Hemp Seed Oil: Health Uses and Popular Misconceptions
For generations hemp and hemp seed oil has been used and traded among
nations. Due to many misconceptions, hemp and hemp seed oil has often
been banned and deemed illegal. Now, with more research being conducted,
the health benefits of hemp seed oil are being discovered and many
misconceptions are being clarified.
Nutritional Hemp Seed Oil Health Benefits
 High
in essential fatty acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6, hemp seed oil can be
used as a food source and is often found in salad dressings. The Food
and Drug Association (FDA) decided in September 2004 to allow health
claims for some food that contain Omega-3 essential fatty acids; hemp
seed oil is on that list of foods.
Hemp seed oil is high in
Linoleic Acid (LA), which has been discovered to reduce cholesterol
levels by 15% in recent studies. Linoleic Acid is also being studied as
it has potential to reduce high blood pressure and prevent it. These
finding have allowed hemp seed oil to be considered as an ingredient
which can fight heart disease.
Hemp Seed Oil Used in Body Care Products
Containing
Omega-6 oils, hemp seed oil is also used in body care products. While
the grade of hemp seed oil for personal care products has very little
nutritional value, it absorbs easily and quickly into the skin. Hemp
seed oil can restore the skin’s natural barrier and aid in its
restorative process. Deficiencies in Omega-6 fatty acids have been
linked to skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis.
Hemp seed oil
also has antimicrobial properties, which makes it an attractive
ingredient in shampoos and soaps. A natural moisturizer, it’s becoming
more widely accepted as an ingredient for personal care products.
Hemp Seed Oil as a Biodiesel
In
2001 a 1983 Mercedes was converted to use biodiesel. The vehicle did a
tour around the United States and produced 80 percent less greenhouse
gases than a conventional petroleum-burning car would have. The
biodiesel it ran on was hemp seed oil.
More research in being
done to look at the benefits of biodiesel for vehicles and hemp seed oil
is just one of many oil types that can be used as a biodiesel.
Misconceptions of Hemp Seed Oil
Hemp
comes from the same plant genus as Cannabis, also known as Marijuana.
Cannabis contains an active ingredient called “delta-9
tetrahydrocannabinol”, which goes by the short name of THC. THC causes a
“high” when ingested and is used as a recreational drug. Marijuana is
still considered an illegal drug in most parts of the world.
Due
to the fact that hemp does not contain THC, using hemp or hemp seed oil
will not cause any “high” feelings. Public education to inform
manufacturers and users of this fact is beginning to allow hemp seed oil
to be recognized for its good health benefits.
Disclaimer:
The
information contained in this article is for educational purposes only
and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the
opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his
or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
References:
Hemp as a natural alternative. “History of Hemp” (accessed September 21, 2010)
Your Hemp Guide. “About Hemp” (accessed September 21, 2010)
MSNBC.com. “How the FDA’s Omega-3 ruling will affect you” (accessed September 21, 2010)
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