Why Buy Hemp?Why Buy Hemp?by Carrie A. Corson, from the October 2000 Newsletter
Chances are, if you're much of a shopper, you've noticed that hemp is appearing on more and more labels and tags. It seems like everyone is getting into the swing. You can find clothes, shoes, hats, dog leashes, wallets, paper, lotion, soap, hair care, and last but not least, foods that include hemp. In fact, more than 25,000 different products can be made from hemp fibers and seeds.
Hemp is one of the oldest cultivated plants and its fibers were the mainstay of many cultures who used it for cloth, sails and ropes (A fact I didn't know until I saw hemp rope at a Viking museum on a recent trip to Denmark).
So what exactly is hemp and why are we starting to see it everywhere? Well, it's a plant, actually a cannabis plant. Yes, it is related to Cannabis indica, better known as marijuana.
However, it contains little or no THC, the intoxicating substance that is found in marijuana. Instead it is packed with nutrition. Hemp seed is gaining popularity as a food source because it is rich in vitamins and minerals (calcium, iron, thiamine, niacin and riboflavon), and it is a vegetable source of complete protein, having all eight amino acids.
Hemp oil (pressed from the seed) is a great source for essential fatty acids (EFA's). EFAs are among the 45 or so nutrients that we cannot live without, and that our bodies cannot manufacture. Hence the use of the word "essential." These EFAs must be obtained through our diet. That's where hemp oil comes in. Similar to flax (and other vegetable seed oils), hemp seed oil is rich in both omega 3 alpha-linolenic acid, and omega 6 linoleic acid. However, from a nutritional point of view, hemp is considered to be nature's most perfectly balanced EFA oil because the omega 3 and omega 6 acids are in an optimum ratio of 1 to 3 (one omega 3 to three omega 6). This ratio provides the necessary EFA's for long term health.
Hemp oil is cold pressed and must be kept refrigerated or frozen in order to maintain freshness. It cannot be used for frying or sautéing because heat destroys the oil's nutritional components. If you don't want to take the oil by the tablespoon, add it to smoothies, salad dressings or bread dipping sauces. Capsules are another option. You can find Spectrum hemp oil here at the Co-op in the cooler with the flax and wheat germ oils. We also carry a line of salad dressings and some granolas that include hemp.
Hemp is not just good for us on the inside, but on the outside too. Many feel that hemp seed oils balance of essential fatty acids, gamma linoleic acid, silky-smooth texture and healing properties lends itself to great body care. One such person is Sue Kastensen, owner of Sun Dog Natural Hemp Body Care. Sun Dog offers a high quality line of skin and hair care products which include certified organic hemp oil. Sue's hair care products are made with a "clean" list of ingredients. They do not contain sulfates or sulfites, or cocoamide DEA. They are also made without synthetic preservatives. And speaking as a person who used to fight tangled hair every morning, Sun Dog conditioner/detangler is good stuff. Sun Dogs lip balms are made entirely of edible quality ingredients. Sue's philosophy is, "every thing that goes on your lips should be safe to go in your mouth."
In addition to hemp oil, Sue uses a lot of botanical ingredients in her formulas and uses only essential oils to scent her products. Next time your shopping, look for the Sun Dog logo.
If there is a down side to hemp, most shoppers would say it is that hemp products are too expensive. This is particularly true with hemp clothing. It is fairly expensive (although good quality hemp fiber products last a really long time). Part of this may stem from the fact that all hemp seeds and fiber must be imported. Being a close relation to marijuana has given hemp a stigma and it cannot legally be grown in the United States (it is legal however, for hemp seeds to be used in food products since they do not contain THC in any measurable quantity).
So hemp must be imported from Canada, Eastern Europe and other countries where it is widely grown to produce cloth and rope fiber. The seeds must be sterilized in order to prevent germination before coming to the states. In the case of Sun Dog products, the hemp oil used is organic (which is better environmentally).
And let's face it, cotton's gotten a lot more press. Hemp's full potential is only now being realized again in this country. I think prices are beginning to come down and hopefully that trend will continue as more and more companies begin producing hemp products and people find out what a terrific resource this is.
Not only can we benefit from hemp nutritionally, and as a beauty aid, it's also beneficial from an environmental viewpoint. Unlike trees, hemp is an easily renewable resource. And it can be used for many of the things that we now use wood for, including paper and some lumber products. Of course, growing it organically is the best way to protect the soil in which it is grown. Maybe if enough of us start singing hemp's praises, someday it'll be a cash crop here on the Palouse.
Footnote: Consumers should be aware that ingestion of hemp seed products "may result in the failure of some drug test screens. If you are subject to periodic drug screening you might want to use another EFA product such as the Essential Max EFA Oil Blend from Spectrum." This is the caution printed on Spectrum's Hemp Oil. From information on Spectrum's Web site, it is not known at this time whether commercial hemp seed oil causes failed drug screening. The National Institute of Drug Abuse is currently sponsoring clinical research at the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina to conclusively answer this question.
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