The use of hemp oil

Hemp oil is a valuable food and technical product made from cannabis seeds (do not confuse it with butter-based canna butter). As a rule, technical varieties that do not contain psychoactive substances are used for its production. But if it occurs to anyone to make an oil from recreational marijuana seeds, the result will be about the same. Nuts by themselves do not contain any psychoactive substances that are synthesized exclusively during the development of the hemp bush. BUT

you can buy quality hemp seeds from us.
Before the all-out war on marijuana began, marijuana-based products played a significant role in the economies of many countries. The Russian Empire and the United States of America were among the leaders in this area. Now, as the pressure from the anti-drug authorities decreases, it is likely to regain its rightful place as one of the most significant industrial crops (article Use of cannabis). Hemp seed oil alone can be used in:

chemical and paint industry,

cosmetics and health products,

medicine and pharmaceuticals,

food industry and cooking.

The product contains a record (up to 82%) amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including up to 3% of gamma-linolenic acid, which determines some of the medicinal properties of this oil and its value for the production of cosmetics. When used in cooking, such a characteristic property of hemp oil as a low smoke point is taken into account – it is not suitable for frying. This indicator for it is 166 ° C, only linseed oil has a lower level (107 ° C). The smoke point of other edible oils is in the range of 230-250 ° C.

Hemp seed oil production technologies

Culinary hemp oil is obtained by pressing in auger and hydraulic presses or by extraction. Wood hydraulic presses are considered to be more environmentally friendly and are a traditional buttermaking technology used for a long time. The product obtained in this way will be light and transparent, with a slight aftertaste. Using a wooden press, it is impossible to break the cold-pressed technology. In such oil, all useful substances are completely preserved, which is very important for medical and cosmetic use of the product.

The oil pressed in a screw press has a brighter green color and a rich nutty flavor, since unrefined seeds are used as raw materials, and the mechanism squeezes out not only oil, but also other plant extracts from them. Such a product is used in cooking and better conveys the specific taste of hemp seeds. If the manufacturer violates the technology, the mass in the press can be heated to high temperatures. At the same time, the amount of the product increases, but it can hardly be called “cold-pressed oil”.

For technical purposes, hemp oil is extracted by extraction using organic solvents (alcohol, gasoline, hexane). In this case, the fats are extracted from the seeds almost completely, cheaply and quickly. Using the extracted oil for culinary or medicinal purposes is hardly possible – there are traces of solvent in it, but it is perfect for making biodiesel or natural wood varnish.

Refined hemp oil is a product that has undergone additional purification and sometimes deodorization. It has a subtle flavor and is almost colorless. Usually refined oils are used for frying, but hemp is not suitable for this – it smokes and burns at temperatures below 200 ° C. For salads, unrefined cold-pressed oil is better suited.

Industrial uses of hemp oil

Hemp vegetable oil is similar in properties to flaxseed oil. In particular, it is tarred and hardened by oxygen, forming a strong transparent film. Drying oils have traditionally been used to create drying oils, paints and varnishes. Now in mass production, synthetic alkyd bases are used, but natural drying oil is still used as an absolutely environmentally friendly product for interior work. It does not smell, and the film formed by it does not emit harmful substances.

Also, hemp oil, along with rapeseed and soybean oil, can be used to obtain biodiesel – organic fuel for internal combustion engines produced from vegetable fats. Unlike mineral fuels, biodiesel contains virtually no sulfur, the main pollutant in diesel engines. It is not hazardous to the environment if it comes into contact with soil or water. In fact, this is all also vegetable oil, which is easily decomposed in nature. A by-product of biodiesel production, glycerin, is a valuable raw material for the chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Cosmetology and health products

One of the first cosmetic products made from hemp was green liquid soap. At the end of the 18th century, they began to cook it in Russia, as Peter I said: “Following the example of Holland.” It did not win the love of housewives, but it was widely used for disinfection by doctors and veterinarians. The soap owes its color to the greenish hemp oil. Subsequently, other vegetable, animal and mineral oils were used for the production of medical soap, but traditionally it was always colored green. Now, under the name Green Soap, a pest control product is sold, but it has nothing to do with medicine or hemp.

Cannabis oil is an excellent cosmetic both on its own and as a base for creams and ointments. The mechanism of their action is based on the replacement of sebum (in case of violation of its production by the sebaceous glands) with vegetable fat. Lipids maintain the normal moisture balance of the skin and help preserve its natural barrier, which protects the human body from foreign substances and microorganisms. But in this case, the correct ratio of linoleic fatty acids omega-6 and omega-3 is important.

According to various sources, the optimal proportions of omega-6 and omega-3 are in the range from 1: 1 to 4: 1. Soybean oil has a ratio of 7: 1, and widely used flaxseed oil has a ratio of 1: 4, which does not quite fit into the optimum. Hemp oil has a 3: 1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, which is as close to ideal proportions as possible. It is clear that we are talking about oil obtained by cold pressing, without the use of high temperatures and organic solvents.

In addition, hemp oil cleanses the skin from excess fat, if any, or vice versa – saturates it with additional lipids in case of deficiency. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, improves skin hydration (moisturizes it), activates collagen production, which helps to solve the problems associated with aging. Hemp oil can also be used to enhance tanning. It stimulates the production of melanin, a natural skin pigment that protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.

Hemp oil in medicine and pharmacology

The ability of hemp oil to positively affect the condition of the skin is used not only by cosmetologists, but also by dermatologists to treat skin diseases. Its use is most justified for the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, acne and lichen planus. Hemp oil is mildly bactericidal and soothes inflammation. It also strengthens the skin, making it more resistant to bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

A 2011 study concludes that physical or emotional symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are potentially caused by sensitivity to the hormone prolactin, which may be associated with low prostaglandin E1 levels. The gamma linolenic acid in hemp oil contributes to the production of this physiologically active substance. The study found that women who took small doses of hemp oil experienced marked relief of their PMS symptoms.

A 2010 study indicates hemp seed oil helps protect against complications associated with menopause. This is most likely due to the high concentration of gamma-linoleic acid.

The study, published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, highlights that the unsaturated fatty acid profile in hemp seeds may have a positive impact on health problems such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and high cholesterol. A 2014 review concluded that increasing levels of alpha-linolenic acid, which is also found in cannabis oil, reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The use of hemp oil in cooking

Hemp oil has an easily recognizable and very pleasant nutty flavor. The greenish color may, perhaps, confuse some gourmets, but, in general, this is a matter of habit. Hemp oil is best suited for dressing salads and adding to cereals and baked goods.

Hemp oil used to be widespread and used for a variety of purposes. The fact that it disappeared from our diet is not a consequence of any of its shortcomings, but the result of a policy aimed at allegedly fighting drugs (to which, by the way, cannabis cannot be attributed either in terms of pharmacological or addictive indicators). In the end, an entire industry was practically ruined, which occupied one of the leading positions in the economies of many countries.

Fortunately, now the situation is changing for the better, common sense wins over greed and obscurantism, allowing us to hope that soon we will again be able to enjoy all the benefits that the wise use of cannabis gives.