Hemp oil is extracted from seeds of the Cannabis plant. It is called hemp seed oil as it taken solely from the seeds. For making this oil, we use tall-growing varieties of cannabis. However, hemp oil does not contain THC, the chief psychoactive compound in Cannabis.
The oil which contains THC is called hash oil or cannabis oil. So, these two oils should not be confused. Most of the health benefits of hemp seed oil come from its excellent ratio of omega -6 to omega –3, which is similar to what the body needs. Hempseed oil provides powerful nutrition and can be used topically as well as internally. It is one of the best sources of omega fatty acids.
The stark fact that hemp oil comes from the cannabis plant, which is immensely controversial in many countries of the world because of its psychoactive capabilities, has led to significant masking of data regarding hemp oil. Most countries now have regulations set in to determine what deserves to be called hemp oil. There is often a cap on the highest detectable limit of THC in hemp oil.
One tablespoon of hemp oil contains 14 grams of fat, of which only 1 gram is saturated. This low saturated fat content is a primary benefit of using hemp oil in place of animal fats such as lard and butter. Keeping your consumption of saturated fat to less than 7 per cent of your total caloric intake is one way to cut your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease, notes the American Heart Association. Hemp oil also contains fatty acids that can help reduce your risk of heart disease, according to a 2014 article published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry."