Usage Archives ⋆ Carolina Hemp Hut

Posted on June 4, 2020July 2, 2020 by Editorial Staff — Leave a comment

What is Hemp Seed Oil?

In our earlier article on Hemp Oil, we examined its source and its commonly attributed benefits. We discussed a little about “What exactly is hemp oil?”

We considered it’d be very helpful to present the most commonly asked questions with regard to Hemp Oil and its cousin, Hemp Oil Extract (including CBD).

What is hemp oil good for?

Hempseed oil is often referred to as “hemp oil,” and it’s harvested by cold-pressing hemp seeds. Hemp seeds, as you may already know, are the seeds of the Cannabis plants. In the United States, the most common seed products come from the Cannabis Sativa plants. Hemp seeds have a rich nutrient profile, lots of good fats and fatty acids and carries a wide range of nutrients. Hemp seed oil can help skin health, inflammation, brain & hearth health. Hemp seed oil is a worthy addition into anyone’s diet.

Is hemp oil and CBD oil the same thing?

Hemp Oil is often also called Hempseed Oil. It’s very often confused with Hemp Oil Extract. Although the pressed hemp seeds result in very nutritious and beneficial anti-inflammatory properties in Hemp Oil, they’re NOT the same thing as CBD. Cannabidiol or CBD is just one of the many cannabinboids found within the extract from the flowers and often the stems and leaves (whole plant extract). CBD and the other cannabinoids have shown great promise in assisting with discomfort from many physical and psychological problems.

Does Hemp Oil help you sleep?

It’s possible to find retailers claiming that hemp oil aids in sleep or that it makes you sleepy. While the jury is still out on how effective CBD and related cannabinoids are for sleep, there has been no proof that hemp seed extract or hemp oil is useful for improving sleep directly.

Is Hemp Oil safe to take?

Since Hemp Oil is different from CBD and other cannabinoids resulting from the extract of the aerial parts of the Hemp Plant, it’s both readily available and legal in all 50 States. Many people find it useful in salads and recipes as it assists in boosting beneficial Omega fatty acids. As with other diet-related oils, Hemp Oil is safe to take as long as too much is not consumed at one time. This may often result in diarrhea or intestinal discomfort.

What are the benefits of Hemp Oil?

Hemp Seed Oil has a significant amount of naturally occurring linoleic acid and oleic acids. These are known to play a vital role in skin health and anti-aging. Since these cannot be produced by humans naturally, inclusion of hemp seed oil in the diet is beneficial. Hemp Seed oil, however, is exceptional with its inclusion of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory while simultaneously encouraging skin growth and new cell generation. Skin care products containing hemp seed oil are likely to improve skin health better than non-GLA oils.

Is Hemp Oil useful to treat pain?

Hemp Seed Oil may help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as we age. More significant benefits may appear due to the natural anti-inflammatory aspects of the GLA along with the other Omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re suffering from eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, or similar, then hemp seed oil may be an important and helpful weapon in your health arsenal. While the anti-inflammatory properties of hemp oil are wonderful, there’s limited abatement from discomfort in most cases.

Is Hemp Oil good for a beauty regimen or skin care?

Absolutely. The naturally occurring lionoleic acid and oleic acids help with skin care immensely. The oil acts as a mild anti-inflammatory agent while working naturally with the skin – not clogging pores as many people would expect. Plus, it’s lower price point as compared to over the counter and premium beauty products makes is a good choice for a more natural and affordable approach to health and beauty.

Posted on March 28, 2020March 28, 2020 by David Pratt Carter — Leave a comment

What do Isolate, Broad Spectrum and Full Spectrum mean?

“I keep seeing Isolate and Broad Spectrum and Full Spectrum”

We really don’t want a lot of confusion among our customers. People come into our stores and frequently have some bewilderment when it comes to what they’re actually getting. What we end up discovering is that most of the time, they know enough about CBD and Hemp Oil Extract to be in the store and curious, but not enough to to make the wise choices. This is where we come in. We start out by helping them with the answer to: “What do isolate, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum mean?”

Many people are becoming more aware of the source of CBD and other cannabinoids: The Hemp Plant. The innocuous hemp plant or cannabis sativa is often confused with it’s kissing cousing, marijuana. They’re both from the same family, but they have different behaviors due to the compounds they contain. Think of it this way, a Great Dane and a Chihuahua would admittedly dogs. However, we know that they are completely different in size, temperament, behavior and even bark. Hemp and Marijuana are the same as dogs in this regard.

When the a crop of hemp is taken to an extractor, there are many steps to the total extraction process possible for the mass of plant material. Extraction is what is used to remove the key compounds from the biomass (the hemp crop). The results the extraction starts with full spectrum crude. This is further processed into many forms, particularly Isolate, Broad and Full Spectrum extracts.

The terms are often confused as many product manufacturer presently try to avoid the hassles associated with some sales platforms (such as Amazon.com) and payment processors (most payment processors for retail will not support Hemp retail sales still). This simple guide will provide the best starting point for most people beginning with the world of Hemp and cannabinoids:

1. Isolate

This one is pretty clear to many, but it still may be confusing. First, it’s an Isolate of something. For the hemp products, this means Isolate of Cannabidiol (CBD). When an extraction process removed all other compounds from the hemp oil except for the Cannabidiol, the result is often called just Isolate. This of course is the shortened form of “Isolated Cannabidiol”. The beauty of CBD isolate is that it’s very easy to mix in liquids of various types and it is odorless and relatively tasteless. Many edible manufacturers use Isolate instead of any other form because of the lack of taste or flavor.

2. Broad Spectrum

Hemp Oil Extract starts with full spectrum crude. Further extraction processes on this crude will result in cleaner (less taste, less plant material) distillate. It’s possible to create what is called Broad Spectrum by targeting the specific compound of Δ-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and removing it as the rest of the compounds “pass through” and become part of the cleaner distillate. This effectively makes the product almost a full spectrum, but is missing the THC, the key compound which is associated with the “high” from marijuana. Keep in mind, you cannot get high from hemp products if they are within the legal limits of THC. This is why Broad Spectrum is very popular for many in school, law enforcement, transportation and workplaces where THC is forbidden.

3. Full Spectrum

When Hemp is extracted, the first form is typically crude. By it’s nature, this crude extract is full spectrum as it contains all of the extracted spectrum of cannabinoids from the hemp plant. This does mean that the extract may contain a trace amount of Δ-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and it may contain more than the legal limit, depending on the strain and extraction. As long as the extract is from a legal industrial hemp plant, it’s legal in all 50 States under the US Farm Bill of 2018. Legal full spectrum crude is often further distilled to remove the chlorophyll and other plant material from the extract. This results in a less “hempy” tasting extract. Most products prefer the second pass of distillate to ensure for suitable taste and higher cannabidiol levels. Some of the lesser-processed hemp oil extracts result in very earthy (some would say skunky or even dank) tasting products. There’s no clear advantage other than cost of production to having a single pass distillate vs cleaner distillates full spectrum hemp oil extract.

Hemp Oil extract, whether is’t in the Isolate, Broad Spectrum or Full Spectrum form is helpful to the human body due to the presence of the endocannabinoid system. This system works with plant-based cannabinoids, called phytocannabinoids, to regulate and manage various aspects of our health.

A purified form of the Isolate of Cannabidiol (CBD) is now used in an FDA-approved drug called Epidiolex. This drug is used to help manage the symptoms of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, in patients two years of age and older. These are both forms of epilepsy. Although not approved by the FDA, people have been using forms of hemp, including those with higher THC, to treat epilepsy and other conditions for many years. These conditions include anxiety, pain, fibromyalgia, MS, and others. Whether or not these treatments are effective remains anecdotal at present. Industrial hemp is being tested for many medical uses currently and it’s likely that we will find more uses for hemp for health in the near future. It’s important to note that there are no allowable patents on natural products. This means a drug company would have to alter the original compound or combine it with other compounds to essentially create a man-made product which would be allowed for patent protection. This is one reason why many people believe the pharmaceutical industry is against the use of natural products resulting from Industrial Hemp (and other forms of cannabis).

If you’re seeking to remain clear of all forms of THC for job purposes or some similar reason, it’s best to attempt to offer your body as many of the helpful and often therapeutic cannabinoids as possible. This is why people should first consider a Broad Spectrum, without any THC, as a natural booster to health and as a possible agent in reducing discomfort from pain or anxiety or a host of other conditions. When “popping” on a drug test is a high risk, some of the cannabinoids may be detected by some testing processes as THC or “general cannabinoid” and would cause issue for some people. In these cases, an Isolate or avoiding all forms of Hemp Oil Extract would be preferred. If you can, you may consider asking for special consideration for isolated CBD or broad spectrum, when possible. Some employers are lenient as long as they know that the concentration of THC is minor or nonexistent with most people who use Broad Spectrum or Isolate CBD.

If you’re seeking to eliminate discomfort from pain and boost your responsiveness to fighting discomfort from anxiety AND you’re not going to have a drug test in your future, it’s a good idea to consider the trace amount of THC in the Full Spectrum products as beneficial. NIH published studies confirm that THC and other cannabinoids are beneficial as natural agents and within other compounds to combat pain.

Choosing the Best Hemp Oil Extract Product

When you’re already able to choose the form (full spectrum, broad spectrum, or isolate), then you’re going to be far more prepared to select the best product for yourself. The hemp products industry has been keeping the prices of simple isolates relatively affordable for everyone. Although there are some players in the industry who are preying on those of use who are “just learning”, nearly all reputable vendors of CBD products are keeping the products very fairly priced. A good rule of thumb would be to drop the zero in the total milligrams of an isolate product to get the street price or reasonable market price of the product. For example, a 200mg to 250mg one ounce bottle of hemp oil extract drops (Isolate CBD) should cost no more than $20 to $25 (see where the extra zero in the milligrams was dropped to make this easy?).

When it comes to broad or full spectrum, there’s a bit of a finer line in the price of the products. Each of these typically cost upwards of 1.25x to 3x the price of a comparably sized isolate. As an example, a broad spectrum product (no THC) from Kalki in 250mg has a retail price of $29.95. These can be purchased at many trusted stores for full retail or a bit less, when on sale. Finding these products for the price of an isolate is more difficult as the isolates are very simple to manufacture while the others require more effort. Some manufacturers have more expensive marketing or higher levels of quality and these too will increase the price of the product. However, these more expensive products also tend to be backed by more transparent guarantees for quality and service (even returns). You’ll seldom find this level of quality management from the lower priced isolate brands or vendors.

To find the best product for yourself, it’s often best to combine the two considerations 1) form of hemp oil extract and 2) price or budget. You can always consider other options such as gummies, beverages, vapes or similar. The majority of hemp oil extract products sold still are drops. Keep these in mind as you shop around for your best new source of relief from discomfort thank to industrial hemp.

Posted on October 15, 2019October 15, 2019 by David Pratt Carter — Leave a comment

The Beginner’s Guide to CBD Products: CBD Drops

CBD and Hemp Seeds - Good for your health

CBD Drops are, by far, the most common method for dispensing Cannabidiol under the tongue (sublingual).

Pharmacists will reveal a well-known secret about sublingual drops. When you take certain substances sublingually, they can enter directly into your bloodstream. This allows for the components absorbed into the bloodstream they're carried faster to your body tissues. Compare this to the administration of the same dosing of CBD via a Gel Cap or gummy. When you place a gel cap or gummy in your mouth and (chew or not), your body will take the CBD and other compounds and run them off to your digestive tract instead of your bloodstream. In other words, sublingual drops bypass the stomach's processing of CBD. What you are able to have absorbed via your sublingual tissue is best. The rest of the CBD which you may swallow after allowing a period of absorption will be processed partially via your digestive process - much later.

Once your digestive system has the CBD, it uses the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD to help with discomfort from Colitis, Ulcers, GERD and Chron's Disease. But, the process becomes more of a lengthy digestive tract pathway compared to the shortcut to the bloodstream from the sublingual path. All in all, think of it as a shortcut to digestive process - which is a longer process. Under digestion, the hemp product needs to be ingested, broken down by the stomach, absorbed by the small intestine, and metabolized by the liver.

Works for Most People

Sublingual Drops provide convenient sublingual (under the tongue) dosing of CBD. For most people, a dropper-full of Hemp Oil Extract (CBD) placed under the tongue is an effective administration of CBD. As long as you are able to retain the CBD under your tongue for 30 seconds or more, you're likely absorbing a large enough portion of the CBD via the capillaries and other blood vessels found under your tongue. Ideally, the longer you retain the liquid under your tongue, the better.

Keeps your Body in Balance

Homeostatis is the condition of "balance" with your body. When things are working like they should, you have balance or homeostasis. This is often achievable when you are able to alter your diet, exercise and include proven holistic additions to your diet. There are countless articles now available attesting to the benefits of Hemp Oil Extracts (CBD oil). We're not going to describe any CBD products as a Cure for any disease, but we're very pleased to tell people that it's a fantastic natural solution to aid in the relief of many discomforts.

CBD Drops allow for Convenient dosing

Although most people will take their CBD drops under their tongues in the morning or in the evening, there's no set time when you should take CBD. If you're taking it to help improve your focus, then the early hours are best. If you're taking CBD to boost your body's normal sleep, then you're likely to take your CBD drops in the evening.

The key is, you're not likely to overdose ever on CBD. Large doses (over 500mg at a time, for example) tend to cause people a bit of malaise and perhaps intestinal distress which will pass fairly quickly and isn't typically a need for medical concern. If you build up to taking more CBD per dose, you may find benefit from cannabinoids as associated with discomfort from more troublesome health conditions such as arthritis, cancer or Parkinson's disease. Again, CBD is not intended as a cure for these and many other health issues, but it has a solid place in helping people fight the associated discomforts. Taking as much CBD as your body needs is a good start.

Many people find that CBD drops are becoming more ubiquitous. Gas Stations, Chiropractic offices, Massage therapists and so many more are getting in on the CBD game every day. For the most part, what they're offering is probably very accurately described and beneficial. There are, however, sources for CBD which are more likely to be low quality and higher priced. We've covered some of this topic in previous videos and articles.

All in all, when you're searching for drops, you're better off looking with several aspects in mind:

National Brand - While this is NOT the best solution, it's often a good approach since companies who are bigger have deeper pockets and are more likely to spend the money needed to ensure that their products are third-party tested for each batch of product produced. Some national brands (like Diamond CBD) have already been caught cheating on their strengths have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar too many times.

Certification of Analysis - This is what should be available from your vendor, no matter what. All of our products have COAs. These help illustrate, from a third party tester, what the components and strengths are of each batch of hemp oil extract products. Having this for every batch ensures the customers that the products being sold are tested by a third party and are more likely to contain the strengths and ingredients listed on the label.

Budget and Taste - I've included these together since they're often both more of preferences. For example, we offer Evo Hemp's wonderfully inexpensive national branded Evo Hemp Full Spectrum CBD drops

Posted on October 8, 2019 by David Pratt Carter — Leave a comment

It’s Snake Oil, I tell ya!

Is CBD just a tool to make sellers cash?

In one of our live webinars, we talked about the value of Hemp in our country. The United States relied heavily upon hemp and it's products for years. It seemed like Hemp became a bad due to politics, not effectiveness. In fact, tinctures of Hemp Oil Extract with both THC and CBD were sold as therapeutic products for years before lobbyists swayed politicians to ban all things hemp.

We closely follow the discussions of Hemp and CBD on social media. From time to time we love to share what others have posted. Below, we support the position of the person answering the question: Is CBD oil a modern-day version of homeopathy?

First, it's key to understand what homeopathy. Then, it's a good idea to understand a bit more of the history of hemp and do your own research. A couple of interesting tidbits before you delve into the world of Quora.

Pubmed article searches are very useful in finding more info about conditions you or loved ones may be facing. Some of the findings published via pubmed will include very positive evidence and support for the use of cannabinoids.
Pubmed articles will disappear for some apparent reason. Oddly, many CBD related articles have gone "poof" suddenly. We're not sure what happened with them - but we'd love to know.

Posted on October 4, 2019 by David Pratt Carter — Leave a comment

What does THC do with CBD?

If you're already a fan of CBD, then you're in growing company. Many people have taken to CBD (Cananbidiol to those who are more aware of Cananbinoids) to improve their health and the overall balance that their body needs. Some have found that it helps with aspects such as:

Sleep Modulation
Reduction of discomfort
Lessening of anxiety

Many would contend that THC is better at these aspects than CBD. The truth is, they're both beneficial to the human (and other organisms) body.

A recent article in Inside Science details the relationship between THC and CBD.

If you find that THC's psychoactive component is lessened when you take CBD, you're not alone. However, it's still key to acknowledge that the "high" often felt with THC products is typically unavoidable when you reach a strong enough dose.