Hemp is a versatile and highly beneficial plant that has been used for centuries in a variety of industries. From food and supplements to textiles and biodegradable plastics, hemp has a wide range of applications. Industrial hemp refers to hemp plants that are cultivated for their fiber and material that are used to manufacture a large number of commercial and industrial products. Hemp milk contains more calcium than cow's milk and also contains proteins and essential fatty acids omega-3 and -6.When hemp seed is pressed, an oil is created that can be used directly for nutritional and industrial products. The main difference between hemp and other cannabis varieties, such as marijuana, is that it has a much lower THC cannabinoid content (less than 0.3% in Canada) and a higher CBD content.
The use of hemp in the food and supplement industry is expected to expand in the coming years as demand grows, with enormous social, economic and health implications. Whole hemp seeds can be used as food in the same way as shelled seeds and offer the added benefit of fiber. Seed meal can be used as animal feed, ground into flour or protein powder, and used in making hemp beer. A large observational study sponsored by the IZSM, the HEMPEDOCLE study, will recruit ¼ 900 cannabis users, including 600 people who consume hemp-derived cannabis products as food or supplement. Hemp seeds and their inflorescences are widely used around the world as a source of ingredients for foods and supplements.
Most commonly, seeds and oil are added to foods as a supplement and are considered to be very beneficial to health. Although limited, these results suggest that hemp oil may be part of a diet with potential health benefits. Over the past few decades, to counter its widespread use as a recreational drug, the authorities banned the cultivation of any variety of cannabis without making a distinction based on the content of THC, which seriously and unjustly harmed the hemp industry. In addition, since hemp plants grow quickly (180-500 cm tall in just 110 days), they provide natural shade that kills weeds. It is important to note that the consumption of hemp seed oil produced a subjective decrease in both skin dryness and itching, along with a reduction in the use of topical medications, while this effect was not reported in the case of olive oil. Legislative and regulatory interventions should aim to promote appropriate clinical research to demonstrate or refute the safety of hemp-derived products, something that the industry or the scientific community has so far not done independently. Hemp is an extraordinary crop, with enormous social and economic value, since it can be used to produce food, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paper, paint, biofuels and animal feed, as well as oil for lighting.
