Exploring the Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil

Used for millennia, hemp is a fiber-type weed of the Cannabis sativa species. It can be separated into two categories: drug-type hemp, which is rich in delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is used for psychotropic properties; and fiber-type hemp, which contains the THC precursor cannabidiol (CBD), but only low levels of THC.¹

U.S. federal law allows the import and sale of non-drug hemp stalk, fiber, oil and seeds, as they do not contain THC.² Legally, hemp is permitted in the manufacture of food, paper and clothing, and hemp seed oil has particular application in cosmetic applications. Additionally, the strains of hemp grown for oil production have a low resin content; after harvest, cleaning and washing, no THC remains in hemp seed oil.³

Hemp seed oil is all natural and allergen free. Depending on its usage, it can be organic as well as kosher. The most important feature of hemp seed is that it provides both of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) needed in the human diet—linoleic acid (n-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, an n-3)—as well as a complete and balanced complement of the essential amino acids. Hemp seed oil is also one of the only oils to contain the direct metabolites of linoleic acid and ALA, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA), respectively.

EFAs, particularly GLA, are of critical importance for healthy skin, making hemp seed oil a highly effective skin care and cosmetic product. Its lipid constituents allow it to permeate through intact skin, nourishing skin cells directly while also carrying therapeutic substances with it into the skin. These properties have led to a multitude of soaps, shampoos, skin lotions, lip balms, conditioners, and other skin care products containing hemp seed oil.

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