Basic Uses of Industrial Hemp for Food
and Personal Care
by Mari Kane

The hemp seed is the only source of food from
the hemp plant. It is not really a seed, but an achene —
a nut covered with a hard shell. Hemp seed is used for
people and animal food, and industrial use. Whole hemp
seeds imported to the United States or Canada must be
sterilized to prevent sprouting. This is not the case in
Europe where fresh seeds are used. Shelled hemp
seeds are the latest technological advance.

Whole Seed
The whole seed contains roughly 25% protein, 30%
carbohydrates, 15% insoluble fiber, Carotene,
phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium,
iron and zinc, as well as vitamins E, C, B1, B2, B3 and B6.
Hemp seed is one of the best sources of Essential Fatty
Acids (EFAs) with a perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic
Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid, good for strengthening
the immune system. It is also a source of Gamma Linoleic
Acid (GLA) which is otherwise available only from specialty
oils like evening primrose oil or borage oils. Whole seeds
are made into snack bars, cookies and porridge, or they
may be roasted and consumed alone or in a trail mix, or
brewed with coffee or beer. Wild and domestic birds
love hemp seeds, too.

Shelled Seed
Removing the outer coating of the hemp seed produces
a wonderful nut that is being used in many different food
applications, including snack bars, cookies, nutbutter,
chips, pasta, tortillas and hummus. The flavor is nutty
and can be used as a topping on just about anything.
It can be roasted with spices or just eaten raw.

Seed Oil
Hemp seed is 30% oil and is low in saturated fats.
Hemp seed oil is good for lowering cholesterol levels
and strengthening cardiovascular systems. The oil has
a pleasantly nutty flavor. Among the foods hemp seed
oil is made into are sauces, butter, salad dressings,
condiments and pesto. Processing of hemp seed oil
starts with drying the seeds to prevent sprouting.
The seeds are then pressed and bottled immediately
under oxygen-free conditions. Hemp seed oil is fragile
and should be kept refrigerated in dark, air tight
containers.

Seed Meal and Presscake
The meat of the seed is also highly nutritious and
versatile as a seed "meal" and may be made into
hemp milk and cheese, non-dairy ice cream, burgers,
and anything else one might conceive of. Left over from
pressing the oil is the "presscake" — high in amino
acids, which can be crushed for animal feed or
pulverized for flour to make breads, pastas or
pancakes.

Throughout history, hemp has provided a nourishing
food supply to many cultures around the world. In Asia,
roasted hemp seed is eaten as a snack, like popcorn.
In Russia, hemp butter was used as a condiment by
the peasant folk. In Poland, seeds are used for holiday
sweets. Hemp seed was eaten by Australians during
two famines in the nineteenth century.

Body Care
One of the fastest growing market sectors for hemp
seed oil is body care products. The phenomenal
essential fatty acid content of hemp oil makes it
ideal as a topical ingredient in both leave-on and
rinse-off bodycare products. The EFAs help soothe
and restore skin in lotions and creams, and give
excellent emolliency and smooth after-feel to lotions,
lipbalms, conditioners, shampoos, soaps and shaving
products.

Sources:

Hemp Industries Association

Nutritional/Medicinal Guide to Hemp Seed by Ken Jones, Rainforest Botanical Laboratories

The Great Book of Hemp by Rowan Robinson, Inner Traditions International

Hemp: Lifeline to the Future and Hemp for Health by Chris Conrad, Creative Xpressions

Hemp Today edited by Ed Rosenthal, Quick American

Journal of the International Hemp Association, International Hemp Association

HempWorld — The International Hemp Journal, updated from Hemp Pages, 1997, published by Mari Kane