Rich in healthy fatty acids, hemp seed oil gives your body the needed boost to look and feel good. Here’s what you need to know.

The hemp seed oil has been long ignored for it has been mostly associated with the medicinal usage of cannabis. People are often confused about whether or not hemp seeds contain cannabinoids, like CBD.

Well, facts say that hemp seeds don’t have any psychotropic effects on the human body. Furthermore, hemp seed oil provides great health benefits because of its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

And so, when consuming hemp seed oil, the cannabinoids that have a psychotropic effect aren’t present. CBD and THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol) are found in the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant but not in the seeds.

Here, we are focusing on the health benefits of adding hemp seed oil as part of a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle.

What are hemp seeds?

Hemp seeds are the seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant. Hemp is one of the most utilized industrial crops worldwide. 
Hemp seed oil is made by cold-pressing hemp seeds, which are an excellent source of nutrients, especially unsaturated fatty acids and essential amino acids. Research shows that hemp seeds can be beneficial in supporting heart health, healing skin issues, and improving your GI tract.

Hemp seeds – nutrition facts

Hemp seeds are rich in protein. The content of the protein is about 30%, and hemp seeds contain a great specter of essential amino acids.

Hemp seeds contain 50% of fat, and a good ratio of omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid (LA).

They are also packed with vitamins and minerals. Hemp seeds contain vitamin E, folate, thiamine, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and iron.

Why hemp seed oil?

Improve Digestive Health

As we know, the omega-3 essential fatty acid found in hemp seed oil is known to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract. It can relieve digestive discomforts such as bowel disorders. In addition, the fatty acids in hemp seed oil promote good microbes in the gut flora, which improves digestion and overall digestive health.

Reduce inflammation

There have already been studies that suggest hemp seeds have potential anti-inflammatory effects due to their great number of antioxidants.

Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, hemp seed oil can naturally support health in case of various anti-inflammatory conditions.
As hemp seeds are also rich in GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), it is also good at managing conditions such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, arthritis pain, and heart diseases.

This study reveals that omega-3 fatty acids can lower biomarkers of body inflammation and metabolic syndrome. Hemp seed oil can put insulin resistance under control and manage a healthy weight.

Brain Health

The fatty acid content of hemp seed oil may also be good for the brain, which requires healthy fats to operate properly. Hemp seed oil is also rich in other compounds that may help protect the brain.

A recent study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6288804/ has found that a hemp seed extract was able to help protect the brain against inflammation. The authors claim that hemp seed oil contains polyphenols, which may play a role in protecting the brain. And that neuroprotective function of the hemp seeds makes it worth considering adding hemp seed oil to your healthy diet.

Hemp Seed Oil Skin Benefits

Hemp seed oil is considered to be wonderfully hydrating. It is a real nutritional bomb. Hemp seed oil is can provide the much-needed nourishment your skin craves. It has an abundance of fatty acids that are good for your skin. Research has found hemp seed oil can strengthen the skin, hair, and nails.

The skin benefits of hemp seed oil include helping to treat and manage conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne.
The antioxidants in hemp seed oil help protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can trigger inflammation.

Hemp seed oil is a great addition to your everyday beauty ritual. It has anti-aging properties, helping to prevent signs of aging, and reduce lines and wrinkles.

Heart health

Hemp seed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and it can help lower blood pressure in conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure). Nevertheless, you should not discontinue any medications prescribed by a medical doctor.

Additionally, the hemp seed oil is rich in linoleic acid. There are already studies that have shown that adding food with high content of linoleic acid greatly reduces total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or the “bad” cholesterol. Lowering cholesterol levels reduces your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.

How to use hemp seed oil?

Generally, hemp seed oil can be used in a couple of ways. It can be consumed orally, or applied to the skin. 

• Oral use of hemp seed oil

You can take supplements or you can add to salads, smoothies, and sauces. Keep in mind that it is not recommended to cook and deep fry with hemp oil. If you consider taking high doses of hemp seed through supplements, you better consult a medical doctor in advance.

• Topical use/application of hemp seed oil

Hemp seed oil can also be applied to the skin. It is often added to moisturizers, serums, or toners. You can also find hemp seed oil in many hair care products, such as shampoos, conditioners, detanglers, or even body lotions, etc. It is often a key component in massage oils. 

You can simply massage a few drops of hemp seed oil on a cleansed face at night. It is not heavy and it is easily absorbed. There will be no grease marks left on the pillow. Applying hemp seed oil regularly will make your skin hydrated, supple, and smooth.

Likewise, hemp seed oil can moisturize your hands and nails. Additionally, you can apply it to your scalp and hair to nourish it. After application, wait 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly.