Hemp health benefits
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.
10 Health Benefits of Hemp
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. Our ancient ancestors loved the plant so much it was one of the first plants to be cultivated! Hemp plants produce copious seeds and we can add these seeds to our diet or use the oil pressed from them.
These seeds and their oil contain an amino acid known as arginine, which may help to protect against cardiovascular disease by indirectly dilating and relaxing our blood vessels and by reducing inflammation. Cardiovascular disease is one of our biggest killers, but the right dietary and lifestyle changes can lead to a marked reduction in our risk of developing this disease. Indeed, trials suggest that hemp seeds and hemp oil in the diet are associated with lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of blood clots.
Hemp seeds are a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid GLA , and introducing this fatty acid into your body is associated with positive outcomes. GLA produces an anti-inflammatory effect because the body converts it into anti-inflammatory compounds. Thanks to the complex make-up of the hemp plant and its seeds, there are several reasons why this plant may help you to manage stress.
If pain or one of the health conditions mentioned above is causing anxiety, the potential for symptom relief and the proactive manner of supporting an existing condition when using hemp seeds or hemp oils may help to reduce stress levels. Furthermore, the magnesium and B vitamins present in hemp can help the body to manage and counter the effects of stress by impacting important nervous system chemical messengers neurotransmitters.
We are increasingly accepting the importance of healthy fats in our diet and in hemp seeds, we find essential fatty acids which encourage a wonderfully supple skin and help to reduce dryness. There are also amino acids in hemp which are used in the synthesis of elastin and collagen, two important substances that guard against sagging in the skin and wrinkles.
The fatty oils in hemp seeds are deeply moisturising and benefit dry and itchy skin. Hemp can, therefore, have a positive effect on the skin without physically being applied to the skin. Our bodies make excellent use of consumed proteins and amino acids, using them as building blocks for repair and regeneration across the body. Our blood, bones, cartilage and muscles are made predominantly of proteins and every cell in our body features many proteins within their membranes.
Therefore, we need to ensure that our diet provides enough protein to keep up with the constant repair and regeneration of these structures. Hemp seeds can easily be sprinkled onto breakfast cereals, yoghurts and fruit bowls, onto salads or added to smoothies. These protein-packed seeds offer an easily digestible and complete protein source meaning that like meat, hemp seeds contain all the essential amino acids for repairing the body.
The anti-inflammatory gamma-linolenic acid in hemp may be the key constituent attributable to a proposed anti-acne action associated with this plant. Hemp may not only reduce the inflamed, swollen spots in cases of acne, but its GLA may also help to balance hormones. This would be particularly applicable to those people who notice that their acne flares in relation to their hormone levels.
You can take a two-pronged approach when using hemp in cases of acne, using it both internally and externally. It has also been suggested that internal use of the plant helps to prevent the hardening of sebum that blocks pores. Our digestive systems love fibre. It helps to guard against constipation, it appears to help nourish and balance the healthy bacteria in our gut, and it is associated with a decreased risk of certain digestive disease and cancers.
Soluble fibres are thought to benefit the good bacteria in our gut, which is particularly useful when these may be knocked off balance for example, following antibiotic use or if the diet has been poor.
In the presence of water, soluble fibre forms a nutrient-rich gel which soothes the gut and has been implicated in helping to balance blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Using the plant both internally and externally can be useful for promoting an analgesic effect. Anecdotal evidence indicates that hemp seed oil makes a soothing and gently pain-relieving massage oil for rubbing into the muscles following a workout.
Sore joints also appear to respond well to the internal and external use of hemp seeds and oil in some people, be it from natural wear and tear of a joint, following an injury or as a result of an inflammatory condition. There has been some interest in the scientific world as to whether hemp and its active constituents may help protect our brain via an antioxidant mechanism. Research suggests that the emotional changes experienced during cases of PMS may be caused by the hormone prolactin and that GLA can dampen the effects of prolactin via its stimulation of certain prostaglandins.
An equivalent of around mg of GLA was shown in trials to produce this beneficial effect. Usefully, hemp may also reduce other premenstrual symptoms, such as breast tenderness, bloating, fluid retention and cravings.
In cases of the menopause, using the plant both internally and externally may offer the best outcome because topically the moisturising actions of the oil may help combat the dryness and loss of plumpness associated with the dropping oestrogen levels around the menopause, whilst internally, the hormone-balancing effect may help to ease symptoms such as hot flushes and mood swings. As you can see, thanks to its generous nutritional profile and therapeutically active constituents, hemp has the potential to help many systems of the body, including our largest organ, the skin.
Hemp products allow us to work with the plant both internally and externally to address a diverse range of health issues. Find out more here. Centre of Excellence uses browser cookies to give you the best possible experience. To make Centre of Excellence work, we log user data and share it with processors. You can view our cookie policy here.
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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.
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.
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.
Hemp Seeds Benefits for Pain, Weight Loss and More
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. There are different varieties of Cannabis sativa L. One is industrial hemp, or hemp used for food or material, which is low in the psychoactive cannabinoid deltatetrahydrocannabinol THC.
The cardiac and haemostatic effects of dietary hempseed
People are often confused about hemp seed nutrition and whether or not the seeds contain cannabinoids, like CBD. Hemp is a variety of the cannabis plant that actually has a long history of use in the U. Instead, this superfood is consumed for its omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and its antioxidant effects. They are technically nuts but are referred to as seeds or hearts. Each part of the hemp plant offers different compounds and the seeds are no different. Hemp is actually one of the most widely utilized and diverse industrial crops in the world. Hemp seed oil, or hemp oil, is made by pressing hemp seeds. Hemp hearts are an excellent source of nutrients, especially unsaturated fatty acids and essential amino acids. Research shows that the benefits of hemp seeds include their ability to alleviate constipation, support cardiovascular health, improve dermatological issues and ameliorate gastrointestinal diseases. Gamma-linolenic acid GLA is a necessary building block for some prostaglandins — hormone-like chemicals in the body that help smooth muscles, control inflammation and body temperature, and are vital to other body functions.
The seeds are cold-pressed to produce one of the most diverse and nutritionally strong oils available.
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.
6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds
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. Marijuana is grown to contain high amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol THC , the chemical that is responsible for its psychoactive properties. Hemp describes the edible plant seeds and only contains a trace amount of THC. This feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It provides a nutritional breakdown of hemp and an in-depth look at its possible health benefits, how to incorporate more hemp into your diet and any potential health risks of consuming hemp. Hemp seeds also provide vitamin C, some B vitamins, and vitamins A and E. The American Heart Association recommends consuming two 3. This is because fish is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids.
5 Reasons Why You Should be Drinking Hemp Tea
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. Hemp tea can be made by steeping hemp in hot water just like any other herbal tea. In hemp tea, the dried flowers and leaves are used from the hemp plant or cannabis sativa. Depending on the type of plant cuttings you use, organic hemp tea can be made by using the buds, flowers, seeds, leaves, stalks and stems and even the roots of the plant. Young hemp tea is made by using dried clippings from the young cannabis plant. Young hemp tea is used mostly as a supplement for vitamins and chlorophyll as it has a lower cannabinoid CBD content than mature hemp tea.
