Have You Discovered Hemp?

Hemp is one of the oldest and most sustainable crops used for many things including clothes, cars, plastics, building material, rope, paper, linens, medicine and food. It is highly nutritious, extremely versatile, and is great for the environment. The tiny little seed, found on the top of the plant, is a potent source of nourishment rich in oil, protein and dietary fibre.

The reason we aren’t all consuming hemp ferociously is due to a rather controversial past. Though it was legal in the 17th and 18th centuries in certain states of America to grow hemp on your land, its association with marijuana and the dangers of getting ‘high’ led to its ban in 1937. Though marijuana (cannabis) and hemp come from the same plant, they differ greatly. Hemp has extremely low levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the psychoactive substance in cannabis that gets you high. Hemp has no drug or mind-altering properties.

Interestingly, eating hemp seeds may reduce the risk of heart disease. They contain high amounts of the amino acid arginine, which is used to produce nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a gas molecule that makes the blood vessels dilate and relax, leading to lowered blood pressure and a reduced risk of heart disease. Says a report in the August 2009 issue of ‘Archives of Pharmacal Research’, “Nitric oxide (NO) is a pivotal signalling messenger in the cardiovascular system. NO participates in regulatory functions including control of hemostasis, fibrinolysis, platelet and leukocyte interactions with the arterial wall, regulation of vascular tone, proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and homeostasis of blood pressure. Diminished NO bioavailability and abnormalities in NO-dependent signalling are among central factors of vascular disease.” The gamma-linolenic acid found in hemp seeds has also been linked with reduced inflammation, which may decrease the risk of diseases like heart disease. Additionally, animal studies have shown that hemp seeds or hemp seed oil may reduce blood pressure, decrease the risk of blood clot formation and help the heart recover after a heart attack.

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