JOIN USThe hemp hump
Hemp is a sacred plant from ancient India, which has a long-standing history of health benefits that are therapeutic as they have medicinal properties. Cannabis/hemp has been used in India for thousands of years in Ayurveda and it has also been referred to in the Vedas as one of the five most sacred plants. But in India, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act banned the production and sale of flowers and resin from cannabis in the mid-80s due to its origin from the same family of cannabis or marijuana plants. This acted as a catalyst for the taboo around it, overshadowing the benefits of hemp and creating a misconception among people that it is related to cannabis.
However, hemp does not contain the psychoactive effect of marijuana. Marijuana comes from a female Sativa plant containing psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that is consumed to get a “high” but on the other hand, hemp contains only less than 0.3% of THC and does not contain the same effect and is considered to have less to no mind-altering properties.
Hemp’s association with cannabis along with the ban imposed under NDPS Act during the 80s has birthed many myths on hemp contradicting its health benefits. Some of the myths are as below:
Myth: Hemp and cannabis are the same.
Fact: Hemp has a close connection with the cannabis plant (which has a THC of over 5% but both are not the same) because both come from the same Cannabaceae plant. Both look and smell alike but their chemical compositions are different with different amounts of THC.
Myth: Hemp is a drug.
Fact: Hemp is banned because of its association with marijuana but according to the Drug and Cosmetic Act 1985, hemp leaves are considered to be scheduled E-1 drug. This list of E-1 drugs contains a list of substances under the Ayurveda and Unani system of medicine.
Myth: Hemp product traces will show up in a blood test.
Fact: Hemp contains only 0.3% of THC and also does not contain any psychoactive trace of cannabinoids which means it does not reflect in one’s blood test but products such as cannabis ayurvedic oil or capsule contain cannabinoids such as THC and CBD etc., which reflect in one’s blood test.
There are a lot of myths built around hemp due to its connection with cannabis but hemp has only 0.3% of THC value and has a lot of nutritional properties like Vitamin A, B, C and E along with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, proteins, phosphorus, magnesium and many more.
Below are five benefits of adding hemp seeds to your daily diet:
Hemp is a superfood for vegans: Complete proteins are very hard to find in plant-based products because plants often lack amino acid lysine and hemp is the best food in the plant kingdom for a complete protein-based diet. Its digestibility makes it a better protein source than grains, nuts and legumes.
Whole hemp seed helps in digestion: Fibre is the most important nutrition for digestion and whole hemp seeds are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Hemp contains 20% soluble and 80% insoluble fibre.
Hemp seeds help in curing skin disorders: A good immune system is the key to healthy skin and studies suggest that fatty acids affect the immune system in the body and hemp seeds contain omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids in the ratio of 3:1 which is considered the optimal range. Also, hemp seed oil relieves dry skin, improves itchiness and reduces the need for skin medication.
Hemp seed decreases the risk for heart diseases: Heart disease is the main reason for taking the death toll high on a world level but it can be controlled if hemp seed is included in one’s daily diet as it releases high amounts of amino acid arginine which produce nitric oxide in your body, relaxes vessels and lowers blood pressure.
Hemp helps in protecting the body against rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition. It causes the immune system to attack its own tissues which lead to inflammation in the joints. Research in 2014 found that hemp oil contains anti-rheumatic effects which effectively treat rheumatic diseases.
Even though there is a huge misconception through myths and taboos around hemp and its usage, it is one of the best immunity boosters as it protects healthy cells by destroying dead and faulty cells like cancer cells.
Moreover, hemp oil has the ability to boost natural killer cells which eventually kill B cells, T cells, as well as cytotoxic T cells.
Hemp also activates the serotonin 1A receptor which relieves stress and directly affects one’s immunity.
(The author is an entrepreneur
associated with an Indian hemp startup.)