Oilypedia.com – Benefits And Uses Of Supplemental and Essential Oils 
What is hemp seed oil? Most people get wrong associations with the mention of hemp oil. However, hemp oil has been with people throughout long history and proved itself as a valuable product beneficial for health. Nowadays it is widely used in both food preparation and medicine, including cosmetics. In this article we are going to have a closer look at the hemp seed oil and its benefits.
What is hemp seed oil?
Let’s start with the questions: what is actually hemp seed oil and is there any difference between hemp and marijuana? As Wikipedia states, hemp doesn’t have THC drug, which can be found in marijuana. In other words, hemp does not make you “high” and therefore, hemp and hemp products are safe to use and absolutely legal to be sold and manufactured. Speaking about hemp seed oil, it is pressed from the seeds of the Cannabis sativa and is one of the most perfectly balanced oils in the world.
SEE ALSO: All Hemp Oil Uses for Your Health
Hemp seed oil nutrition facts
According to Hemp Basics, hemp seed oil is a source of the following valuable substances:
- Omega 6 and Omega 3 (in perfect proportion 3:1)
- Fatty acids (80% of total oil content)
- Minerals: magnesium, potassium, calcium
- Vitamins: D, E, B1 and B2
In addition, hemp oil also has GLA (gamma-linolenic acids), being the only edible oil with relevant GLA content (1-4%). Since quite a number of people may experience low GLA level in their bodies, the consumption of hemp oil may help prevent the development of a number of diseases, caused by GLA lack.
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Choose your oil
It is important to remember that hemp oil (and other oils as well) should be pressed with a minimum heat involvement, which is called cold pressing, and therefore the oil produced in this way is called cold pressed hemp seed oil. The more heated the oil is, the faster it may be destroyed by light and oxygen as well as lowering its nutritional value. Read more how to make hemp oil at home.
Also, before rushing to buy hemp seed oil, you need, however, to remember few things. The best choice is raw, pure and non-refined oil. It varies from dark to light green color and is pressed from organic and GMO-free hemp seed, which gives us organic hemp seed oil. It has pleasant nutty flavor and can be used as an alternative to olive oil in salads or with any food according to your taste.
Regenerative Nutrition warns, that the oil contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids, which tend to increase the tendency of the oil to become rancid, especially if exposed to oxygen or light. So it is important the oil is kept in refrigerator (if not consumed right after buying) and away from the source of light.
However, if you are buying this oil only for cosmetic use, you can also choose refined one, or pure hemp oil. It is clear and without color and with a slight taste. You can use it for body care, make a hemp oil soap, as after being refined it lacks most of natural vitamins, but will serve as a good moisturizer.
