What is Hemp Oil good for?

Lesley York

Hemp Social Expert

Hemp oil is a fantastic alternative oil product that has many cooking and medicinal uses, with little to no risk of ‘intoxication’ thanks to containing less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is what creates the "high" often associated with the use of marijuana – and, in part, the reason hemp products have been unavailable around the world in the past 50 years.

What is hemp oil?

Hemp oil is a highly versatile product produced from the ‘super food’ seeds of the hemp plant, not to be confused with cannabidiol oil or CBD oil – which is used for the natural relief for pain, anxiety, and chronic ailments such as arthritis. Hemp oil provides a wide range of benefits from heart health, skin health, digestive health, pain relief, muscle tension, and more, making it a real winner in the pantry.

How is hemp oil made?

Hemp oil is made through the crushing of the seeds from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Which, as mentioned, does not contain the THC of the infamous cousin marijuana. Oil derived from hemp does contain a large number of minerals, nutrients, fatty acids and useful compounds for the body.

It is then put into bottles or jars, or value-added depending on its end use. The oil is available in basically every location imaginable these days, so you can pick it up in supermarkets, health stores, pharmacies and more.

What are the benefits of hemp oil?

As previously mentioned, the benefits of hemp oil are extensive. Being a super food, it is fantastic for humans’ digestive systems and gut health. Filled with large amounts of dietary fiber, it assists in bowel movements and a healthy diet.

With its fatty acids, omega 3, omega 6 and protein, it fills a void often left out of the consumption of fish and meat, thus being the perfect partner to not only the vegan or vegetarian diet, but also all our diets in general.

In addition, the oil is highly effective as a natural alternative for the relief of skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and acne, when applied directly to the skin. Thanks to being all-natural, the relief comes without a wide range of side effects often associated with chemically produced alternatives. These fatty acids are good for the brain and can assist in not only helping the body function properly, but also in the reduction of inflammation across the body – providing an improved quality of life for those with chronic conditions and pain.

Meanwhile, with such a high level of nutrients in its comprehensive and complex profile, it has been linked to positive heart health, the reduction of high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Convinced yet?

Why do we need it?

As you walk through your local supermarket, there are not many packets that are ‘all natural’, or free from synthetic additives, colors and preservatives. Certainly, they don’t offer as much of the benefits as we have just outlined in the previous section.

Sadly, as our lives continue to get busier, we are often sacrificing our nutritional requirements and healthy eating, with convenience and time saving. This is leading to a global increase in weight gain & obesity levels, diabetes and even death. Some regions around the world – such as the Middle East – have countries where over 50% of the population are soon to be diabetic!

This can be avoided by a healthy & active lifestyle, and the substitution of products such as mono-saturated fats and oils, to products such as hemp oil. We also need hemp oil as it offers new and exciting flavor tones to our foods, while also being able to be applied to our faces to relief any unwanted itches or scratches!

Where can I get hemp oil?

Hemp products used to be a little hard to find, but as more understanding of the product comes available – and the fact that although related to, but is not marijuana – you can now find them online, in your local health store and a number of other retailers. However, as the sweeping change of ‘health and wellbeing’ takes the nation – and the world for that matter – the major supermarket retailers are jumping on this and you can often find hemp oil products on their shelves and ready for your salads.

Simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can have long lasting and positive effects, so why not try hemp oil today and see what it could do for your health and wellbeing?