Hemp is a plant from the cannabis family but, unlike its sister marijuana, it doesn’t induce the same hallucinogenic effects. Moreover, enjoyed from a dietary perspective, hemp can provide some interesting nutritional benefits. The seeds, sometimes referred to as ‘hearts’, or labelled ‘shelled’ or ‘hulled’, can be pressed to make hemp oil, which has a distinctively delicious nutty taste.
Hemp has a rather unique omega fatty acid profile in that it provides a brilliant 3:1 ratio of omega3 to omega6, which can help to boost levels of omega3 – often lacking in the diet, and which is positively linked to heart health, among myriad other associated benefits. Gammalinolenic acid (GLA), an omega6 fatty acid, which also features highly in hemp, may have some connection with improved skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, and hormone balancing. In relation to the cannabis association, hemp has very small amounts of naturally occurring tetrahydrocannabinoids (also known as THCs), which have been linked to reducing inflammation and may also have some positive associations with helping to manage anxiety.