Overview
Hemp seed oil is considered to be the best nutritional oil for health
because its essential fatty acid (EFA) profile is closest to that
required by the human body. Essential fatty acids are termed as such
because the body cannot manufacture them. Therefore, they must
continually be replenished in the diet. EFAs are not stored or used for
energy as are other fats. Instead, they are used as raw materials for
cell structure and as precursors for the synthesis of many of the body’s
vital biochemicals, including hormones and prostaglandins.
Because our brains are made of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, many
assume that the only way you should obtain these is by eating such
things as fish, which have the long-chain fats. Such plant sources as
hemp seed oil, coconut oil, and flax seed oil are made up mainly of
medium-chain fats, which non-vegetarians quickly point out. However,
when long-chain fatty acids are eaten, they must be emulsified by bile
salts in the small intestine before they can be absorbed into the body.
Short- and medium-chain fatty acids are absorbed directly through the
portal vein to the liver, where they are immediately available to the
body.
Hemp seeds are the only natural source to boast of having the ideal
ratio of EFAs required by the human body, which is roughly 3:1 of
omega-6 to omega-3, the two most important EFAs. Flax oil ranks second
as a valuable EFA source, but flax seed is not in the optimal
proportion. Rather, it has the opposite ratio – 1:3. After about two
years of regular use, flax seed can evenually cause omega-6 deficiency
symptoms.
By weight, hemp seed is 30-35% oil, of which 80% consists of
polyunsaturated EFAs, specifically the two most important ones –
linoleic acid (LA – omega-6 at 60%) and linolenic acid (LNA or ALA –
omega-3 at 20%). These are the parent compounds which build longer-chain
fatty acids. LNA then converts to DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA
(eicosapentaenoic acid) – two of the most critically needed forms of EFA
and LA converts to AA (arachidonic acid), which has opposite effects of
those from DHA.
An excess of AA – the result of too much omega-6 – ultimately leads to
such health problems as inflammation and, more importantly, increases
blood clotting, which can cause heart attack, stroke, or embolism. In
the last 40 years, the American diet has become loaded with excess
omega-6 from corn and soybean oil, margarine, and similar processed
fats. At the same time, Americans eat 500 mg of omega-3 per day, much
less than they need. Consequently, instead of the 3:1 ratio they should
be getting, most people consuming the western-type diet, end up with a
ratio of 50:1.
Other fatty acids in hemp seed oil include: Palmitoleic acid,
Heptadecanoic acid, Arachiditic acid, Eicosenoic acid, Behenic acid,
Erucic acid, Lignoceric acid, and Nervonic acid; but it also contains
several higher fatty acids. It is one of the only food oils to contain
the direct metabolites of LA and LNA. Most notable are GLA (gamma
linolenic acid from LA) and SDA (stearidonic acid from LNA), which serve
as intermediaries in the formation of longer-chain fatty acids and
vital hormone-like prostaglandins in the body. Because of this, hemp
seed oil is able to circumvent the impaired EFA metabolism and physical
compromise that can result from genetic factors, intake of other fats,
aging, and lifestyle patterns.
Gamma Linolenic Acid
GLA and SDA are not considered to be “essential” because the body is
also able to convert some of the parent compounds into GLA and SDA, a
process that happens through the enzymatic action of delta-6-desaturase.
However, there are many health conditions and nutritional deficiencies
that interfere with this process. Therefore, GLA may very well be an EFA
for such individuals as the elderly, diabetics, those with excessive
cholesterol, common viral infections, and a zinc deficiency. It is vital
for those consuming an excess of saturated fats, refined oils, fried
foods, alcohol, and sugar. Trans-fatty acids also inhibit the production
of GLA and SDA.
GLA is used in both the pharmacological and cosmetic industries. The
most important use is in the area of chronic skin disorders such as
neurodermatitis. Used both internally and externally, GLA can balance a
lack of essential fatty acids and return the moisture loss of the skin
back to normal hydration. The alleviating action of GLA on psoriasis,
atopic eczema, and mastalgia are already well documented and GLA
preparations are frequently prescribed for the treatment of them. GLA
has also been researched for its beneficial effects in cardiovascular,
psychiatric, and immunological disorders, particularly that of
rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, and premenstrual syndrome.
GLA is found in minute quantities in most animal fats. Oats, barley, and
wheat germ also contain small amounts, as does human milk. Excellent
sources of GLA, though, are hemp seed and hemp seed oil (2-6%),
blue-green algae (spirulina), evening primrose oil, black currant seed
oil, borage oil, and some fungal oils. None are as tasty as hemp seed
oil and consequently, not nearly as versatile either.
In order to introduce hemp seed oil into medicinal preparations, it
would be necessary to increase the GLA content in the seed from the
present 2-4% to about a 10% level. Hemp oil with a 10% GLA content would
immediately replace other oils. A seed-hemp cultivar (Finola) grown in
Finland, and now in Canada, has GLA and SDA levels of 4% and 2%
respectively.
Symptoms of an LNA (omega-3) deficiency include: dry skin, growth
retardation, weakness, impaired learning ability, poor motor
coordination, behavioral changes, impaired vision, high blood pressure,
sticky platelets, edema, mental deterioration, low metabolic rate, and
immune dysfunction (see more under Hemp as Medicine)
Although LA (omega-6) is present in our bodies in much greater
quantities and because the western diet has an over-abundance,
deficiencies are rare but can happen.
Symptoms of an LA deficiency include: skin eruptions (acne and
eczema-like), loss of hair, poor blood circulation, behavioral
disturbances, liver and kidney degeneration, gallbladder problems,
prostatitis, muscle tremors, abnormal water loss through the skin
(sweating profusely), susceptibility to infections, impaired wound
healing, male sterility, miscarriage, arthritis, cardiovascular disease,
and growth retardation.
These deficiency symptoms are all reversible with adequate intakes of
EFAs but if ignored for a long time, health problems can develop into
more serious degenerative conditions.
Saturated Fatty Acids
While there are many pictures of the horrors of eating saturated fats
being painted today, they are necessary to the body. It is the excess
consumption of them from meat and fried foods that raise blood levels of
LDL cholesterol. This excess contributes to the formation of arterial
plaque, thus raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Saturated fatty acids (SaFAs) are an important source of calories. When
our energy needs are met, our bodies metabolize excess fatty acids into
SaFAs for storage as adipose tissue. There are only small quantities in
vegetable oils – about the right amount that is actually needed. Hemp
seed oil is composed of about 8% saturated fat.
Foods grown closer to the equator have a higher quantity of SaFAs and
less of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. The reverse is true for foods
that grow closer to the poles in the colder climates. The reason for
this is that plants and seeds that must survive freezing temperatures
produce fluids that remain liquid even below the freezing temperature.
Tropical plants produce oils that will remain stable in hot conditions.
This is the reason that SaFAs are often solid at room temperature while
polyunsaturated fatty acids remain liquid at below-freezing
temperatures.
EFAs
- link oxygen, electron transport, and energy in the process of
oxidation. Oxidation “burns’ food to produce the energy required for
life processes. EFAs are involved in the transporting of oxygen to all
our cells and can be likened to magnets that pull oxygen into our body.
EFAs appear to hold oxygen in cell membranes to act as a barrier to
viruses, fungi, and bacteria.
- increase metabolic rates and burn more fat into carbon dioxide, water, and energy, sometimes resulting in weight loss.
- form cell membranes and function and keep them fluid, maintain
hormone balance, prevent drying and cracking skin conditions, bring
sheen to the hair, helps prevent cardiovascular disease, arthritis,
auto-immune disorders and more,and help with wound healing, breast pain,
pre-menstrual syndrome, and multiple sclerosis.
- help produce life energy in our body from food substances, and
moving that energy throughout our systems, thereby governing growth,
vitality, and mental state.
- particularly, ALA and its derivatives, can lower cholesterol up to 65%.
- ldisperse throughout the body, giving biological systems the
power to carry such substances as toxins to the surface of the skin,
intestinal tract, kidneys, or lungs, where these substances can be
discarded.
- are vital since the brain is comprised of 12% fat, mother’s
milk is 40% fat, and the eyes are 60% fat – of which, DHA from omega-3
is the most abundant! DHA stays in the body for only about a week so
must be replenished frequently for optimal health.
- are very sensitive to light, heat, and oxygen. Therefore, hemp foods should be stored in cold, dark places to preserve potency.
- lsubstantially shorten the time required for fatigued muscles
to recover after exercise. They also facilitate the conversion of lactic
acid to water and carbon dioxide, which is especially important to
athletes.
- In hemp seed oil, they do not change when heated. The smoking
point is 332°F (165°C), but the oil can be cooked at temperatures up to
475°F for no longer than 30 mintes. Tests have shown that this
temperature does not change the configuration of fatty acids in the hemp
seed oil as it does in some other edible oils. This ability to
withstand heat is quite unique among polyunsaturated fats, since most
oils – like canola, soy, flax, and fish oils – quickly convert to
trans-fats when heated at much lower temperatures for far less time.
Even fish, when cooked, can convert its omega-3 to trans-fats.
Combining hempseed oil with temperature-stable oils increase the
ability of the hempseed oil to withstand heat and provides the most
‘good’ fat and fewest trans-fats from cooking. The ideal oil for this is
avocado oil, which has a smoke-point 50% higher than olive oil. It also
has a large percentage of monosaturated fatty acids, which have a
positive effect on health. Hemp seed oil maybe added to avocado oil at a
5-10% level (3-6 tbsp of hemp seed oil per quart of avocado oil). This
amount will provide a good amount of omega-3 while still withstanding
the heat of normal cooking. The use of this avocado-hemp seed oil blend
is perhaps the most healthful choice possible, since it will displace
the use of other less-healthful cooking oils and butter.
- have a slippery quality that helps make blood platelets less
sticky. Sticky platelets clot more easily and can block blood vessels,
causing stroke, heart attack, or embolisms. EFAs, on the other hand,
help to clear the body’s arteries caused mainly by the imbalance of EFA
ratios in the fats that are consumed.
- convert into hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins,
which regulate such cellular functions as communication, cholesterol
production, and blood platelet aggragation. Since different
prostaglandins often have opposite effects, they are needed by the body
in a delicate balance obtained from a balanced intake of the two
essential fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3). For instance, the
prostaglandins that key up the body’s response to stress are all made by
omega-6 fatty acids while the ones that gear down the body’s response
to stress are nearly all made by omega-3 fatty acids. Not surprisingly,
stress-related diseases tend to respond to omega-3 supplementation.
- are precursors to the prostaglandin series (PGE 1, 2, and 3).
PGE1 inhibits the production of cholesterol and dilates blood vessels
and prevents the blood clotting of platelets in arteries. A study
reported in 1992 indicated that a diet of hemp seed causes the serum
levels of total cholesterol to drop dramatically. Blood pressure also
decreases after several weeks of eating hemp seeds, apparently because
of the steady supply of EFAs.
EFA Dosage
Although there is no official recommended daily allowance (RDA) for
EFAs, many experts recommend a minimum of 3% of calories from omega-6
and 1% from omega-3 fatty acids. Pregnant or lactating women should
double this intake.
One tablespoon of hempseed oil or 1 ounce of shelled hempseed supplies
roughly 6.6 grams of omega-6 and 2.2 grams of omega-3 - just the amounts
needed for a 2000-calorie diet. This is a suitable amount even for
vegetarians and takes into account the conversion ration of 1% ALA to
DHA, the currently accepted conversion rate for plant sources of
omega-3s. However, those who lack suchenzymes as ethnic groups with a
history of high fish intake may have difficulty converting ALA to DHA.
EFA Labeling
In the modern Western diet, omega-6 is plentiful to excess; but omega-3
is relatively rare. In Canada, there is a strange law that makes it
illegal to disclose any omega or EFA content on a product label. Only
polyunsaturated, monosaturated, and saturated fats are permitted. This
is just one of the regulations in Canada designed to favour dairy
concerns over public health. To make matters worse, it is illegal to
favour dairy alternatives and promote them – ironically, in a land noted
for its omega-rich canola, flaxseed, and hemp seed crops.
Essential Fatty Acid Comparisons
The ideal ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids
(LA:LNA) in the human body is 3:1. Based on this, the following
comparison is made among the most common edible oils:
- Flax seed oil -- 1:4
- Canola oil -- 2:1
- Hemp seed oil -- 3:1
- Soybean oil -- 8:1
- Olive oil -- 9:1
- Wheatgerm oil -- 10:1
- Sunflower oil -- 71:1
THC Content
Many people still remain fearful that consuming hemp oil will cause a
positive reaction in drug screening tests. Although this was possible at
one time, the chances are very slim that could ever happen today.
According to Dr. Jace Callaway, a Finnish scientist and developer of the
FIN-314 variety of hempseed (
Finola),
in a personal correspondence, in the early days of hempseed processing,
much of the hempseed oil was taken from Chinese hempseed where the THC
(delta-9-tetra-hydro-cannabinol) was typically 1% or higher on uncleaned
seed. THC levels in those oils varied according to whether or not the
seed was cleaned before pressing. Today, almost all hempseed oil is
produced from clean, low THC varieties from the EU and other certified
sources.
Technically, there is no THC in hempseed. It is found only in the
flowers, buds, and leaves of cannabis. However, since the seed is
produced in those areas of the plant, resin can remain during harvesting
and processing. Any levels of THC in seed and seed derivatives are
residual and attributable to the plant variety and to the cleaning
process. Extensive cleaning may lower THC levels, but some residual
resin can remain on the seed. This problem is now dramatically minimized
or even eliminated since the advent of very low THC varieties, as
FIN-314 from Finland, Santhica from France, and many others.
THC build-up, or bioaccumulation, in the body is really not relevant to
health and only significant in the interpretation of urine tests. Hemp
foods are generally processed to temperatures above 60°C (140°F).
Because of this heating, a portion of the THC (if there is any) will be
in its naturally free carboxylate form. This is important because the
THC-carboxylate is not absorbed by the digestive system.
Steam-sterilized seed, for example, has a higher percentage of its THC
(if any exists) in this ‘free form’, compared to the fresh viable seed.
Under the
Industrial Hemp Regulations
published by Health Canada, allowable THC content for oil and other
derivatives is currently set at no more than 10 mcg/g of THC (that is,
10 milligrams per litre or 10 parts per million or 0.00001% or 10 ppm).
Switzerland, on the other hand, has a limit of 50 ppm or 50 mg/kg for
hemp oil products while hempseeds are set at 20 mg/kg. To reach even
these conservative levels, a hemp food lover would have to consume more
food than would be feasible.
Some are worried about giving hemp foods to children since they are more sensitive to chemicals in general (see
here).
Cannabinoid receptors are developed during puberty. Therefore, since
little or no THC exists in hemp foods today and what does exist is in a
‘free form’ and, since children would not be affected anyway, there is
no reason why they cannot eat these healthy products. They obtain far
more harm from all the processed foods already served to them on a daily
basis.
Dr. Gero Leson has worked on several projects that involve TCH urinalysis using hempseed oils. Some examples are found here:
TestPledge helps
alleviate concerns that eating hemp foods or using hempseed products
will cause positive drug tests. Hempseed producers that have signed with
TestPlege are obligated to comply to their standards/
A
2001 assessement of THC in foods and cosmetics by Dr. James Geiwitz and an Ad-hoc committee.
Low Fat Diets
Reductions of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in ultra-low fat and fat-free
diets actually cause people to feel hungrier than they did before going
on such a diet. It can also begin the process of dangerous EFA
deficiency which causes people to binge on high-calorie foods to
compensate for feeling unsatisfied.
The body absolutely requires fat in the diet in order to process such
fat-soluble nutrients as vitamins A, D, E, and K as well as
phytochemicals. Fat substitutes, like Olestra, Oatrim, and Simplesse for
example, slide through the digestive system intact – which most people
think is advantageous. But, fat substitutes compound a problem by not
only being unable to aborb these nutrients into the body, but also they
carry them directly into the feces for elimination.
Fat-free diets have been correlated with violent, short tempers in human
and animal studies. Such diets can also cause high cholesterol levels
because the body produces excess cholesterol in an attempt to make up
for the lack of EFAs.
Hempseed oil, therefore, may be thought of as a “diet” oil, because it
contributes fewer calories than most other oils or fats and because it
is so rich in EFAs, vital for cell metabolism. Experts say getting more
than 12-15% of calories from EFAs will actually aid in burning off
excess fat and thereby contributing to weight loss.
Problems with Fish Oil
Today, many people are trying to obtain their omega-3s from fish or fish
oil supplements. There are problems with this approach. For the vegan,
and some vegetarians, this source is not an option and should not be for
many others as well. Some of these concerns are addressed in the
section entitled
Inferiority of Fish Oil.
Trans-fats
According to the FDA, the average American eats 5 grams of trans-fats
every day. This is the equivalent of 1000 mg of omega-3s per day -- if
this amount were replaced by hempseed oil. Trans-fats are so toxic to
the body that the FDA is expected soon to require food labels to
disclose thier content in the nutritional facts panel on packaged foods.
One FDA scientist believes that removing trans-fats from margarine
would save 2,100 deaths annually in the US, and removing them from just
3% of the cookies and crackers would prevent 5,600 deaths per year. Over
twenty years, health costs would be reduced by $59 billion.
One way to determine roughly the trans-fat content of a food is to add
the number of grams of polyunsaturated, monounsaturate, and saturated
fat listed in the “nutrition facts” panel. Subtract that from the ‘total
fat’ listed. The remainer is approximately the amount of trans-fat in
the product.
Oil Processing
Hemp seed oil is obtained much like other vegetable oils. Typically,
whole hemp seeds are put into a special press that squeezes out the oil.
Hemp seed oil is best extracted mechanicallty in a light-free and
oxygen-free environment and should be stabilized with such antioxidants
as vitamin E, vitamin A, or rosemary extract to prevent rancidity. The
package should then be topped off with an inert gas, as nitrogen or
argon, and kept from heat and light. Maximum ripening of the seed and
removal of immature seeds are important for the production of quality
oil. Large, dark, plump-looking seeds make the best oil.
Unrefined hemp seed oil extracted by cold-pressed methods varies in
colour from off-yellow to dark green; but all still have that pleasant,
nutty taste. Oil that tastes ‘off’, with a ‘fishy’ or a ‘paint’ smell is
rancid and should be discarded. Old seeds can have an orangey colour,
resulting from the enzyme lipase digesting the fat in the seed. Hemp
seed is full of enzymes, including lipase and protease. In fact, it was
in hempseed that scientists first discovered enzymes. The sharp taste of
fresh hemp seed is caused by these enzymes.
Since manufacturing quality will greatly impact the quality of the oil,
it is advisable to purchase only the highest-quality hemp seed oil.
Although hemp seed oil is expensive in comparison to refined,
solvent-extracted, or heat-pressed oils, it is far superior in
nutritional value. It is estimated that if cultivated again in the US,
the cost of hemp seed oil would be comparable to that of corn oil.
Hempseed oil is best stored in the freezer. It will stay fluid and does
not need to be defrosted. One to 3 tablespoons is the suggested daily
intake for adults; children can take half that amount; and breast-fed
babies obtain its benefits through the mother’s milk.
Source: http://www.innvista.com/health/foods/hemp/hempoil.htm
