"Cannabis sativa," the plant from which marijuana is made, also has numerous nutritional benefits. The plant is also called hemp, and the seeds and oils from the plant have been incorporated into many health foods, including breads, cereals, protein powders, nutrition bars and other foods. Hemp oil comes from the hemp seeds, and the seeds are an excellent source of protein by themselves.
Essential Fatty Acids
Hemp seed oil contains needed fats and nutrients to help maintain health. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, hemp oil has 57 percent linoleic acid, or LA, and 19 percent linolenic acid, known as LNA, in a ratio that matches what the human body needs. These acids are essential fatty acids, which means the body needs them to function optimally but does not make these substances. They need to be consumed through food or supplements. LA and LNA help build omega-3 fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, which aids in heart health and lowers cholesterol, says Weil.
Nonessential Fatty Acids
Gero Leson, an environmental scientist, says that hemp oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, including gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, and stearidonic acid, or SDA. Taken alone, these are not essential fatty acids, but the body makes these fatty acids from LA and other essential fatty acids. When there is a higher level of GLA and SDA, these fatty acids have been shown to help treat atopic dermatitis and other skin diseases, according to Leson. Dr. Andrew Weil adds that GLA has been shown to encourage hair and nail growth and helps reduce inflammation. Depending on the hemp oil product, levels of these nonessential fatty acids can vary.
Protein Benefits
Hemp seed protein is extremely nutrient dense. This protein contains all the essential amino acids, and is comparable to other protein sources like meat in this respect, says Leson. It is made of two globular proteins, albumin and edestine, which gives it a similar structure to proteins made in human blood plasma; this enhances its absorption capacity and utilization. Unlike other plant proteins like soy, hemp does not have anti-nutrients that can prevent the body from absorbing all of the protein, according to Leson.
Considerations
Hemp protein and hemp oil will not cause any psychoactive effects, says Weil. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the substance that intoxicates individuals and is found in the resin on the flowering parts of the hemp plant, not the seeds, where the protein and oil are found. Hemp grown for oil production has a low resin content on the seeds, and by the time the seeds are pressed to make oil or protein powder, the level of THC is zero, according to Dr. Weil. Thus hemp protein and oil can be safely ingested without fear of intoxication.
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