Hemp Gummies – Are They the Same as CBD Gummies?

The hemp plant gained a lot of attention as an increasing number of people are looking for more natural ways to improve their health. This plant has its humble beginnings thousands of years ago as ancient societies used its fibers for a wide range of purposes. Past civilizations made cloth, rope, paper, building materials, and food out of it. Modern societies continue to discover versatile uses for hemp to this day. The hemp industry is growing as its reputation in the health field continues to expand due to the intriguing possibilities of its purported benefits. People can find hemp extracts in beauty products, food products, and even hemp gummies.

What is Hemp?

Hemp, known scientifically as cannabis sativa, is a plant in the Cannabaceae family. It is a tall, coarse plant that originated in Central Asia. It saw extensive cultivation in the past due to its useful fiber. Through the centuries, it saw expansion to the Mediterranean and to the rest of Europe. The Spanish brought it to the Americas in the 1500s.

The different parts of the hemp plant each undergo processing for different purposes. Hemp roots saw processing to harvest their medicinal properties. People harvest the stalk for its extremely strong fibers used in producing textile products, paper, and building material. The seeds, on the other hand, were animal feed and, eventually, nutritious food for people as well. Later on, it also became a wide range of food and healthcare products like commercial skin oils and nutritional supplements. The leaves and flowers also saw application in a wide variety of medicinal and therapeutic purposes.

What Is the Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana?

People often get hemp confused with marijuana and mistakenly use these names interchangeably. Both of them have the botanical name, cannabis sativa. Yet, they are different classifications of the plant genus. The difference that sets these two cannabis varieties apart is the concentration of the phytochemical tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. THC is the psychoactive substance in the cannabis plant that causes a person to feel high.

The U.S. Agricultural Act of 2018 stated that the amount of THC in hemp could be no more than 0.3% by dry weight. At this low amount, hemp is not psychoactive and, thus, does not fall into the category of controlled substances. A cannabis plant with more than 0.3% of THC, however, is legally the same as marijuana as far as law enforcement cares. Therefore, it will fall under the regulation of the U.S. Controlled Substances Act.

There are also differences between how hemp and marijuana look because of how they grow. Since farmers grow hemp for its very strong fibers in their stalks, they breed these plants to be tall and lean, usually outdoors. For marijuana, they cultivate it for their phytochemical compounds found in the flower. The more flower the plant has, the more of this compound there is to extract. So, marijuana plants tend to be bushier and shorter than hemp plants. Most of the time, big marijuana growers grow it indoors in a greenhouse setting.

What Is Hemp Seed Oil?

Hemp seed oil is a compound that comes from the hemp plant’s seeds after undergoing cold pressing. Since it does not come from the stalks and leaves of the grown plant, it has no cannabinoids like THC or CBD. The unrefined oil has a clear to dark green color, and it has a nutty flavor. The darker-colored oil has a grassier flavor. Further refinement can potentially remove the flavor altogether and lighten the color.

What Are the Chemical Components of Hemp Oil?

About 76% of hemp oil is polyunsaturated fats. This includes both omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. This breaks down into:

• 17% alpha-linolenic acid.
• 3% gamma-linolenic acid (both omega-3s).
• 54% linoleic acid.
• 2% stearidonic acid (both omega-6s).

It ranks low in saturated fat, around 5% to 7%. Monounsaturated fat levels are about 5% to 11%.

Hemp oil contains no cholesterol. One tablespoon of oil provides 10 grams of protein. It also contains Vitamins B, C, D, and E, calcium, magnesium, iron, arginine, and other trace nutrients.

What Are the Benefits of Hemp Oil?

Hemp oil offers many benefits for total body health. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is around 3:1, which is the ideal balance for long-term health. The body does not produce essential fatty acids naturally, so you must gather them from food sources with a proper balance of them. When your fatty acids are not in balance, it can lead to a variety of health problems.

Hemp oil contains arginine, which is an amino acid shown to be beneficial to heart health. Eating foods rich in arginine can help in reducing your risk of developing heart disease.

The essential fatty acid in hemp oil helps reduce inflammation in the body. Diseases like cancers, diabetes, asthma, and heart problems are things you can trace back to the body’s excess inflammatory processes. The fatty acids act as an anti-inflammatory and can mitigate these conditions.

Hemp oil can relieve many symptoms of skin problems and promote healthier skin. When applied topically, it is compatible with most skin types and does not clog pores. It moisturizes skin and keeps it hydrated. It can help your skin balance its own oil-producing properties. When in dry condition, your skin tends to try to compensate by producing excess oil. This can lead to clogged pores and trigger a flare-up of acne.

Hemp oil helps bring your skin back into balance by nourishing your skin without clogging your pores. The anti-inflammatory properties can also relieve acne symptoms. Studies show that because hemp oil is a rich source of polyunsaturated fats, it can help reduce symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

Is Hemp Seed Oil the Same as CBD Oil?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, a phytochemical compound found in the cannabis plant. CBD affects the neurotransmitters in the nervous system that regulate sleep, pain, appetite, and immune responses. Like hemp oil, CBD is not psychoactive.

Hemp oil and CBD oil come from the same plant, but the two oils are quite different. Hemp oil is cold-pressed from hemp seeds and contains no CBD. On the contrary, manufacturers extract CBD oil from the stalks, leaves, and flowers from the grown hemp plant.

While hemp oil provides nutritional benefits, CBD oil provides additional medicinal benefits due to its effects on neurotransmitters.

Hemp Gummies – What Are They?

Hemp gummies are chewy candies infused with hemp oil. These are usually infused with the taste with the familiar fruit flavors found in regular gummy candy for kids masking the hemp’s flavor somewhat. They are great for people who might not like the flavor of hemp oil. It is another option in providing hemp oil through edibles. It is an easy way to get the health benefits of hemp oil by chewing on tasty candies. They provide a range of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that are present in hemp oil.

What Are the Effects of Hemp Gummies?

Eating hemp gummies provides many potential health benefits. You can get an extra dose of essential fatty acids mentioned above. These fatty acids may support the health of your cardiovascular and circulatory systems. These can help with improving skin conditions like eczema. They can also help in addressing illnesses exacerbated by inflammation in the body. You can take hemp gummies as a health supplement to give you an extra boost in nutrients.

Hemp Gummies and CBD Gummies: How Do They Compare?

Both hemp and CBD gummies have nutritional benefits. Both are delicious ways to give your body the extra nutrients that it needs. However, CBD gummies go one step further in providing other benefits in addition to nutritional benefits.

CBD gummies underwent infusion of CBD oil that may give them different, more potent, additional potential benefits. Because they contain cannabidiol, CBD gummies might help in relieving stress, calming anxiety, and other symptoms that affect the nervous system.

Because CBD oil can have positive effects on neurotransmitters, it can also help in managing chronic pain like joint and arthritic pain. CBD oil also has the potential to treat anxiety and depression. CBD affects the brain’s level of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that affects behavior and mood. Chewing CBD gummies can provide the individual with these mental health benefits.

Hemp gummies have nutritional benefits, but they lack the CBD gummies’ wider range of benefits precisely because they lack CBD. Thus, hemp gummies fall short in providing potent pain relief, for example.

Hemp Gummies – The Takeaway

When taking all into consideration, CBD gummies may provide a wider range of benefits than hemp gummies do. CBD gummies may be able to support better mental health. If there are feelings of anxiety or depression, some people find that CBD gummies can help in taking the edge off by balancing the levels of serotonin. It has the potential to help in managing chronic pain and help you get a better night’s sleep. Instead of taking a pain killer, some people prefer taking CBD products to help in pain management. Additionally, it also might regulate mood in a more natural way.

One advantage of gummies is that you can carry them in a pocket or purse. You can take them whenever there is a need for extra support in relieving anxiety.

You should always get your gummier from a high-quality manufacturer; thus, do a background check on any product you are considering. It is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before taking any supplements. CBD gummies and hemp gummies can both helpful supplements, each working in its own way to improve your health.