Hemp Seed Oil: Fad or For Real?

Information brought to you by: Recherch'e Organics

Hemp, Seeds, & Oil

I have been asked often what is all the hype about hemp seed oil? Is it merely fad or is there truly something behind this taboo substance? I would like to explore this oil in depth and allow you, the reader, to make up your mind if in fact there is something beneficial about this oil.
  

Can You Get High From Using Hemp Seed Oil? 

 In a day and age when Marijuana is all over the news, every state in the USA is trying to figure out their own methods to the "war on drugs, and every third person is proclaiming the "health benefits of this almighty plant", it is difficult to discern what is true and what is merely hype.  So lets first start with this question.  Can you in fact get high from using hemp seed oil? The answer is NO and here is why.  Plants that are being grown for oil production (mainly Canadian seeds are here in the USA) have a very low resin content to begin with.   The resin or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana)  is not found with in the seed it self.  Instead it is contained in the flowering bud and to a lesser degree the leaf of the plant. Once the seeds are harvested, they are then washed and cleaned of any potential resin (industry average says up to 99.99%) that could have encountered the outer husk of the seed.  The seed is then sterilized (so it will not be a viable plant producing seed any longer) and then pressed into the finalized product... the oil.  

So What is in Hemp Seed Oil (if not THC)?

With that question behind us, lets take a further look as to what is in hemp seed oil.  Hemp seed oil is in fact a nutrient dense and highly usable oil.  It can be used in skin and beauty care as we will be looking further into.  It can also be used as a food grade oil (though not recommended for cooking  even low heat exposure). This oil contains antioxidants, protein, carotene, phytosterols, phospholipids, as well as many valuable minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, sulfur, zinc and phosphorus.  It is considered a complete protein and contains all 20 amino acids, including the 9 amino acids that are essential aminos (meaning our body does not produce them).  It also has a horde of vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D, and vitamin E.  With each oil, with each natural ingredient, there is always one thing that stands out above all else.  The ONE, possibly single most important or interesting fact about hemp seed oil is the fact that it has a very high percentage of Essential Fatty Acids (or EFA's)  and not only is the percentage high, it is also in perfect balance between omega 6 and omega 3 at a ratio of 3:1.  This is the perfect balance for our human bodies. 

From whole seed, to ground seed to oil

What Does This Mean For Our Skin? 

Now understanding that hemp seed oil is full of nutrients, how does this oil benefit our skin and hair? 

The protein found with in this oil repairs damaged skin on the cellular level.  It is able to strengthen the cell walls while it is hydrating and helping the epidermal layers of skin maintain its moisture content. This oil is great for skin suffering from inflammatory conditions, such as acne, roseacia, eczema, psoriasis.  It has strong anti-inflammatory agents such as; GLA gamma-linolenic acid to aid in reducing the skins inflammatory response. This natural moisturizer contains vitamin D (as above mentioned).  Vitamin D helps achieve soft, smooth and well hydrated skin.  It has been used abundantly to help prevent premature aging and does this by helping maintain the moisture balance with in the skin cells.  In 2005 a study conducted in Finland by J. Callaway and was published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment.  J. Callaway's findings were the "symptoms of skin dryness and itching significantly improved in dermatitis sufferers after suing to hemp seed oil for a period of 20 weeks."

Hemp Seed Oil for Beautiful Skin and Hair

DIY

1 Tbs of Hemp Seed oil massaged into the the scalp 1 time per week and followed with regular shampoo and conditioning will strengthen the hair follicles, help repair damaged hair, and leave a beautiful and lustrous shine.