A common question we are asked is: What is hemp?
Hemp has been cultivated by humans for centuries for the production of many products ranging from rope & clothing through to cosmetics and food . Think of hemp as a raw material, much like cotton or wood. Importantly, one of natures gifts from the Hemp plant is the oil extracted from it’s seeds.
The seeds are cold-pressed to produce one of the most diverse and nutritionally packed oils available. As the seeds are from the hemp plant. Much of the confusion around hemp is from the fact that marijuana and hemp are both plants in the same genus or category called “cannabis.” Within this genus are three species and many sub-types, often called strains or cultivars. Hemp commonly means a cannabis cultivar that produces little to no THC, the primary psychoactive compound found in marijuana.
Hemp seed oil is growing in popularity because it provides a long list of health benefits that have been confirmed through an ongoing body of research. The following Healthline link outlines 6 Evidence based Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-health-benefits-of-hemp-seeds#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1
Hemp seeds do not have as many phytochemicals as the plant itself, but they have a rich profile of fatty acids, nutrients, and valuable bio-active vitamins and minerals. Hemp Seed Oil is well-known for being nutrient-rich and for its general health benefits and comprises healthy fatty acids, protein, and carbohydrates.
Hemp seed oil has a balance of the healthy fatty acids, omega 3 and 6 in a 1:3 ratio. It also contains smaller amounts of gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and oleic acid, making it a very unique essential fatty acid product. Studies have shown that GLA is useful for supporting hormonal balance and is linked to the 3:1 ratio of linoleic (LA) and a-linolenic acid (LNA), two essential polyunsaturated fatty acids that particularly benefit the heart
As an essential fatty acid, hemp seed oil also supports tissue building and other specialised functions. Essential fatty acids are necessary for maintaining flexible and healthy skin cell membranes and supporting the repair of damaged cells due to some skin conditions. For more information on the use of Hemp Seed Oil for certain skin conditions, please follow this link: https://www.healthline.com/health/hemp-oil-benefits#skin-disorders
Cocavo is proud to supply Organic Certified Hemp Seed Oil and other Hemp products such as Hemp Seed Hearts and Hemp Protein Powder on our website shop for very affordable prices to make these gifts from Mother Nature available to everyone.
If you are wondering what Hemp Seed Oil tastes like, well the answer is it has a slightly nutty flavour. Cocavo’s Hemp Seed Oil is cold pressed from the inner pulp of the seed, so the oil is a beautiful golden colour and the oil does not have the characteristic bitterness found in some hemp seed oils where the whole seed is processed. By removing the outer hard shell of the seed, this bitterness is also removed resulting in a delicious, super-oil that you will quickly come to love using on a daily basis. Check out some of our recipes using Hemp Seed Oil here: https://cocavo.co.nz/recipes/
