Hemp
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Hemp is the common name for cannabis and it is often confused with marijuana. Although hemp as well as marijuana are from the species cannabis sativa, hemp contains virtually no THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) which is the active ingredient in marijuana. Industrial hemp therefore has no illicit uses; it could be compared to non-alcoholic beer.
Industrial hemp is an astonishing resource. It is harvested for its fibres to make clothing or cordage of varying tensile strength and to be used in housing construction; the seeds can be used for cooking or the oil from the seeds can be made into paint, varnishes, lubricants, and much more. The hemp seed oil is also utilized for its healing qualities in salves and cosmetics.
Hemp Production
With a relatively short growth cycle of about 100-120 days, hemp is an efficient as well as economical crop for farmers to grow. Hemp can be grown with little or no chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, and it needs very little water which makes it really beneficial to the environment. In the production process nothing is wasted. The stalks are used for fiber and the seeds are used to make oil and food supplements. Hemp produces more fiber per acre than trees, and it can be renewed two to three times per year. Up to the 1980s, the Soviet Union was the world’s largest producer of hemp. The United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany resumed commercial production in the 1990s. Today, China controls about 40 percent of the world’s hemp fibers. In the United States hemp use is severely depressed by law because of the fear that high THC plants will be grown among the low THC plants used for hemp production. The US is the only industrialized country where it is illegal to grow hemp.
Hemp Clothing
Hemp is the most durable of all natural fibers. It has three times the tensile strength of cotton and it is strong and longlasting. Clothing made of hemp fiber is lightweight and absorbant as well as UV and mold-resistant. Hemp can be blended with other fibers. There are now hemp-silk and hemp-cotton garments available on the market. The cellulose fiber from hemp is used to make all sorts of clothing like jeans, shirts, pants, jackets, dresses, and skirts, etc., but also accessories like hats, scarfs, bags, and wallets.
Hemp Food
Hemp was cultivated in Asia more than 6,000 years ago and was used as a food source long before soy foods. The seeds of hemp are considered to be one of the most nutritious food on the planet as they are packed with protein, vitamin E, Omega-3 essential fatty acids, and gamma-linoleic acids (GLA). Hempseeds contain pure, digestible protein, with a perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids and smaller-chain edistin and albumin protein, thus making it the standard of plant foods. Hemp contains three times the vitamin E and twice the iron and magnesium of flax. Hempseeds are comparable to sunflower seeds and can be used for a variety of recipes, for instance, in salad dressings, as condiments, mixed into drinks and soups, or for baking. Products range from cereals to frozen waffles and from hemp flour to hemp protein powder.
Hemp Body Care
The essential fatty acids (EFAs) and the gamma-linolenic acids (GLA) in hemp make it an excellent natural emollient and moisturizer. Hempseed oil can reduce skin discomfort by soothing and restoring dry or damaged skin and increasing the natural moisture retention capacity. Regularly used, hempseed oil leaves the skin smooth, soft and moisturized, and helps to slow down the effects of skin aging. In hair care products, hempseed oil can make the hair glossy and manageable and can bring relief from dry scalp or hair damage by chemical perms or coloring, or by blow-dryer heat and sunlight. A great variety of hemp body care products are on the market, they range from lotions to moisturizers, and from bath oils to shampoos.
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