Benefits Of Hemp And What It Can Be Used For

Introduction

Hemp is cultivated for a bunch of different purposes – from making hemp ropes to food, health products, natural remedies,  fabric, and much more!

The benefits of hemp and its consumption are many. Every part of the hemp plant is used for a different purpose and for creating different products.

Hemp is known for its non-drug use because it has only trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the component that gets you high! A hemp plant ideally has 0.3% THC, which is very little in comparison to a marijuana plant that contains almost 30% of THC.

Instead, hemp contains CBD or Cannabinoid, which is one of the many chemical compounds present in cannabis plants. CBD is the non-psychoactive chemical compound.

Hemp seeds are one of the most important parts of the plant. They have many nutritional benefits and are often prescribed to people for their pains, stress, or other health problems.

Hemp Seeds and Its Derivatives

These are the seeds of the hemp plant, as their name would suggest. With their exterior hard shell on, these make for extremely nutritious snacks with over 30% fat content.

When the exterior of the seeds are hulled, and it is only the soft and chewy interior portion, it is called a hemp heart. These can be easily added to recipes and consumed regularly.

Hemp seeds have very high omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid content. They are also high in soluble and insoluble fiber and have a high content of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which also has several health benefits.

Hemp hearts are slightly low on fiber since the exterior shell is removed, but they retain all the other nutritious properties of hemp nonetheless.

Hemp seed oil is extracted from cold pressing the hemp seeds and is said to have many health benefits as well. They are high in protein, essential fatty acids, minerals, and antioxidants. They can be used as any healthy cooking oil and added into salads, pasta, dips, and spreads.

Hemp seeds can also be ground into hemp powder, which has a 25% high-quality protein content. It can be a great protein powder alternative for vegetarians and vegans because of their essential fatty acid content.

The Health Benefits of Hemp

All of these different by-products of hemp have several health benefits. Here are a few of its uses.

Hemp contains a host of vital nutrients

You already know that hemp has a very important source of protein, fibers, and fatty acids. All of these nutrients have huge impacts on the health of almost every cell of our body.

Fibers aid in digestion and can help prevent health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and even in some cases, cancer. Proteins, on the other hand, impact the production of enzymes and hormones as well as has a huge impact on the formation of cells.

In fact, protein intake helps maintain the health of bones, muscles, skin, and even your cartilage. Fatty acids that are found in hemp seeds help build immunity and improve the health of your cells. Hemp seeds also have the best ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Hemp improves heart health

Hemp has a host of health benefits, but one of the most important impacts it has is on the health of your heart. The omega-3 fatty acids in hemp are specifically great for your heart.

It is known to improve your arterial function and blood flow, lower your heart rate, and overall allows your heart to be more stable and prevent major problems. A healthy dosage of hemp seeds or hemp oil can drastically reduce your chances of heart ailments.

Hemp can help with your anxiety and stress

In our fast-paced generation, there is a mental health epidemic waiting to happen, if not already underway. A huge percentage of the population in their 20s and 30s have underlying mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and other stress-induced problems.

Smoking the best CBD cigarettes has been seen to significantly reduce the anxiety and stress in people. CBD cigarettes do not get you high because of the lack of THC and yet has a calming effect on your nerves.

The best hemp cigarettes do a great job of keeping stress at bay, improving anxiety and giving you a sense of clarity minus the heady high of marijuana. Low to no tobacco component also means that you are not damaging your lungs.

Hemp can boost your immune system

A majority of the health benefits that hemp is long term. But some of these effects are immediate and short-term. For example, the fatty acids in hemp seeds improve your immunity and strengthen your cells.

With a stronger immunity, your body is all prepared to fight off the various flu and infections that you might catch through your day to day activities.

Hemp can improve your digestion

Hemp seeds are high in fiber, and hence, their impact on digestion is not just short term but also expands over quite a long period. They help in preventing stomach aches and constipation.

Moreover, the insoluble fibers of the hemp seeds keep the stomach linings clean and healthy, preventing serious issues such as colon cancer, weight gain, diabetes, and much more.

Hemp can curb PMS symptoms

The benefits of fatty acids on our health are many, and they have one specific advantage for women. A type of omega-6 fatty acid, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) , has some interesting impact on the symptoms of PMS.

Hemp seeds and hemp  seed oil are high in GLA, and hence, the consumption of these can reduce several of the PMS symptoms such as pain, fluid retention, irritability, and mood swings.

Conclusion

Hemp and its derivatives have many significantly great impacts on our health. It is also extremely environmentally friendly as its farming does not negatively impact the farmland, and it can be used as a rotational crop.

Since it does not have the drug component of marijuana, hemp is legal, and hence, consuming the different by-products is absolutely safe and, in fact, advantageous for your health.