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Hemp for a Healthy Future

hhw_logo_withoutdateNutritious, sustainable and versatile, hemp is for a healthy future.

Hemp is the distinct oilseed and fiber varieties of the plant species Cannabis sativaL. It is a tall, slender, fibrous plant that has been cultivated worldwide for over 10,000 years.

A nutrition powerhouse, hemp is also an environmentally sustainable solution for potentially thousands of products ranging from body care to plastics, paper, textiles, building materials and even ethanol. With a rapidly expanding market for hemp products, cultivating hemp is an untapped opportunity for American farmers.

Good for Our Bodies

Hemp seeds are a nearly perfect food source. High in digestible protein, healthy Omega essential fatty acids (EFAs) and naturally occurring minerals, hemp seeds are also free of gluten and have no known allergens.

Foods made from hemp seeds have become staples in co-ops and grocery stores across the country. The light, nutty flavor of hemp seeds make them a perfect raw ingredient for delicious breads, cereals, waffles, nut butters, protein powders, nutritional oils, non-dairy milk and even ice cream.

Hemp seeds have a perfectly balanced 1:3 ratio of naturally occurring Omega-3 and Omega-6 EFAs for our body. And unlike other seeds and nutritional oils, such as flax and fish oil, hemp seeds also contain Super Omega-3 Stearidonic Acid (SDA) and Super Omega-6 Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA).

Hemp’s oil’s Omega-3 EFAs and vitamin E content make it an ideal ingredient for body care products. The EFAs soothe and restore skin in salves and creams and give excellent emolliency and a smooth after-feel to lotions, lip balms, conditioners, shampoos and soaps.

Good for the Earth

Hemp is an environmentally sustainable solution for potentially thousands of products ranging from plastics, paper, textiles, building materials and even ethanol. A low-impact agricultural product, hemp is renewable resource that can be grown without pesticides or agricultural chemicals.

Hemp is gaining popularity among leading clothing designers for its look, feel and breathability. Hemp can replace cotton, a crop that accounts for nearly 25% of all pesticide use in the U.S. The strength of hemp fiber makes it a favorite for specialty paper. And paper pulp made from hemp hurds (the woody core fiber) is an ideal additive to strengthen recycled post-consumer waste (PCW) pulp, thus expanding PCW’s use.

Today, millions of cars built by Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Lotus, Mercedes Benz and BMW contain hemp composites for door panels. Energy-efficient homes are built with hemp concrete, and retail stores are using hemp fiberboard displays. Imagine a future where hemp is just another useful material for all kinds of earth-friendly products.

Good for our Farmers

Hemp is a part of America’s agricultural heritage. First gown in 1600′s at Jamestown, hemp is best suited to regions that also produce wheat and corn. Hemp can be grown organically and aids in weed suppression and soil building, making it a favored rotation crop.

The market for hemp products is an estimated $500 million dollars annually and growing. Even with Canada’s entry into hemp production in the late 1990′s, demand for hemp seeds and fiber is exceeding supply. U.S. farmers want an opportunity to grow this crop once again and share in the rewards of hemp’s soaring popularity.

What Hemp Isn’t

It is important to note that hemp has no drug value. Hemp seed contains little to no measurable amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in drug varieties of Cannabis. Using hemp products will not cause a false positive drug test. Learn more about the issue at www.TestPledge.com.

For more information visit www.HempHistoryWeek.com.

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