Think Hemp For Food, Clothing, Body Care and More

Think of hemp and many of us picture a mind-altering weed that has tarnished the reputation of this otherwise useful herb. Marijuana is the notorious cousin to hemp and is specifically cultivated for its high levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the chemical that gives this famous weed its psychoactive properties.

While hemp and marijuana originate from the same cannabis sativa species, the hemp variety produces only trace amounts of THC, too negligible to elicit any reaction. Unlike marijuana, the hemp seeds are planted densely to produce thicker stalks and fewer flowers. Generally, hemp is used commercially for its stalks and seeds, whereas marijuana (or cannabis) is used illegally for smoking its flowers or leaves. These two plants are vastly different. For centuries, hemp has been used for food, shelter, ropes, clothing, and medicine. It is now re-emerging as one of nature’s most useful, healthy, economically feasible, and environmental friendly herbs.

It is for that reason that hemp is worthy of attention and of redefining its true nature and use. Each part of the industrial hemp plant—seed, oil, stalk—generates useful products. The seed, a hard-shelled nut containing protein, carbohydrates, fibre and a number of vitamins and minerals. It is one of the highest sources of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are essential in our diets for proper growth and function in the body. They aid in fat transport and metabolism, and are necessary for the reproductive system’s function, for hormone regulations, and for breaking up cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Hempseed contains 40% fat in form of a very well-balanced mixture of EFAs, which is produced by cold-pressing the hempseed. It can be eaten on its own, blended into other food and body care products (shampoo, soaps, creams, and lotions) or used as a lubricant. Various industries have sprung up making hemp into clothing, paper, and many other commercial products.

Recent evidence also suggests that people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), attention deficit disorder (ADD) and depression may benefit from a properly balanced EFA intake. Deficiencies in EFAs can lead to changes in cell structure, resulting in slowed growth and other disorders such as brittle or dull hair, nail problems, dandruff, allergies, dermatitis, and eczema. In his book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, Udo Erasmus called hempseed the “most perfectly balanced, natural EFA-rich oil available…nature’s most perfectly balance oil.”

Hempseed oil is also low in saturated fatty acids (SFA), one of the primary factors that increase blood cholesterol levels. This oil contains the highest total amount of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of both the omega-6 (LA, linolenic acid, and GLA, gamma linolenic acid) and omega-3 (ALA, alpha linolenic acid). Neither of these EFAs can be synthesized by the body and must therefore be obtained from the diet. Hempseed oil beats out flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil and every known plant source of EFAs. A 100 gram serving of hempseed oil contains more than 36 grams of EFAs.