A number of companies are now selling hemp oil, toasted and shelled hemp seeds and granola bars containing hemp seeds. This is not a good use for hemp. Hemp may be appropriate for domestic animals and birds, but it should not be used for human food. In China, where cultivation of hemp originated, hemp oil was used occasionally, but there are no references in the Chinese literature to the use of hemp seeds as food for human beings. (Simoons, Food in China, 1991)
Hemp oil has been promoted in recent years as a “heart healthy” oil that is rich in essential fatty acids and low in saturated fat. Hemp oil is indeed highly unsaturated, and this is exactly why it should be avoided. Hemp oil is over 75 percent polyunsaturated, containing about 55 percent omega-6 fatty acids and about 20% omega-3 fatty acids. It contains only about 10 percent saturated fatty acids and 10 percent monounsaturated fatty acids. It is, therefore, highly unstable and prone to oxidation; and the high content of linoleic acid makes it particularly unsuitable for human consumption. Diets containing an excess of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-6 fatty acids, have been linked not only to heart disease but also to cancer and autoimmune disease.
An additional problem derives from the fact that hemp oil may contain traces of cannabinoids and these substances can then turn up in the urine of those who consume it. In one research project, seven adult volunteers purchased hemp oil from a health food store and ingested 15 milliliters each. Urine samples taken at 8, 24 and 48 hours after ingestion were positive for THC. (Journal of Analytical Toxicology October 1997 21(6):482-485.) If these volunteers had been obliged to give a urine sample to their employers, they would have failed their drug test.
Because hemp oil is highly unsaturated, it makes an excellent base for paints and varnishes. In fact, there is no need to consider hemp for human consumption except in small quantities for medicinal purposes. There are many good fats and oils that humans can use and there are many good industrial uses for all the by-products of the hemp plant. Let’s not make the same mistake with hemp that we have made with soy, by promoting its inappropriate use as a human food.
About the Author...
Sally Fallon is founding president of the Weston A Price Foundation, a non-profit nutrition education foundation with over 400 local chapters and 9000 members. She is also the founder of A Campaign for Real Milk, which has as its goal universal access to clean raw milk from pasture-fed animals. Author of the best-selling cookbook Nourishing Traditions and also of Eat Fat Lose Fat (Penguin), both with Mary G. Enig, Phd, Sally has a encyclopedic knowledge of modern nutritional science as well as ancient food ways. Her grasp on the work of Weston Price is breath taking and her passion for health freedom, inspiring. In each edition of Nourished Magazine Sally answers your questions about nutrition, health, food and medical politics. Send us an email with your question and we'll put it to her.
Jun 27th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Yes i agree that the hemp oil coming out of China is defintely not suitable for human consumption. There is no regulation of the processing and production of the oil and the unacceptable levels of THC that are finding thier way into the product. Nor do they package it in a way that protects it from oxidation occuring.
So i say NO to Chinese hemp oil and YES to Australian grown and processed hemp seed oil that has been nitrogen flushed,cold pressed and packaged in a dark bottle. This Australian hemp seed oil is a quality product with many benefits and is in a completely different league than the oxidised, rancid, THC infested hemp oils that come out of china giving hemp oil a bad rap. I think hemp seed oil definitely has its place for human consumption when it is processed in the right way.
Thank you
Jul 10th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Ms. Fallon’s article does NOT make a case as to why hemp is a bad food. In fact, I’ve had a certified nutritionist here is the USA recommend it highly (the clean product that is produced in Canada). If Ms. Fallon wants people not to consume hemp, then she’d better give us some good fact-b ased explanation, and not a bunch of hand-waving about tainted Chinese hemp. (I assume most foods from China are tainted.)
Jul 13th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Just because a “certified nutritionist” recommends something does not mean it is appropriate for human consumption. Hemp contains canabanoids and also all the anti-nutrients that are found in other seeds. No one has looked at these antinutrients to see whether they can be neutralized by appropriate processing. Hemp was only consumed in traditional societies during times of famine–these were called the silly season because of the effect that hemp seeds had on people. Hemp has many wonderful industrial uses, for cloth, paper, rope, etc–but it should not be consumed as a food.
Apr 22nd, 2008 at 6:00 am
Dear Sally Fallon,
I’m interested in what you’ve written about consuming hemp. Are there any supporting evidence of what you claim about the hazards in consuming hemp? From what I’ve researched, I’ve only heard of the one-sided good claims of it.
Much evidence would be appreciated.
Your’s sincerely,
Terry T
Apr 22nd, 2008 at 8:58 am
Terry, Isn’t the wisdom of those who came before us enough? Why are we trying to reinvent our diets when we can simply replicate the one our ancestors thrived on for many generations? What is the reason you want to eat hemp in any case? Are you omega 3 and 9 deficient (the reason most hemp for food enthusiasts give)? or are you looking for a protein alternative to meat? Both reasons are a moot point when you consume animal food from grass fed beasts, with fat intact.
Jun 17th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
“Diets containing an excess of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-6 fatty acids, have been linked not only to heart disease but also to cancer and autoimmune disease”
Could you please post any scientific studies regarding this statement. While you may be right making a claim like this without proof discredits it.
I respect your article and work.
Jun 18th, 2008 at 10:32 am
From The Skinny on Fats by Mary Enig and Sally Fallon.
The Dangers of Polyunsaturates
The public has been fed a great deal of misinformation about the relative virtues of saturated fats versus polyunsaturated oils. Politically correct dietary gurus tell us that the polyunsaturated oils are good for us and that the saturated fats cause cancer and heart disease. The result is that fundamental changes have occurred in the Western diet. At the turn of the century, most of the fatty acids in the diet were either saturated or monounsaturated, primarily from butter, lard, tallows, coconut oil and small amounts of olive oil. Today most of the fats in the diet are polyunsaturated from vegetable oils derived mostly from soy, as well as from corn, safflower and canola.
Modern diets can contain as much as 30% of calories as polyunsaturated oils, but scientific research indicates that this amount is far too high. The best evidence indicates that our intake of polyunsaturates should not be much greater than 4% of the caloric total, in approximate proportions of 1 1/2 % omega-3 linolenic acid and 2 1/2 % omega-6 linoleic acid.30 EFA consumption in this range is found in native populations in temperate and tropical regions whose intake of polyunsaturated oils comes from the small amounts found in legumes, grains, nuts, green vegetables, fish, olive oil and animal fats but not from commercial vegetable oils.
Excess consumption of polyunsaturated oils has been shown to contribute to a large number of disease conditions including increased cancer and heart disease; immune system dysfunction; damage to the liver, reproductive organs and lungs; digestive disorders; depressed learning ability; impaired growth; and weight gain.31
One reason the polyunsaturates cause so many health problems is that they tend to become oxidized or rancid when subjected to heat, oxygen and moisture as in cooking and processing. Rancid oils are characterized by free radicals—that is, single atoms or clusters with an unpaired electron in an outer orbit. These compounds are extremely reactive chemically. They have been characterized as “marauders” in the body for they attack cell membranes and red blood cells and cause damage in DNA/RNA strands, thus triggering mutations in tissue, blood vessels and skin. Free radical damage to the skin causes wrinkles and premature aging; free radical damage to the tissues and organs sets the stage for tumors; free radical damage in the blood vessels initiates the buildup of plaque. Is it any wonder that tests and studies have repeatedly shown a high correlation between cancer and heart disease with the consumption of polyunsaturates?32 New evidence links exposure to free radicals with premature aging, with autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and with Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Alzheimer’s and cataracts.33
Too Much Omega-6
Problems associated with an excess of polyunsaturates are exacerbated by the fact that most polyunsaturates in commercial vegetable oils are in the form of double unsaturated omega-6 linoleic acid, with very little of vital triple unsaturated omega-3 linolenic acid. Recent research has revealed that too much omega-6 in the diet creates an imbalance that can interfere with production of important prostaglandins.34 This disruption can result in increased tendency to form blood clots, inflammation, high blood pressure, irritation of the digestive tract, depressed immune function, sterility, cell proliferation, cancer and weight gain.35
Too Little Omega-3
A number of researchers have argued that along with a surfeit of omega-6 fatty acids the American diet is deficient in the more unsaturated omega-3 linolenic acid. This fatty acid is necessary for cell oxidation, for metabolizing important sulphur-containing amino acids and for maintaining proper balance in prostaglandin production. Deficiencies have been associated with asthma, heart disease and learning deficiencies.36 Most commercial vegetable oils contain very little omega-3 linolenic acid and large amounts of the omega-6 linoleic acid. In addition, modern agricultural and industrial practices have reduced the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in commercially available vegetables, eggs, fish and meat. For example, organic eggs from hens allowed to feed on insects and green plants can contain omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the beneficial ratio of approximately one-to-one; but commercial supermarket eggs can contain as much as nineteen times more omega-6 than omega-3!37
References
#30 Lasserre, M, et al, Lipids, 1985, 20:4:227
#31 A general review of citations for problems with polyunsaturate consumption is found in Pinckney, Edward R, MD, and Cathey Pinckney, The Cholesterol Controversy, 1973, Sherbourne Press, Los Angeles, 127-131; Research indicating the correlation of polyunsaturates with learning problems is found in Harmon, D, et al, J Am Geriatrics Soc, 1976, 24:1: 292-8; Meerson, Z, et al, Bull Exp Bio Med, 1983, 96:9:70-71;Regarding weight gain, levels of linoleic acid in adipose tissues reflect the amount of linoleic acid in the diet. Valero, et al, Ann NutrMetabolism, Nov/Dec 1990, 34:6:323-327; Felton, C V, et al, Lancet, 1994, 344:1195-96
#32 Pinckney, Edward R, MD, and Cathey Pinckney, The Cholesterol Controversy, 1973, Sherbourne Press, Los Angeles, 130; Enig, Mary G, Ph D, et al, Fed Proc, July 1978, 37:9:2215-2220
#33 Machlin, I J, and A Bendich, FASEB Journal, 1987, 1:441-445
#34 Kinsella, John E, Food Technology, October 1988, 134 ; Lasserre, M, et al, Lipids, 1985, 20:4:227
#35 Horrobin, D F, Reviews in Pure and Applied Pharmacological Sciences, Vol 4, 1983, Freund Publishing House, 339-383; Devlin, T M, ed, Textbook of Biochemistry, 2nd Ed, 1982, Wiley Medical, 429-430; Fallon, Sally, and Mary G Enig, PhD, “Tripping Lightly Down the Prostaglandin Pathways,” Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation Health Journal, 1996, 20:3:5-8
#36 Okuyama, H, et al, Prog Lipid Res, 1997, 35:4:409-457
#37 Simopoulos, A P, and Norman Salem, Am J Clin Nutr, 1992, 55:411-4
Jul 15th, 2008 at 5:10 am
It IS for Human Consumption, hemp seed and cannabinoids alike, and has been since the beginning of human existence. Its in the bible for Jah’s sake under kaneh bosm.
First hemp seed is FREE of anti-nutrients unlike soy. Plus it contains beneficial enzymes such as protease that allows for proper digestion of protein.
Second hemp seed oil is a means of obtaining, what is advocated by many to be, the ideal 3:1 ratio of Omega-6:Omega-3 essential fatty acids required for good health, unique among vegetable seeds oils. Oils with unbalanced ratios have been shown to have detrimental physiological effects.
Third Hemp seed contains all 10 essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Hemp seeds contain 33% pure digestible protein, providing readily available amino acids for building and repairing tissue. Hemp seed protein is comprised of 65% high-quality edestin protein, the most potent protein of any plant source, 35% albumin protein and glutamic acid. The globulin edestin in hemp seed closely resembles the globulin in blood plasma, and is compatible with the human digestive system. It is vital to the maintance of a healthy immune system and is also used to manufacture antibodies.
Fourth NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CANNABINOIDS. They are naturally occurring in the human body and are in fact vital! A proper ratio of Omega’s is vital to the functioning of the Endocannabinoid system in the human body. A few tainted test mean nothing.
Thus making HEMP SEED: THE MOST NUTRITIONALLY
COMPLETE FOOD SOURCE IN THE WORLD or in the very least one of the super foods.
This article is right up there with Reefer Madness propaganda when it comes to misinformation.
Jul 17th, 2008 at 6:49 am
i feel that the only potential negative aspect of hemp as a food source is the balance of the omega 6 to omega 3. however the actual inclusion of hemp along with other healthy food, as well as the potential increase of omega 6 in a detrimental enough manner hasnt really been discussed i think. as long as one tries to attain a healthy diet, including hemp would not be that bad. the benefits of being a food containing all essential amino acids is pretty impressive. i would like to see a study showing how much hemp one would need to eat on a daily balance to create a problem with the omega 6 levels.
the omega 6/unsaturated fats has been a problem of america and the rest of the world for a while now but its simply because its out of proportion to the rest of our diet. creating a balance and maintaining it would be the most beneficial.
all in all, i dont believe that including hemp as a nutritional source would be bad as long as managed the rest of your diet as well. dont throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak.
just my thoughts, i could be wrong :D
Jul 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
El Youth, would you be willing to give us that reference in the bible to hemp consumption? Science leaves me a bit cold sometimes and I’m taken with Sally’s reference to hemp use for animal feed but never for humans in Chinese culture, which has been somewhat civilized (that is recorded) for over 15,000 years.
I’d like more anecdotal proof that a substance such as this has been used as a food for thousands of years before I consider using it in my diet.
Having said that, the unstable nature of long chain fatty acids and the risk of oxidization does turn me off. Besides, it doesn’t taste all that great. Rather a raw milk smoothie with coconut oil any day.
Aug 3rd, 2008 at 9:29 am
http://www.cannabisculture.com/backissues/mayjune96/kanehbosm.html
The first solid evidence of the Hebrew use of cannabis was established in 1936 by Sula Benet, a little known Polish etymologist from the Institute of Anthropological Sciences in Warsaw (1).
The word cannabis was generally thought to be of Scythian origin, but Benet showed that it has a much earlier origin in Semitic languages like Hebrew, and that it appears several times throughout the Old Testament. Benet explained that “in the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament there are references to hemp, both as incense, which was an integral part of religious celebration, and as an intoxicant (2).”
Benet demonstrated that the word for cannabis is kaneh-bosm, also rendered in traditional Hebrew as kaneh or kannabus. The root kan in this construction means “reed” or “hemp”, while bosm means “aromatic”. This word appears five times in the Old Testament; in the books of Exodus, the Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
The word kaneh-bosm has been mistranslated as calamus, a common marsh plant with little monetary value that does not have the qualities or value ascribed to kaneh-bosm. The error occurred in the oldest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint in the third century BC, and was repeated in the many translations that followed (3).
Many ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Sumerians and Chinese also grew hemp and too think that they would not eat the seed as well as use it for fiber and medicine is pretty ignorant. I recall some medical E-books referencing ancient Chinese text using Hemp seed as treatment for stomach ailments but whatever that point is moot.
Modern science has shown that Hemp Seed is more than edible. It contains all the essential fatty acids and essential amino acids the body needs for proper functioning in a very edible form. It does not contain anti-nutrients like the trypsin inhibitors in soy that block protein digestion but in contrast contains protease and lipase enzymes that AID in protein and fat digestion.
Now the issue of rancid oil should not worry you. Make sure you get cold pressed Hemp Oil and it is refrigerated too. I have bought 20+ 17 oz bottles of Living Harvest (CANADA) Hemp Oil and not one has been rancid, always nice green nutty oil. It was a perfect addition to my ketosis/ vegetarian diet and I lost 40+ pounds of fat between March and June going from 200+ lbs to a lean 155. I am now also taking Living Harvest Hemp Protein and its been nothing but good to me. Cannabis is a God send and couldn’t of arrived at a better time. Genesis Ch1V29. It also aided clearing up my dermatitis and other skin allergies in that frame of time. Testimony, testimony, testimony. Hope this helps clear up the confusion. p.s. Its a great substitute to coconut oil, better balance of Omega’s :)
Aug 3rd, 2008 at 9:36 am
Oh and oxidation wouldn’t be an issue if Marijuana Prohibition laws wouldn’t make the manufacturers sterilize by shelling the seed which takes off its protective shell. Whole seed would be the best way to ingest Hemp but we make do with what we can for the time being. On that note LEGALIZE IT! Cannabis is your friend. Don’t be scarred.
Aug 4th, 2008 at 9:35 am
It is completely conceivable that Hebrews used hemp for smoking and not for eating, your quote EL Youth: “both as incense, which was an integral part of religious celebration, and as an intoxicant”. Nothing you have said has convinced me it is a good food for humans.
I have no fear of using psychoactive plants to attain experiences otherwise unknown. Through my own life, psychoactive plants have helped me immensely to see and create alternative realities. These days, as I strengthen my Spirit more and more I no longer need such tools to ’see’. Meditation and ‘dreaming’ are equivalent and more stable.
I do see now, however, why you need to see hemp as a food. It is difficult to subsist on a vegetarian diet without looking for specialized foods to substitute animal foods. There were some isolated cultures (pre-industrialised) that Weston A Price studied (early last century) that were almost vegetarian. However, they used small doses of very nutrient dense foods that helped them stay well and procreate. These foods were of animal origin. Examples are:
Insects - if you live in the US you may be able to get some deep fried grasshoppers from Latino friends
Raw Milk - available in the US and in some states in Australia go to RealMilk.com for more sources
Shell Fish - oysters are the cleanest source of nutrient dense seafoods when considering heavy metals. Eat them raw.
People often believe they need to supplement protein if they’re vegetarian, or even fatty acids. While this is helpful, it is not the whole story. Price found that the more vegetable based diets of say the Polynesian Ancients were quite low in protein and fat compared to say the Innuit. But there were some essential nutrients that no matter where they were on the planet, pre-industrialised people had almost equal amounts: Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2 (what he called X-factor) and minerals. These nutrients guarantee strong immunity, strong structure and easy procreation and can only be found in animal foods such as those I mentioned. It’s also worth mentioning that these very foods are rich in B6 and B12 which help the nervous system and brain.
By all means, El Youth, subsist on a mainly vegetarian diet if you live near the equator like the Polynesians but try to find sources of these vital nutrients which our ancestors so wisely included in their diets. Even if it’s eating the aphids on your lettuce or worms in your corn, it’s a start.
Aug 6th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Well the main reasons I do see Hemp Seed for human consumption are that A. It contains all 10 Essential Amino Acids the human body needs to function properly B. It contains all Essential Fatty Acids the body needs to function properly in the recommended 3:1 ratio ( just like grass-fed beef) C. It is free of anti nutrients. D. Contains digestive enzymes Lipase and Protease. E. Contains Essential Vitamins E, C and B6 + Essential Minerals Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Iron. F. Its HIGHly digestible and its nutrients are readily absorbed.
It has better nutritional value than any nut/seed out there. This would be a perfect meat substitute, in my opinion, being that you get all the protein and fat you need from this one seed. If lack of vitamins and minerals are a problem then take a multivitamin/mineral.
As for me I am not vegetarian any more being that I found it difficult to get enough protein from plant sources (go figure) including Hemp Protein (too pricy-danm Prohibition). I started weightlifting again and needed the extra protein to meet the demand I am putting on my body. Im on a paleolithic/gluten and dairy free diet now which revolves around meat nuts fruits and vegetables. Our ancestors were right to eat meat but who knows, with its amazing nutritional profile Hemp seed could render it obsolete. Just kidding, I mean eating it can do more positive for your body than not eating it. You know what I mean?