Re: Whats your opinion of hemp seeds?

February 20, 2006

I read on a pro-hemp (industrial, not pot) site that up until about

100 years ago hemp was widely grown and used in making clothing,

linens, string/rope, and maybe paper. Some sort of scandal about a

newspaper owner who owned a lot of timberland using his political

influence to make hemp illegal to help his timber sales. I would

guess that, like flax, if it was widely grown, they probably made

use of the seeds. I can't imagine they'd have all these hemp and

flax seeds around that were about as edible as their other choices

and NOT eat them. After all, our ancestors were pretty thrifty.

--- In , " gdawson6 " <gdawson6@...>

wrote:

>

> I was looking for source of GLA, and noticed something I used to

eat

> is apparently a good source of it along with Linolenic Acid.

>

> WAPF doesn't reccomend it because they say it hasn't been used

> traditionally, but I have read many things about Traditional

Chinese

> Medicine about it, and have also read recipes from a traditional

> Lithuanian cookbook which included hempseeds in a few recipes.

>

> Not like you can find very much usage of flax seeds as food either.

>

> I used to eat it like a year ago, and I must say I thought it was

> incredibly tasty, and they seem to have a good amount of other

> nutrients as well. I was eating Nutiva's brand.

>

> They taste way better than flax, I don't like the taste or feel of

> freshly ground flax very much...but hemp has a nice nutty flavor.

It

> also like three times the vitamin E of flax.

>

> The only problem I could see if it contains some kinda of unknown

> anti-nutrient or some undesirable fatty acid that isn't good for

you,

> but can't find anything on it.

>

> Heres a nutrition chart for %100 raw hempseeds -

> http://www.nutiva.com/products/nut_charts/7_chart.php

>

> So...what do you folks think about hemp seed?

>

> -

>

February 22, 2006

gdawson6 wrote:

>So...what do you folks think about hemp seed?

>

>-

>

WAP recommends against hemp for human consumption because it's highly

unsaturated. Below is a longish quote from the article I found.

**********

From the WAP website:

http://www.westonaprice.org/farming/hempandkenaf.html (bottom of page)

Hemp: Not For Human Consumption

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.

February 22, 2006

> So...what do you folks think about hemp seed?

,

since you intend to use it for a specific purpose--GLA--I reckon it is

fine to take as a small supplement if you get it from an excellent

source. Because it is so high in Omega 6 it will surely go rancid if

you're not careful, as so would any other source of GLA. I'd treat it

like flax: use it sparingly and keep it in a cool, dry place, hehe.

B.

February 22, 2006

Thanks for your advice everyone. I just went down the more

traditional road and got some cold pressed borage oil from a company I

trust, along with some cold pressed organic primrose oil to try that

out as well. I'm going to start taking some more Blue Ice CLO (since

its still winter and all, I don't take more than 2 teaspoons a day

though) for Omega 3 as I really don't like flax much at all.

-

>

> > So...what do you folks think about hemp seed?

>

> ,

> since you intend to use it for a specific purpose--GLA--I reckon it is

> fine to take as a small supplement if you get it from an excellent

> source. Because it is so high in Omega 6 it will surely go rancid if

> you're not careful, as so would any other source of GLA. I'd treat it

> like flax: use it sparingly and keep it in a cool, dry place, hehe.

> B.

>

February 23, 2006

On 2/20/06, haecklers <haecklers@...> wrote:

> I read on a pro-hemp (industrial, not pot) site that up until about

> 100 years ago hemp was widely grown and used in making clothing,

> linens, string/rope, and maybe paper. Some sort of scandal about a

> newspaper owner who owned a lot of timberland using his political

> influence to make hemp illegal to help his timber sales. I would

> guess that, like flax, if it was widely grown, they probably made

> use of the seeds. I can't imagine they'd have all these hemp and

> flax seeds around that were about as edible as their other choices

> and NOT eat them. After all, our ancestors were pretty thrifty.

Kind of like how everyone makes use of egg shells?

Flax seed oil, for what it's worth, is still widely used as a pain

varnish. You can pick some up at Wal Mart.

I don't think it makes sense to say that our ancestors would use

something regardless of whether it was useful or not. If they

considered it healthy or tasteful they may have used the seeds, but if

they considered them inedible, they wouldn't.

And even if they did use them, it would have no bearing in the

slightest on whether they are healthy. Something being within certain

traditions doesn't make it healthy at all. Health problems are pretty

traditional.

Chris

--

Dioxins in Animal Foods:

A Case For Vegetarianism?

Find Out the Truth:

http://www.westonaprice.org/envtoxins/dioxins.html

February 23, 2006

On 2/20/06, gdawson6 <gdawson6@...> wrote:

> I was looking for source of GLA, and noticed something I used to eat

> is apparently a good source of it along with Linolenic Acid.

There are a few other sources of GLA. Oatmeal has some, and borage

and evening primrose oils are rich in it.

GLA is mostly useful as a source of DGLA, which is found in organ meat

fats. You can probably largely disregard a need for GLA if you get a

good amount of DGLA. I haven't seen any reason to think GLA is

essential in itself, including in Enig's recent article

summarizing the benefits of GLA.

For what it's worth, the traditional lore among pot heads is that the

seeds shrink your testicles. I've never met a pot-head who purposely

consumed seeds whether by eating or smoking (snap, crackle, pop!).

And on the point I made in my last post, everyone who smokes pot

throws all the seeds away. But I guess pot-heads aren't known for

their thriftiness?

Chris

--

Dioxins in Animal Foods:

A Case For Vegetarianism?

Find Out the Truth:

http://www.westonaprice.org/envtoxins/dioxins.html

February 23, 2006

On 2/23/06, Masterjohn <chrismasterjohn@...> wrote:

> For what it's worth, the traditional lore among pot heads is that the

> seeds shrink your testicles. I've never met a pot-head who purposely

> consumed seeds whether by eating or smoking (snap, crackle, pop!).

>

> And on the point I made in my last post, everyone who smokes pot

> throws all the seeds away. But I guess pot-heads aren't known for

> their thriftiness?

>

> Chris

They are when it comes to pot...

I believe hemp seed is heavily used for oil and other things in

regions of Afghanistan, but I don't know how far back that use goes,

i.e. whether it's just a recent byproduct of keeping the Netherlands

supplied with quality fodder for their hashpipes.

February 23, 2006

In a message dated 2/23/2006 8:30:50 AM Central Standard Time,

hippeesandee@... writes:

> I would luv to try hemp seeds, but is illeagle to sell in the US of A

>

> Sandee

>

Sandee, you can buy hemp seeds at your local feed/farm store. They are the

large commercial feed seeds, sold as bird feed, very expensive. --

February 23, 2006

Yes I think that was probably it some lobbyist to washington wanted to make a

profit on " lumber " a disappearing resource...

Hemp is an - quality - cheap source for clothes, strong ropes etc..... but

of course it was related to " Marijuana " that evil drug, and made it impossible

for us to get a good quality seed with a lot of medicinal benefits. Clothing

made from Hemp is very long lasting and keeps it shape, so you could go years

wearing the same " hemp shirt " and not have it last for 2 washings and lose

it's shape.....

Take gas for instance, because of the big oil conglomerants there is nothing

on the market than can replace oil " gas etc...

I would luv to try hemp seeds, but is illeagle to sell in the US of A

Sandee

Masterjohn <chrismasterjohn@...> wrote: On 2/20/06,

haecklers <haecklers@...> wrote: