Cannabis is a plant that provides valuable raw materials: fibres for insulating materials and paper manufacture, seeds for oil or flour extraction and leaves for teas and beverages.
But hemp also contains cannabinoids as the basis for cannabis, hash, marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD).
The legal situation is confused, but you can find weed seeds online. Cannabis seeds are legal in the UK as long as they are geminated’ And for your diet, you can easily find hemp seeds ins supermarkets and online.
Are hemp foods healthy alternatives, or do they have an intoxicating effect?
Cannabis has a reputation for having a positive effect on blood pressure and the immune system, as well as having a cholesterol-lowering and cancer-preventing effect. There are hardly any reliable studies to prove this.
Nevertheless, specific shops are establishing themselves that only sell hemp products. They all benefit from the intoxicating image of cannabis.
Hemp and cannabis ingredients: THC and cannabidiol (CBD)
Except for the seeds and roots, the entire hemp plant has glandular hairs that produce a resin that is about 80-90% cannabinoids.
The cannabinoid content is related to the number of glandular hairs. These are localized in exceptionally high density on leaves in the area of the inflorescences. Female plants usually have more and larger glandular hairs.
The cannabinoids include the psychoactive delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD).
One of these cannabidiols is CBD, which has recently been sold as an oil, but also in biscuits, chewing gum and chocolate. The oil, in particular, is said to have a relaxing and calming effect.
Sale of hemp products and cannabis seeds
According to the authorities, the sale of these CBD products is now permitted. However, it is only for specific uses and as a food supplement. Besides, the Federal Institute for Medical Devices classifies the CBD as a medicinal product because of its relaxing effect.
The Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety believes that cannabidiol products fall under the novel food regulation, as there was no comparable food before May 1997.
From their point of view, this means that manufacturers must apply for approval for foods containing CBD such as oil, biscuits or chewing gum. The applicant is liable and ensures compliance with the Delta-9-THC limit values.
The legal situation is more relaxed for food made from seeds or leaves for tea. These were already offered in the EU before 1997 and are therefore permitted.
By far the most common snacks containing hemp, muesli and energy bars (e.g. fruit bars with hemp seeds) are found on the British market. Breakfast cereals follow it with hemp seeds and other drinks with hemp milk, or beer with hemp oil.
Nutritional Physiology – What Do Cannabis Seeds Contain?
Hemp and cannabis seeds and the foods made from them are permitted and therefore freely available for sale. They do not contain any substances that cause noise, but they can be contaminated during manufacture.
Besides, hemp products have to be checked regularly by the food inspectorate to exclude contamination.
Consumers receive hemp seeds raw or roasted, unpeeled or peeled. The taste is tart and spicy and is reminiscent of nuts. They are also used in a similar way to this in the kitchen.
Ground seeds are suitable for baking and can replace part of the conventional flour. However, this depends on the taste.
Hemp supplies valuable vegetable oils for salads, dressings, sauces, marinades and spreads. You will find a high proportion of the unsaturated fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acid, in a ratio of 3: 1. It makes cannabis nutritionally valuable.
Hemp and cannabis seeds contain valuable omega fatty acids in a particularly favorable ratio, as well as numerous vitamins and minerals. But this is also the case with walnut or linseed oil, for example.
Hemp oils from seeds are also sold in pharmacies, and some of the best CBD oil (from leaves and other parts) are sole in online stores such as Justbob.com and other legitimates websites.
The prices there are incredibly high at over 30 euros per 10ml. However, the ingredients are not decided by the hemp oils that are offered in stores. Ads and advertising pages often give a different impression.
Finally, you should know that the hemp protein is easily digestible and usable and serves as a full substitute for animal protein.
Cultivation and sales requirement for THC
Hemp plants grown for food production may contain a maximum of 0.2 per cent Delta-9-THC in the EU. Therefore, you should be particularly careful when buying hemp products outside the EU. There could be higher concentrations here. It also applies to food supplements with hemp.
It is essential to know the rules when you are buying CBD or cannabis products online to avoid any problems with the law and the police.
In terms of cannabis seeds, you can legally order your marijuana seeds from the best European websites such as SensorySeeds.com, but you will not be legally allowed to germinate these seeds in the UK.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
