Hemp oil is also known as hemp seed oil orsimply hemp oil. It is extracted from its seeds.
Hemp oil is used as a dietary supplement and not for aromatherapy, skin care, etc.
Some users believe that hemp oil is healthy for humans because it has the same ratio (3:1) of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids as us. This is not scientifically proven.
The article reviews the properties of hemp oil in terms of human health, and its general applications.
Properties of hemp oil
The result of refining
Hemp oil is extracted by cold pressing and can be refined, which affects the finished product in several ways:
- Unrefined hemp oil has a nutty scent and can be dark to clear in color. The darker the color of the oil, the more hemp aroma (and flavor) the oil has
- Refined hemp oil has little or no smell and is colorless. During refining, the natural vitamins and antioxidants of hemp oil are destroyed and lost
THC
THC is a psychoactive substance found in most plants of the Cannabis genus. Hemp oil does not contain significant amounts of THC, because:
- Hemp oil is made from the varieties of the plant Cannabis sativa that do not contain much THC
- Hemp seeds do not contain THC (THC is usually found in other parts of the plant)
- Hemp seeds are used to press oil, carefully cleaned of plant residues before pressing – and thus avoid the oil containing THC
The small amounts of THC that can sometimes be detected in hemp oil are mainly derived from plant residues that sit on the hemp seed surface during the production of oil.
Diseases
Although the effects of hemp oil on the following diseases have been investigated in scientific studies, there is no evidence that it can be used to treat diseases:
- Atopic dermatitis: The disease – also known as atopic eczema – which leads to persistent, reddish and itchy eczema. A Finnish study from 2005 showed that hemp oil taken as a dietary supplement can be used to treat atopic dermatitis. The study cannot be used as scientific evidence that hemp oil can be used to treat atopic dermatitis
- Cancer: There are now many studies on the effect of hemp oils on different types of cancer and rumors that hemp can cure cancer have been around for years – but so far there are no studies showing that either cannabis plants or hemp oil can cure cancer.
Fatty acid profile
The ratio of fatty acids is omega-6 and omega-3 is 3:1 to the human.
This fact also applies to hemp oil and therefore some people believe that hemp oil has a high nutritional value. There is no scientific evidence for this.
The table shows a comparison of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in different oils
| Oil type | Ratio |
| Linseed oil | 1:4 |
| Rapeseed oil | 2:1 |
| Hemp oil | 3:1 |
| Soybean oil | 8:1 |
| Olive oil | 9:1 |
| Wheat germ oil | 10:1 |
| Sunflower oil | 71:1 |
Below is a complete fatty acid profile for hemp oil:
| Fatty Acid | Fatty acid variety | Quantity | Normal content |
| Myristic acid | Saturated | – | 0,12% |
| Behenic acid | Saturated | – | 0,24% |
| Arachidonic acid | Saturated | – | 0,72% |
| Stearic acid | Saturated | 2-3% | 2,14% |
| Palmitic acid | Simple unsaturated | 6-9% | 6,15% |
| Oleic acid | Simple unsaturated omega-9 | 10-16% | 10,71% |
| CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) | More unsaturated | – | 0,83% |
| Stearic acid | More unsaturated omega-3 | – | 0,83% |
| Alpha-linolenic acid (ω-3) | More unsaturated omega-3 | 15-25% | 17,47% |
| Gamma-linolenic acid | More unsaturated omega-6 | – | 3,92% |
| Linolenic acid (ω-6) | More unsaturated omega-6 | 50-70% | 56,48% |
Alpha-linolenic acid
Hemp oil high in linolenic acid and alpha-linolenic acid means that a single tablespoon (15 ml) of hemp oil per day is plenty to cover our daily needs for these essential fatty acids.
The fatty acids nutritionally separated from hemp oil from many other oils are alpha-linolenic acid.
The table shows a comparison of the levels of alpha-linolenic acid in different oils
Keep in mind that the argument for hemp oil being healthy for humans is that the oil has the same natural ratios (3:1) of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as us.
| Oil type | Alpha-linolenic acid |
| Flaxseed oil | 53,30% |
| Hemp oil | 17,19% |
| Blackcurrant oil | 12,45% |
| Walnut oil | 11,50% |
| Rapeseed oil | 9,60% |
| Soybean oil | 7,30% |
| Wheat germ oil | 5,30% |
| Corn oil | 0,90% |
| Olive oil | 0,70% |
| Cucumber oil | 0,33% |
| Sesame oil | 0,30% |
| Palm oil | 0,30% |
| Grapeseed oil | 0,29% |
| Evening primrose oil | 0,12% |
| Hazelnut oil | 0,10% |
| Thistle oil | 0,10% |
| Sunflower oil | 0,10% |
| Peanut oil | 0,10% |
| Coconut oil | 0,00% |
Uses of hemp oil
Food supplements
As mentioned above (see “Fatty acid profiles”), hemp oil was used as a dietary supplement by humans due to its natural composition of fatty acids.
Hemp oil is also suitable as a cooking oil – but not for frying as it has a smoke point of 165°C (which is relatively low for a cooking oil). Like most other oils, hemp oil should be stored in a dark, cool place, preferably in a dark glass bottle. Hemp oil can also be frozen.
Cosmetics
In cosmetics, hemp oil is used in body care products such as soap, shampoo and lotion.
Industry
The main industrial uses of hemp oil are primarily in the following products:
- Lubricants
- Paint and varnish
- Inks
- Plastic
Hemp oil is also used in some cleaning products. In recent years, hemp oil has received a lot of attention due to its potential as biodiesel.
Precautionary measures
Hemp oil is basically meant as a dietary supplement and should not be applied to the skin, inhaled, mixed into massage oil, etc. Hemp oil can irritate the skin.