Can Hempseed Oil Make You Healthier?

Oil made from hemp—a derivative of cannabis used in food, textiles, and medicine for thousands of years—may have potential health benefits, according to a new study.

Hemp, the collective term for non-drug varieties of Cannabis sativa L., has been banned in the United States since the 1930s when cannabis and all its derivative forms were made illegal. It remains legal in the European Union due to its low (0.3%) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content.

To test the possible health benefits of hemp, researchers from the University of Seville in Spain conducted a detailed analysis of a portion of hempseed oil. Within the sample they found sterols, aliphatic alcohols, and linolenic acids—all substances researchers suggest promote good health.

Some examples of beneficial substances found are:

• Sterols. Steroid alcohols that help to lower cholesterol and lower the risk of heart attack.

• A-linolenic acid. An omega-3 fatty acid that has been shown to prevent coronary heart disease.

• Phytol. One of the alcohols contained in the oil sample, has been associated with anticancer benefits and is found in raw vegetables.

• Tocopherol. An antioxidant that can help prevent Alzheimer’s. Hempseed oil has also been shown to benefit dermotological disorders and is high in vitamin A, C, E, and beta-carotene, and rich in phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and calcium.

The study was originally published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

–Michael Potts

Montserrat-de la Paz S, Marin-Aguilar F, Gimenez G, Fernandez-Arch MA. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Seed Oil: Analytical and Phytochemical Characterization of the Unsaponifiable Fraction J. Agric. Food Chem., DOI: 10.1021/jf404278q