One of the world's oldest and most adaptable crops is Hemp Plant. For thousands of years, people have grown it for its fiber, seeds, oil, and medicinal qualities. Hemp has also been integral to numerous cultures and religions throughout history.
However, hemp farming has also experienced many difficulties and disputes. This essay will examine the development of hemp farming from prehistoric times to the present.
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Many consider hemp seeds a superfood. They offer several health benefits and have a high nutritional profile, including heart health benefits, brain protection, and improved skin condition.
Despite being from the Cannabis sativa plant, hemp seeds don't have any intoxicating properties.
These tiny brown seeds are abundant in omega-3s and omega-6s, among other beneficial fatty acids. They also contain fiber and protein. These improve the health of the heart, skin, and joints and have antioxidant properties that may lessen the symptoms of many illnesses.
This post examines the many health advantages of hemp seeds and offers dietary suggestions.
What is Hemp?
Cannabis with a THC level of 0.3 percent or less by dry weight is referred to as "hemp leaf." What makes 0.3 percent? In 1979, a book titled "The Species Problem in Cannabis: Science & Semantics" proposed this definition.
Author Ernest Small discusses in the book how it's challenging to differentiate between Hemp and cannabis because there isn't a true taxonomy distinction between the two.
Small proposed the 0.3 percent guideline as a potential fix but admitted that the percentage is arbitrary. This figure was utilized to legally define Hemp, as stated in the Agricultural Act of 2018 and other U.S. statutes. You won't likely get high with Indian Hemp because of its extremely low THC content.
What is Hemp Grown For?
Hemp is grown as a food and fiber crop and harvested for its seeds (grain), stalk (bast fiber and hard), and flower.
Granola and hemp milk are only two examples of culinary items that may be made from hemp hearts: processed hemp seeds (grain). Hempseed oil derived from the seeds is used in paints, solvents, lubricants, cooking oils, nutritional supplements, personal hygiene items, and pharmaceutical and medical goods.
The fibers from hemp stalks are gathered and used to make hundreds of items, such as paper, rope, building materials, carpeting, textiles, insulation, animal bedding, and bioplastics. The plant contains two primary fiber types: hard and bast, each with unique properties and applications.
Harvested hemp flower is used to make extracts of cannabinoids, particularly CBD, and smoke it. Naturally occurring substances called cannabinoids are present in the resins of C. sativa flowers. To date, more than 100 cannabinoids have been found, and some of them have shown promise in the treatment of anxiety and epilepsy, among other illnesses.
How is Hemp Grown?
Depending on the intended use, Hemp is produced using different methods. Large-scale hemp farming is usually done with traditional agricultural equipment like a grain drill, mower, combine, and baler. It is done to produce Hemp for grain and fiber. A grain combine is used to harvest seed, while haying equipment is used to trim and bale the stalks for fiber. Between cutting and baling, stalks must undergo a retting procedure to help separate the best from the hard fibers. It is possible to cultivate Hemp for both grain and fiber.
Producing Hemp for cannabinoids requires much more work and is similar to producing specialized or vegetable crops. Typically, feminized seeds are used to start plants, which are then transferred into rows of black plastic with drip irrigation installed. Plants should be placed farther apart; planting spacing guidelines range from one foot to six feet. When it comes time for harvesting, plants are manually chopped at the base (a machete is typically the preferred tool) and hung up to dry in a barn until further processing or extraction occurs.
Are Hemp Plants Legal?
Hemp plants were listed as a Schedule I restricted substance under the U.S. Control Substances Act and were prohibited for a considerable amount of time with other varieties of the cannabis plant, such as "marijuana."
The 2018 Farm Bill, commonly called the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, decriminalized industrial Hemp and eliminated it from the list of prohibited importance.
Farmers who have USDA licenses may now grow Hemp under strict guidelines. In rare circumstances, people may also cultivate Hemp for approved research projects or with permission from the state or a tribe.
Early in 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved a final rule defining national hemp cultivation guidelines.
Although authorized farmers can legally cultivate and market hemp in the U.S., plants that dry out and contain more than 0.3% THC are prohibited because they are categorized as "marijuana," not Hemp.
What to Know About Hemp Plants?
Certain cultivars of the Cannabis sativa plant are referred to as Hemp. Hemp contains comparatively less THC than "marijuana," the term used to refer to cannabis that is somewhat high in THC.
People have grown hemp plants for thousands of years for food, medicine, and textiles. Hemp cultivation in India is one of the first known plants people have grown for food and medicine.
It appears that hemp cultivation began in ancient China circa 2,700 BCTrusted Source. Based on historical accounts, Hemp originated in Asia and went to Europe approximately 2,000–2,200 years ago.
Humans have a complex relationship with Hemp, utilizing the plant and its parts in various ways. According to some accounts, hemp fiber was used to make the ropes and canvas sails used by Christopher Columbus and the spine of the first Bible copy.
Learn more about the hemp plant and its use in the next paragraphs, including its legal status, health advantages, and other uses.
Options For Hemp Growers | Hemp Uses
Crop Insurance and Risk Management
For Hemp farmed for fiber, grain, or cannabidiol (CBD) oil, Multi-Peril Crop Insurance offers a pilot program in a few counties that covers yield loss due to insurable sources of loss.
The hemp crop insurance approach is available in certain counties within 27 states: Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, Arkansas, California, and Wisconsin.
The Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance coverage offers hemp revenue protection across the country. Additionally, if produced in containers and compliant with federal rules, any applicable state or tribal laws, and the duration of the crop insurance policy, Hemp is insured under the Nurseries crop insurance program and the Nurseries Value Select pilot crop insurance program.
Furthermore, in areas without a permanent government crop insurance program, the Farm Service Agency's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage guards against losses caused by decreased yields destroyed crops or avoided planting.
Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds
Alongside the nutritional benefits, some research suggests that hemp seeds have many positive health effects. They may:
- Protect the brain
Research in the journal Food Chemistry observed the antioxidant benefits of hemp seed extract in laboratory experiments. The seeds' cannabinoid (CBD) content may cause these effects.
According to the findings of a review Source published in 2018, the substances in the seeds, including CBD, may have anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and immune-regulating properties.
According to the review, CBD may be beneficial for several neurological diseases due to its potential benefits, including:
- Parkinson's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuropathic pain
- Alzheimer's disease
- Childhood seizure disorders
- Boost heart health
According to medical professionals, omega-3 fatty acids strengthen the heart and lower the likelihood of problems such as cardiac arrhythmias and illness.
Hemp seeds contain high omega-3 fatty acids and a healthy omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio. They also contain high arginine levels, an amino acid transformed into nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide is required to dilate veins and arteries and maintain smooth, elastic blood vessel walls. Reducing blood pressure, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in various exercise activities can decrease the risk of heart failure.
- Reduce inflammation
Hemp leaf and Hemp seeds have a healthy omega-3 to omega-6 ratio and a high omega-3 content, which can help lower inflammation. Furthermore, hemp seeds contain gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a polyunsaturated-rich acid that may also have anti-inflammatory properties.
According to some animal research, GLA has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Recent research on people indicates that the acid may only sometimes be helpful.
According to a check-in The European Journal of Pharmacology Trusted Source, humans metabolize GLA very complexly. It helps explain why human research yields a wider range of outcomes than animal studies.
Upon examining these studies, one should remember that the researchers typically use high doses of hemp seed extracts and that consuming the seeds may result in less noticeable benefits.
Chronic disease symptoms, including the following, may be easier to control if inflammation is reduced. Source:
- Metabolic syndrome
- Arthritis
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease
- Improve skin conditions
Chronic rash can lead to both acne and atopic dermatitis (A.D.). Hemp seeds' anti-inflammatory properties might be beneficial.
Acne may be caused by a lack of omega-3 fatty acids, among other food deficiencies. Hemp seeds' high omega-3 content may help control and minimize acne problems.
A 2018 review examined how dietary modifications affect skin conditions. Further research will be necessary to determine the extent to which eating extra omega-3s will alleviate acne symptoms, even if the scientists discover evidence to support this theory.
The authors also mention that plant fibers and prebiotics might help manage A.D. symptoms. Hemp seeds are a great source of plant fiber.
- Relieve rheumatoid arthritis
One autoimmune disease is rheumatoid arthritis. It activates the immune system to target its tissues, resulting in joint inflammation.
In 2014, studies on human cells revealed potential anti-rheumatic properties of hemp seed oil.
Nevertheless, a 2018 review Source discovered inconclusive data to support the idea that cannabis could be used to treat rheumatic illnesses. The authors pointed to the necessity for additional study.
Why is the Hemp Plant Illegal?
War on drugs
During the war on drugs, federal regulations, toughened by the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, all but prohibited the growing of industrial Hemp. According to an industry association, "the 1970 Act abolished the taxation approach [of the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act] and effectively made all cannabis cultivation illegal".
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) declined to grant permits for the cultivation of legal Hemp, citing the Controlled Substances Act's prohibition on both industrial Hemp and cannabis due to their shared plant species, even though industrial Hemp has a lower THC content. "The federal government, hemp is just as illegal as marijuana," stated a 2015 PBS NewsHour piece on the plant, while Newsweek stated that "all cannabis sativa—whether grown to ease chronic pain, get stoned or make rope—is a schedule I controlled substance."
Environmental Benefits of Hemp Plants
Growing Hemp is more environmentally friendly, reliable, effective, and adaptable than many other crops. When grown for textile fiber, roughly 600% more Hemp is produced than flax and 250% more cotton. The hemp plant grows swiftly and may thrive in a variety of environments.
Hemp plants grow into a dense canopy that prevents sunlight from penetrating rival weeds. Even industrial Hemp can grow without using large amounts of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides that other crops do.
Hemp is great at "trapping" carbon, or receiving it from the atmosphere and converting it into plant material throughout the hemp plant because of how quickly it grows. One hectare of industrial hemp crops can absorb about 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide (C02). Because of their deep, dense roots, hemp crops may reduce soil erosion and the resulting loss of land.
Is Hemp Legal in India? The Legality of Hemp in India
Although hemp farming has a long history of marijuana laws in India, there have been numerous legal issues and disputes throughout the years. Up until 1985, hemp farming was permitted in India before the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) outlawed it. Along with marijuana and other narcotics, Hemp was designated as a narcotic drug under the NDPS Act. Except for medical or scientific uses, the NDPS Act outlawed Hemp's cultivation, possession, use, sale, and transportation.
However, the NDPS Act also permits hemp farming in some areas where it was customarily produced or consumed. These states are Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Sikkim. Each state has different laws and guidelines about producing Bombay Hemp Company.
Uttarakhand was India's first state to authorize industrial Hemp cultivation in 2017. Grown for its fiber and seeds, industrial Hemp has very low THC levels (less than 0.3%). It can be used to make a wide range of goods, including textiles, paper, plastics, food, and fuel.
Like Uttarakhand, industrial hemp production was permitted in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. Shortly, other states like Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir are also thinking about legalizing industrial hemp farming.
Conclusion
The rise of human society is closely linked to the history and development of hemp farming. The adaptability and environmental advantages of hemp farming are becoming more widely known, resulting in interest in this important crop. To fully reap the dividends of this adaptable plant, we must embrace its past and future and keep researching its applications, encouraging sustainable methods, and guaranteeing appropriate regulation.
FAQs
Is it okay to Eat Hemp Seeds Every Day?
Eating hulled hemp seeds daily is acceptable. Hemp seeds have a high fat content, similar to many other nuts and seeds. Thus, it's best to eat them in moderation.
How can Hemp Seeds Affect the Body?
Hemp seeds may improve skin issues, lower inflammation, and strengthen heart health, among other favorable health impacts.