Natural Hemp Products - Health Benefits of Hemp Oil
Dear Dr. Leia: I wonder if you can tell me the health benefits of hemp.
I am seeing many products at the natural health food stores like hemp oil soap, hemp seed protein powders and even candles, hemp clothing, and hemp cotton crib sheets (which I was thinking of getting as a shower present for a friend).
So I have a couple questions and hope that you can answer them. First, are there really herbal health benefits when using hemp products? Or is this just a new age marketing trend? Since I am all for finding natural products that are beneficial to us and our environment, so my second question is...are there health benefits to wearing hemp clothing, and sleeping on hemp cotton sheets and is hemp fabric okay for a baby? Thanks Susie.
Dr. Leia's Answer: Dear Susie, hemp is becoming more popular today, with many diversified products containing various parts of the hemp plant. Such products include hemp oil soap, protein and nutritional powders, natural wick candles, natural clothing and other fiber products.
For the most part, hemp is grown without pesticides because it is a much hardier plant which makes it less vulnerable to insects, pests, drought, mildew, and other poor growing conditions. Therefore, it is easier to grow organically without pesticides and other chemicals. In this regard, hemp is good for the environment and our bodies.
As an oil, hemp actually has a superior ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids, with the Omega 3 component being in a higher, correct ratio to the Omega 6 fatty acids. This actually makes hemp oil preferable and superior than flax seed oil, which has been long been the gold standard as an excellent source of Omega 3.
Hemp fiber used for clothing gives excellent UV sun protection for the body, and if the final weave of the hemp bed sheet is soft enough, it seems it would be excellent for children's bed covers because it is pesticide-free.
Hemp Seed Products
Pure Hemp Protein Powder: Protein Powder that is made from hemp is a wonderful alternative, it has a yummy nutty flavor. We like to add it to our natural salad dressings to make them creamy or hemp butter tastes so good you can eat it straight from the jar. It also tastes good in protein shakes, moothies, and with green superfood drinks.
Pure Hemp Protein Powder is actually a whole food protein powder. It is very rich in complete protein and beneficial branch chain amino acids. It also has a good balance of Omega 6 and Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). When adding Hemp Protein powder to your diet you also increase your healthy dietary fiber.
Quality Pure Hemp Protein Powder comes from live seeds that are grown without herbicides or pesticides. It is cold milled and this combo makes the hemp plant an excellent choice to add to your organic product shopping list along with the delicious hemp butter.
The best hemp powders are should be consumed within eight weeks after opening the container. They will contain 100% Raw, cold milled Hemp Seeds with no additives or preservatives. One of our favorites is Nature's Way Certified Organic Hemp Protein Powder.
Nature's Way Hemp Protein Powder
Hemp Seed Oil: Research has proven that we need good fats in our bodies and that low fat diets do more damage than good. High quality organic hemp seeds provide one of the best types of Omega 3/6/9 essential fatty acids. We found one product we feel is exceptional and that is Nature's Way EFAGold. You will find it is the highest quality hemp seed oil, and nature's richest botanical source of the Omega Essential Oils in a cold pressed, unrefined and hexane-free product.
90% Total EFAs:
- 18% Omega-3 - Linolenic Acid
- 60% Omega-6 - Linoleic Acid
- 12% Omega-9 - Gamma-Linoleic Acid (Harder to Find)
Favorite Hemp Recipes
Hemp Seed Oil Salad Dressing
- 1/3 cup Hemp Seed Oil
- 2 Tablespoon Hemp Butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon fresh diced garlic
- 1/2 Teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 2 - 4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (to taste) (Or can use rice vinegar, or balsamic vinegar for variance)
- Dash of stevia (natural herbal sweetener)
- Dash of salt and pepper (to taste)
Cinnamon Toast
Toast your favorite sprouted raisin bread, spread hemp seed butter and pure natural honey on your toast and sprinkle with a little cinnamon.
Other Hemp Products
You can always by other hemp products, such as Jason personal care products that also have hemp in them. Some favorites are:
Hemp Candles, Hemp Clothing, Hemp Personal Care Products, like bath and shower gels, deodorants, and hemp soaps, shampoos and conditioners.
Hemp-Sisters Has a Wide Assortment of Hemp Products
