was outlawed.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that hemp seed oil isn’t an important or beneficial product. Thousands of researchers have produced hundreds of studies exploring the benefits of hemp seed oil. And the things they’ve discovered point to hemp seed oil’s important for overall wellness.
So maybe hemp seed oil won’t give you your daily dose of CBD. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a few drops anyway. According to experts, hemp seed oil can provide a range of other benefits that CBD itself might not be able to offer.
That’s because as an organic, naturally-derived, plant-based oil, hemp oil contains loads of compounds that have long been recognized as beneficial for human wellness. These include:
You can actually think of hemp seed oil as your all-around wellness cocktail. Rich with vitamins, minerals, and natural compounds, hemp seed oil provides users with a strong dose of necessary micronutrients for optimal well-being.
And while the studies exploring the benefits of hemp seed oil might not be sufficient to draw solid conclusions, researchers strongly recommend the oil for its promising effects. These include:
Yes, it’s legal. Remember that today, the 2018 Farm Bill recognizes cannabis (or marijuana) as illegal. Hemp was officially knocked off of the list of controlled substances after farmers and researchers proved that it can’t cause mind-altering effects.
As long as your hemp seed oil comes from verified hemp plants, then there should be no issue. But it still pays to check with your local laws. Some jurisdictions have levied their own restrictions and rules when it comes to hemp seed oil and hemp seed use and purchase in their jurisdiction.
So while it might be legal on a federal level, it’s still important to check your local laws just to make sure you’re not stepping on any toes with your hemp seed oil use.
If you’re hoping to get your daily dose of CBD, then hemp flower-derived products would still be the best way to go. There are loads of options on the market — from raw hemp buds to extracts, edibles, CBD oils, tinctures, and more. So don’t think that hemp seed oil is your only option for meeting your daily CBD needs.
And although the oil might not provide as much CBD as other parts of the hemp plant, it does offer an assortment of other benefits that could work wonders to keep your wellness in check. So if you’re looking for more than just CBD, adding hemp seed oil to your daily routine might help improve various areas of your everyday.
