Hemp health benefits
May Issue. The Cannabis sativa L. An ancient crop native to central Asia, there's evidence that it grew during preagricultural stages of human development. Both hemp and marijuana are strains of Cannabis sativa L.
What are the health benefits of hemp?
In many circles, hemp tends to have a negative connotation, due solely to its association with marijuana. Hemp and marijuana are both products of the cannabis plant, which means that the association does have merit. However, there are several notable differences between hemp and marijuana.
Marijuana leaves are high in tetrahydrocannabinol THC , the chemical that produces the psychoactive effect that marijuana consumption provides. Hemp, on the other hand, is very low in THC and is most often used for industrial purposes such as the creation of fabrics, paper, plastics and more more than for any type of consumption.
Cannabis plants are also cultivated and bred differently depending on their intended use. Most marijuana plants are female, produced to emphasise flowering buds.
These different growing techniques drastically affect the THC content of the plants. As a result, cannabis plants grown to produce hemp have THC levels of about 0. This drastic difference should eliminate any concerns about hemp being a drug or a drug-related crop.
Although the primary use for hemp is for industrial purposes, it does have nutritional applications. Indeed, hemp can and does serve as a food source for both humans and animals. Most often, if using hemp as a food source, the form it will take is hemp seeds. You can purchase hemp seeds in both plain and shelled varieties. Hemp seeds with their shells are hard and crunchy, while shelled hemp seeds are considered to taste a bit better and be easier to eat.
These two different varieties of seeds also have slightly differing nutritional benefits. With their shells, hemp seeds are a terrific source of insoluble fibre, which is vital for digestion and proper gastrointestinal function.
Without their shells, hemp seeds lose some of that fibre but are higher in protein content. Hemp seeds are the most common form of hemp-related food. However, the seeds can sometimes be made into other foods or ingredients as well, such as cooking oil or hemp protein which is good for protein shakes. Clearly, hemp seeds and other food products produced using hemp seeds are extremely nutritious and highly beneficial.
Whether you are looking to lose weight, avoid afternoon or late-night food cravings, improve your digestive function or protect yourself from common health problems, hemp seeds are a worthy addition to your daily diet.
Due to their association with marijuana and the resulting negative connotation , hemp seeds are not typically available at a conventional supermarket. Websites like HealthySupplies. By shopping online, you can find hemp seeds in bulk quantities and usually for lower prices than you would pay at a local organic foods store.
Before you start adding hemp seeds to your diet, you should be aware of a few minor possible side effects. Firstly, by adding hemp seeds to your diet, you are also increasing your intake of polyunsaturated fat. In most cases, you can avoid any significant symptoms by starting small with your hemp seed intake and gradually increase it over time. The other drawback or side effect of eating hemp seeds relates back to the THC content of the cannabis plant.
While hemp seeds should not include enough THC to create any sort of high, there is a possibility that ingesting a lot of hemp seeds over a short period could create trace levels of THC in your body. If you are required to take drug tests for work, sports, or any other reason, there is a slight possibility that the THC content of hemp seeds could cause you to fail a drug test.
For the most part, though, these side effects tend to be minor and rare. In any case, the significant health benefits of hemp seeds should greatly overshadow the few drawbacks. Today, healthcare is a hot topic all around the world; with a global population surpassing seven billion, the treatment of disease is a larger task than at any other point in history.
Many people wonder about the best ways to live a healthy life and how they might prevent sickness. When we do get sick The Paleo Diet sometimes referred to as the Caveman Diet is a more of a lifestyle change and is based on what people may Your Health. Hemp as a Source of Nutrition Although the primary use for hemp is for industrial purposes, it does have nutritional applications.
Why Include Hemp in Your Diet? Hemp is a source of vital nutrients: We already discussed the fibre and protein content of hemp seeds. Fibre is an essential aid to digestive health. Protein, meanwhile, is necessary to produce various body chemicals, from hormones to enzymes and more.
Hemp seeds are also rich in healthy fatty acids, which help to boost the immune system, improve cellular health, and prevent a range of health problems.
There is no plant, nut or seed in the world with more ideal levels and ratios of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp helps fight heart disease: As you can see from the above paragraph, hemp is rich in many of the essential nutrients that keep our bodies safe. Perhaps the most important of these health problems, though, is heart disease.
In , the World Health Organisation released a study that tracked the top global causes of death from to Cardiovascular disease topped the list, claiming 7. Stroke was second, causing 6. Fatty acids improve arterial function and blood flow, lower your heart rate, helps your heart to be an all-around healthier and more stable.
On the contrary, scientists have proven that omega-3 fatty acids are also incredibly good for brain health and mental wellbeing. There is a simple explanation for this benefit: the brain and the cerebral cortex are built at least partially from DHA, one of the two primary omega-3 fatty acids the other is called EPA. DHA contributes to everything from memory to language to creativity. In other words, a senior whose diet has included hemp for years may remain sharper for longer than someone whose diet was less rich in omega-3s.
As you have probably noticed by now, hemp seeds are worth adding to your diet due to how they can help prevent many of the health conditions that people tend to develop as they get older. However, hemp can also have shorter-term health benefits as well. The omega fatty acids featured in hemp seeds help to strengthen cells and aid them in fighting off germs and viruses. Hemp promotes healthy digestion: The digestive benefits of eating foods like hemp, which are extremely high in fibre, can be felt in both the short-term and the long-term.
Regarding more quickly felt benefits, a diet that is rich in fibre can reduce your frequency of stomach aches and prevent constipation. People without a clean and healthy gastrointestinal tract are also more likely to develop health issues such as colon cancer, weight gain, diabetes and more.
Hemp leads to healthier skin: The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are present in hemp seeds or hemp seed oil have been proven to help with dry skin problems. Individuals who suffer from skin conditions like eczema or dermatitis can get relief from consuming hemp seeds.
Hemp helps ease the symptoms of PMS: The list of dietary benefits from eating more fatty acids goes on and on, and includes this major perk for female dieters. Some scientists have conducted studies on the impact of fatty acids on PMS symptoms. Since hemp seeds contain high quantities of the GLA fatty acid, they are helpful for neutralising these uncomfortable symptoms. You can grow Hemp without the use of pesticides: If you have been looking for organic crops that use no pesticides, GMOs, or other unnatural methods to support growth, then hemp should be on your list.
When growing cannabis plants for marijuana cultivation, growers would have to pay a significant amount of attention to each Cannabis used for hemp, on the other hand, is a very low-maintenance plant. Farmers can plant hemp cannabis outside and mostly leave it to grow by itself.
Thus, most of the hemp seeds on the market are completely organic. Hemp can lower your cholesterol: High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other conditions. Thanks to their omega-3 levels and polyunsaturated fats, hemp seeds, and hemp seed oil can help to prevent arterial blockages and blood clots and lower cholesterol overall. Lowering your cholesterol and dispelling blood clots are also other ways that a hemp seed diet contributes to protecting you from the risks of heart disease.
Where to Buy Hemp Seeds Due to their association with marijuana and the resulting negative connotation , hemp seeds are not typically available at a conventional supermarket. A Note about Side Effects Before you start adding hemp seeds to your diet, you should be aware of a few minor possible side effects. Sources: nutritionsecrets. Coconut Oil: Good or Bad? Sign up for our Newsletter.
Hemp is a plant whose seeds can be consumed or used to make food products such as milk and oil. It provides protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Hemp Oil Versus CBD Oil. Hemp oil (also called hempseed oil) comes from the seeds of the hemp plant; it is made by cold-pressing hemp seeds.
Technically a nut, hemp seeds are very nutritious. They have a mild, nutty flavor and are often referred to as hemp hearts. They are exceptionally rich in two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid omega-6 and alpha-linolenic acid omega They also contain gamma-linolenic acid, which has been linked to several health benefits 1. Hemp seeds are also a great source of vitamin E and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc 1 , 2.
In many circles, hemp tends to have a negative connotation, due solely to its association with marijuana. Hemp and marijuana are both products of the cannabis plant, which means that the association does have merit.
Hemp is a plant that epitomises abundance. Not only does it grow abundantly with lush, green foliage, it also offers an abundance of nutrition and therapeutic benefits. We humans have been using hemp for thousands of years as a food, as a medicine and for its fibres.
6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds
The seeds are cold-pressed to produce one of the most diverse and nutritionally strong oils available. Hemp seeds do not have as many phytochemicals as the plant itself but they have a rich profile of fatty acids, nutrients, and valuable bioactive vitamins and minerals. The oil is well-known for being nutrient-rich and for its general health benefits and is composed of healthy fatty acids, protein, and carbohydrates. The many positive health effects of hemp seed oil are linked to the ratio of linoleic LA and a- linolenic acid LNA , two essential polyunsaturated fatty acids that particularly benefit the heart. Hemp seed oil contains gamma-linoleic acid GLA , which is needed for the synthesis of prostaglandins, compounds identical to hormones, that contribute to many body functions.
Hemp Seeds Benefits for Pain, Weight Loss and More
If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works. Hemp is a plant grown in the northern hemisphere that takes about months to mature. Hemp seeds can be consumed or used to produce a variety of food products including hemp milk, hemp oil, hemp cheese substitutes and hemp-based protein powder. Hemp seeds have a mild, nutty flavor. Hemp milk is made from hulled hemp seeds, water, and sweetener. Hemp is commonly confused with marijuana. It belongs to the same family, but the two plants are very different.
People are often confused about hemp seed nutrition and whether or not the seeds contain cannabinoids, like CBD.
Recipes — making hemp tea at home. People have been drinking hemp tea for millennia. Because of its many health benefits, people have turned to hemp tea, which is often called cannabis tea, for its medicinal properties as well as using it for their religious rituals and ceremonies. In recent years, modern science has proven the plethora of health benefits associated with hemp products including tea.
5 Reasons Why You Should be Drinking Hemp Tea
The history of hemp oil and its medicinal uses can be dated back to the earliest eras of medicine and pharmacology, with the first recorded mention of cannabis being used medicinally being found in the Great Herbal encyclopaedia of the Emperor Shennong which is one of the earliest texts on herbal medicine, dating back to BCE. Looking at what we have available today there is a need for a broader understanding of cannabis and removal of stigma. Basically, hemp and marijuana are cousins of the cannabis family, and hemp is the non-psychoactive side of the family. With developments in recent years, there has been a lot of research into cannabis and its many health benefits. One of the beneficial products that come from cannabis is hemp oil, of which there are actually 3 broad variations. But what are these three types of oils that are creating a stir, and what makes them different? All three of these are made from different parts and different strains of the hemp plant, and extracted in different ways for different effects. Cold-pressed hemp seed oil is currently the most common variety on the market and the best known and widely used. It is extracted from industrially grown hemp seeds, by cold pressing the seeds to release the oil inside. The hemp plants used are strains with no traceable amount of THC. It is also a good source of Gamma-Linolenic Acid and contains a high content of the enzyme lipase, which is a superior non-invasive chelation therapy for removing plaque build-up undigested protein and cholesterol from arteries and cell membrane. Hemp is also the only plant oil containing Vitamin D, which is necessary for Calcium absorption, especially useful to vegans.
The cardiac and haemostatic effects of dietary hempseed
Despite its use in our diet for hundreds of years, hempseed has surprisingly little research published on its physiological effects. This may have been in the past because the psychotropic properties wrongly attributed to hemp would complicate any conclusions obtained through its study. However, hempseed no longer contains psychotropic action and instead may provide significant health benefits. Hempseed has an excellent content of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These compounds have beneficial effects on our cardiovascular health. Recent studies, mostly in animals, have examined the effects of these fatty acids and dietary hempseed itself on platelet aggregation, ischemic heart disease and other aspects of our cardiovascular health. The purpose of this article is to review the latest developments in this rapidly emerging research field with a focus on the cardiac and vascular effects of dietary hempseed. Cannabis sativa L.
