There have been many superfoods that have come to the surface in the past few years, but none have made quite as big of an impact as hemp. We aren’t just talking about how consuming these seeds will give you a few vitamins here and a few minerals there. We are talking about the fact that hemp seeds represent the most nutritionally complete seed in the world. That’s a pretty significant statement for such a small seed.
In reality, hemp hasn’t just popped up out of nowhere but has been around for longer than you or me. It is fascinating to know that hemp is in fact the oldest domesticated crop. Britannica states, “Hemp originated in Central Asia. Hemp cultivation for fiber was recorded in China as early as 2800 BCE and was practiced in the Mediterranean countries of Europe early in the Christian era, spreading throughout the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages. It was planted in Chile in the 1500s and a century later in North America.” In those times, hemp was utilized as paper, a range of textiles, and even ropes. Today, we are taking it a step further and producing even more products that can aid not only our body’s health but for the health of our environment and future too.
While we call hemp new, it is the food, medicinal and material source that is really just coming back to light the communities.
What is Hemp?
This crop, which can be grown almost anywhere is scientifically called Cannabis sativa L. and is a part of the Cannabeceae family. You likely know cannabis to be called weed, marijuana, reefer, pot, and probably many other interesting words. Due to its ~high~ effects when we smoke or consume the THC portion of the plant, we mostly know cannabis to be just that, a drug. However, the plant is much MUCH more complex than that.
Firstly, it’d be wise to dig into the varieties of the Cannabis plant.
Today we have three varieties of cannabis, and those are Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Despite in some cases being misleading, most people who are familiar with the plant know that sativa is the more energizing side of the cannabis plant and India is the more relaxing. This means that if you merely want to munch out in your living room while binge-watching Harry Potter, you’d pick the Indica strain. Heading out with friends or strolling through the park would be wise with the sativa strain.
However historically, with sativa meaning “from seed” it is likely that Cannabis sativa was the more dominant or original species, and Cannabis indica, meaning “from India” was a variety of Cannabis sativa from India. Similarly, prior to global prohibition, varieties existed such as Cannabis americana, Cannabis mexicana, etc.
Now that we can understand the varieties, we can move forward with the components of the Cannabis plant. While there are said to be upwards of 400 compounds, the two that scientists, and society, are most familiar with are CBD and THC. Healthline describes both as being.
- CBD: This is a psychoactive cannabinoid, yet it’s non-intoxicating and non-euphoric, meaning it won’t get you “high.” It’s often used to help reduce discomfort. It may also ease Upset stomach and stress. Additionally, the FDA has approved the CBD isolate-based drug for two rare seizure conditions. With scientists more recently re-investigating these compounds, researchers are still trying to fully understand the effectiveness of CBD’s medical use.
- THC: This is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. THC is responsible for the “high” that most people associate with cannabis and is intoxicating.
Understanding the difference between CBD and THC is one thing, but now we get into the positive nitty-gritty of hemp. Firstly, there is a difference between the high-THC Cannabis plant and the hemp plant. Medical News Today (MNT) states that the difference seems to be in its makeup. Cannabis and hemp are not the same plants, but instead a variety of the same plant. MNT explains, “Cannabis and hemp plants contain both CBD and THC along with more than 540 other substances. The main difference between the two plants is the amount of each compound they contain.” These compounds are “hemp plants generally contain more CBD, and cannabis plants contain more tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).”While the type of CBD extracted from both plants is not indifferent, the fact that hemp promises to contain more CBD allows manufacturers to feel comfortable in utilizing it in their products, as well as using it legally.
So, if we take the THC out of the equation, we are left with CBD and hemp. It is important to know both of these components come from the Cannabis sativa plant variety. However, CBD and hemp are considered different. While hemp is the overall plant, we use its seeds for products like hemp seed oils, hemp seed powder, and protein powders. Although CBD will in fact be naturally found in hemp, the CBD oil we see in stores today is extracted from the flowers, and fan leaves of the plant and is just one compound in a myriad of 100+ cannabinoids found in hemp. So, one of the big questions asked is whether or not hempseed oil and CBD oil are the same things? No! Because Hempseed oil is made from the pressing of the seeds and CBD oil from other parts of the plants.
The final aspect of CBD we need to understand is the beneficial compounds of CBD. There are three specific compounds of CBD and Healthline breaks these down as:
- Cannabinoids: There are more than 100 cannabinoids, including CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD and THC are more commonly known as being responsible for the therapeutic and psychoactive effects of cannabis products, but other cannabinoids play a major role.
- Terpenes. The more than 150 terpenes in cannabis affect the plant’s fragrance (Think: what makes an orange smell citrusy). They can also have therapeutic benefits (Think: how lavender has a calming effect).
- Flavonoids. Cannabis also includes about 20 different flavonoids. Flavonoids are found in all kinds of plants, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and more. Like terpenes, they have therapeutic effects.
The importance of these comes into play when purchasing CBD and hemp products which we will further discuss below.
Mind a little bit blown? It's quite normal for a complex plant like this to be complicated despite its amazing qualities. But the importance of understanding the differences between all of these components can aid you in purchasing the right products without following manufacturers that just want to make a pretty penny.
Is Hemp Legal and Safe?
With all of this talk about THC and getting high, some may be confused with the legality of the plant. After the breakdown above, we should be familiar now with the fact that high THC cannabis varieties, where THC is commonly found, and hemp, where CBD is more commonly found, are not the same plant varieties. The 2018 Farm Bill shows that farmers are strictly regulated to only have 0.3% THC or below in order to sell their hemp crops to manufacturers. Hemp is in fact able to be legally grown in all 50 states in accordance with USDA guidelines.
Hemp's safety is also recognized around the country. Very Well Health confirms this by stating, “According to the FDA, some hemp products, including hemp seeds, hemp seed protein powder, and hempseed oil are safe for food, and therefore there is no need for special legislation regarding legalization. ”This also accounts for drug tests. They go on to explain “There are only trace amounts of THC in hemp; unless a person is using other variations of the hemp plant, such as marijuana (or ingesting abnormally large amounts of hemp) failing a drug test from eating hemp seeds is unlikely.”
All in all, hemp is safe to consume, legal to buy, and nobody has died from overdosing on cannabis. Even The World Health Organization states that “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential… To date, there is no evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD."
Hemp Harvesting
There is so much potential for hemp and it’s really evident in its growing and harvesting methods. Just as its complicated make-up, growing hemp is no plant-and-go kind of crop. Due to its need to maintain low THC levels, and the sometimes presence of mold and mildew can make it important for growers to stay on top of their game. Many growers test their crops throughout their growing process and are very specific when it comes to soil.
Weather also plays a key part in harvesting. Hemp does prefer a humid atmosphere with a mild climate and at least a rainfall of ~30 inches per year. However, it is interesting to know that hemp can grow in all 50 states and grows so quickly that it can be harvested in 90-120 days.
Once the hemp has been cut, it needs to be dried. Growers want a slow dry with high airflow which indicates the ideal temperatures of drying range from 60 – 70 degrees Fahrenheit with 60% humidity. This allows the quality of the hemp at the end to be considerably higher.
You may be wondering why we haven’t mentioned anything about pesticide protection. Well, you can leave the pesticides in the store and out of your body as some hemp varieties can grow perfectly without it. This is another reason why it has such potential as a sustainable crop. More of its sustainability qualities come in its ability to produce four times more paper than that of an acre of trees, it can eliminate toxins and radioactive materials, capture carbon emissions, and what is likely the most important thing, can help to save bees!
What Are The Uses Of Hemp?
It’s quite impressive how much can be produced from a single plant. So impressive, that it makes us question how something that can be considered a medicinal option, be such a vibrant food source, and can produce countless products sustainably, was considered a menace to society for so long.
Apart from the hemp plant being able to produce clothing, materials, rope, detergents, soaps, skincare, bioplastics, wood preservative, insulation, lighting oil, paper, and biofuel, it’s more commonly known sources are therapeutics and a food sources.
These benefits can be mainly due to the fact that cannabidiol interacts with our endocannabinoid system. See the resemblance in the world cannabidiol and endocannabinoid? According to Forbes health, these send “signals between your cells to help regulate your movement, mood, homeostasis, and other systems.”
However, always check with your physician and remember that CBD should not be used as a substitute for your medications.
Hemp as Food
The real kicker in the hemp world is just how insanely beneficial hemp seeds are for our overall health. We cannot exaggerate just how insanely beneficial they are.
For instance, MNT shares the nutritional components of the hemp seed as being:
Quantity – 2 tablespoons serving
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111 calories
• 6.31 g of protein
Hemp seeds contain all 10 essential amino acids without containing any phytates.
• 9.75 g of fat
Hemp seeds contain omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids, are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acids (ALA), and contain phytosterols.
• 1.73 g of carbohydrates (including 0.8 g of fiber and 0.3 g of sugar)
• 14 milligrams (mg) of calcium
• 1.59 mg of iron
• 140 mg of magnesium
• 330 mg of phosphorus
• 240 mg of potassium
• 1.98 mg of zinc
• 22 micrograms (mcg) of folate
• Hemp seeds also provide vitamin C, some B vitamins, and vitamins A and E.
Even more, Anavii Hemp Heart protein provides these amazing nutritional benefits without the earthy taste of hemp, making it far more palatable than traditional hemp seed proteins.
How To Consume CBD and Hemp?
When it comes to consuming hemp, you really have your own pick of the crop. CBD and cannabinoids are very common in capsules, tinctures (where you place some drops under your tongue), edibles, spray, oils, lozenges, topical ointments, or even smoking and vaping.
As for hemp foods specifically, you can buy the seeds as a whole with the shell still intact or buy them dehulled, which is often easier to consume. Dehulled hemp seeds are often referred to as hemp hearts. These can be easily added to smoothies or salads, sprinkled over cereal, baked with, or even made into hemp milk.
To go one step further, you can also find hemp seeds as a protein powder that is perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Especially because hemp is easier for the body to digest than soy! And even better Anavii Health hemp heart protein is derived from the dehulled seeds (or hearts) allowing for improved concentrations of nutrition over traditional hempseed protein. This means higher values of protein, micronutrients, macronutrients, and essential amino acids. Plus it’s keto-friendly, weight-watchers friendly, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-free!
How Do I Know What To Buy?
As mentioned above, hemp seed oil and CBD oil are very different products. Therefore, having the knowledge of what type of oil or product you are buying will help you know which product is best for you.
While there is a lot of testing done to ensure that THC levels are under 0.3%, when it comes to contaminants from soil, pesticides, or any other chemicals that could be potentially harmful, the responsibility is left up to the companies. This is due to there not being a requirement for testing. What this means is that as a consumer, it is up to us to make sure we are putting our research into the companies that we feel we can buy from. But this is where Anavii comes in to help. We’ve done the hard work for you so that you don’t have to worry about the quality. As leading experts in the industry, we set out on a mission to make sure the products we curate are vetted and verified. Some important questions we’ve asked the brands we carry are questions like:
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Where is the product grown and how was it cultivated?
2. What type of CBD is being used?
3. Was the product tested by a third-party lab?
4. How much THC does the product contain?
5. What other ingredients are used in the product?
6. What the extraction method of the CBD was?
7. How much CBD will you get in every dose?
Once we have answered these questions and have found a company we believe to be a good fit for us, we can figure out what we want to use these products for. While research isn’t as extensive as it will be in the future, CBD is recognized for maintaining homeostasis or balance in the body, with some forms of CBD being more effective than others. This is because there are three forms of CBD. Healthline explains these as being:
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Full-spectrum CBD: This type of CBD retains all components of the cannabis plant, including a small amount of THC. While federally legal full-spectrum CBD products will always have less than 0.3 percent THC, it’s important to know that THC is still present in full-spectrum products.
Full Spectrum CBD includes small amounts of all compounds discussed above: THC, and other minor cannabinoids as well as terpenes and flavonoids. Making it less processed and more impactful. -
Broad-spectrum CBD: This version has all components of the cannabis plant, except for THC.
Broad Spectrum CBD contains nondetectable levels of THC but includes several cannabis plant compounds. -
CBD isolates: This form is 99%+ pure CBD, with no other compounds from the cannabis plant.
CBD isolate is refined further than Full and Broad Spectrum CBD and only contains CBD and no other cannabis plant compounds.
You may now be wondering which CBD is going to work best for you, and at the end of the day, this will depend on you and how your body reacts to each product. If you would like to have a more unrefined form of CBD and are happy to have a little THC incorporated, then sticking to full-spectrum CBD will be your best choice. However, if you are someone who needs to limit the THC in their CBD, you will want to move more towards the Broad Spectrum and Isolate CBD. The choice will inevitably be up to you.
The last part of buying CBD comes down to how you would like to ingest or use it. There are many alternative options on the market today which can either be a great thing or a little confusing. Consumer Report published a great guide to assist you in deciding which avenue you can go down.
Is hemp a product you should be looking into incorporating into your diet? Absolutely! The proof is in the hemp pudding and you have the potential to turn around many imbalances, big or small. The great thing about hemp and CBD products is that there are so many varieties to turn to. You can stick to buying hemp hearts or protein in order to boost your health, or you can veer towards CBD oils to support your health goals. Use this guide to purchase the products that work best for you. There is no harm in trying!
Anavii Market only sells safe, lab-tested CBD & hemp
Anavii Market only sells fully legal CBD and full-spectrum hemp extract products. We verify third-party lab tests for every product we sell to ensure they’re free of dangerous impurities.
Have questions on CBD & hemp? Contact us:
- Call – 502-209-8808
- Email – wellness@anaviimarket.com
- Message us on social media – @anaviimarket
