5 Things You Didn't Know About Hemp

Hemp is at the heart of our products. But how much do you really know about it? If you know our products, you know that we’re purists when it comes to CBD. Our full and broad spectrum products aim to maximize the natural healing potential of the hemp plant. Modern techniques and scientific precision have made lab-tested, reliable products possible, but there’s one thing above all else that is the true heart of our CBD products: hemp.

Together, hemp and marijuana encompass what is known as “cannabis.” But this non-psychoactive super-plant often gets a bad rep simply because of its association with marijuana. Over time, this negative focus has done hemp a disservice and allowed it to get lost in the shuffle. With hemp-derived CBD gaining well-deserved popularity, we wanted to take a look at some of the other ways that this versatile and promising plant can be used. Here are a few things you may not have known about hemp.

It’s Good for Wherever It’s Planted

The hemp plant sends deep roots into the soil in which it’s planted. That makes it hardy and adaptable to lots of different types of soil. Those roots help the soil resist erosion and pump productive microbial content back into the ground. What’s left after harvest is so nutrient-filled that it’s a common practice to spread the stalks back over the field to replenish the ground to renew its productivity for the coming year.

It’s also among the greenest crops you can grow. For its size, the hemp plant absorbs nearly four times as much carbon dioxide (CO2) as trees do. The simple act of hemp growing helps the environment since it soaks up carbon dioxide like a sponge. A short 12 to 14-week growing cycle makes it a highly sustainable crop, which in turn also contributes to curbing climate change.

Hemp Seeds Are Super Nutritious

“Superfoods,” especially nutrient-packed raw foods, are often touted as natural antidotes to damaging free radicals in our bodies. Next time you reach for a crunchy, nutritious addition to your salad or smoothie, consider adding hemp seeds. Think of them like chia seeds or flax seeds, but with considerably more protein.

Hemp seeds contain gamma-linolenic acid, which has been linked to several potential health benefits and is also found in breast milk. They’re also a great source of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, and zinc. Adding hemp to our daily diets may seem relatively new or even trendy, but hemp seed oil has actually been used as a food and medicine in China for over 3,000 years.

Hemp seeds are also a wealth of polyunsaturated and essential fatty acids and are loaded with two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Among the potential benefits of including hemp seed oil in your diet? Clear skin. Research suggests that dietary hemp seed oil may contribute to improving sensitive skin conditions such as eczema.

The United States of Hemp

The first American colonies were practically founded on hemp. The Puritans in Colonial America planted hemp almost immediately and used it to supply materials such as sails for the Mayflower. This useful fiber was widely cultivated throughout the colonies and was highly regarded by the Founding Fathers.

Thomas Jefferson received the first-ever United States patent, a hemp threshing machine, and imported new cannabis strains from China to America during his time as the French ambassador. Jefferson also wrote extensively on hemp’s versatile advantages over tobacco. Master inventor Benjamin Franklin saw tremendous potential in hemp too. He owned a paper mill that produced hemp parchment and could very likely have written the many drafts that became our founding documents on hemp paper. Documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were all written on hemp paper. In a way, our country was founded on hemp—literally.

Hemp Could Help With Our Plastic Problem

Unlike the majority of single-use plastics, hemp is biodegradable. Most of the plastic that we throw away ends up in a landfill or the ocean with no ability to break down over time, not to mention that plastic production relies heavily on non-renewable energy sources such as petroleum. Plastic made from hemp could change that. The plant is recyclable, renewable and there is already a consistent supply of quality hemp available in the U.S. With the 2018 Farm Bill propelling more domestic hemp growing, costs are expected to come down even further.

Hemp stalks also provide an excellent source of fibrous material that can be used in composite panels of all shapes, sizes, and functions. Pretty much anything made from plastic can be made with hemp. It acts as a reinforcement for thermoplastics, such as polypropylene. It’s an ideal and eco-friendly replacement for a wide array of plastic consumer products and building materials.

Hemp Has Unexplored Benefits for the Economy

Hemp has been referred to as a billion-dollar crop for its endless uses and the great economic opportunity large-scale cultivation could offer. A thriving hemp industry could create a surplus to ship to manufacturers around the world. It could create jobs and opportunities. That’s not even addressing the potential wellness benefits of hemp-derived cannabinoids that are rapidly changing public perceptions about hemp, and contributing to the wellbeing of those that make them a part of their wellness routine.

With hemp’s growing public awareness and popularity, it may not be too long before you see more of this incredibly useful plant on store shelves around you.