Hemp and CBD Guide: Uses and Benefits

There has been a lot of word recently about marijuana and hemp, but most people are still unsure whether they are the same plant or not.

To make things clear right from the start, they are not. Hemp is a very close relative to the marijuana plant, as they both belong to the cannabis family. The hemp plant is a very versatile crop that has been used for centuries around the globe for producing textile, paper, various household and building products, and even for medicinal purposes.

One of the greatest advantages of the hemp plant is that all its parts can be used. It’s easily grown and has a wide range of applications. It’s also a high-yielding crop and many farmers see it as a profitable asset as well as means of reducing deforestation and erosion.

To help clear out the controversy typically associated with the hemp plant, the following text offers some insight into the basics of hemp, its benefits and uses.

Understanding the basics

By biology and cultural perception, marijuana and hemp are closely related but there are significant differences to be noted. The plants do share a portion of DNA, but they differ fundamentally in their application.

Marijuana is mostly associated with THC psychoactive properties and in addition to those, it offers some medical benefits as well. Often those people who use THC as a useful therapeutic agent also use CBD as a supplement or alternative. CBD is present both in marijuana and hemp and in both cases, it has its medical application, mostly for treating inflammation, anxiety, depression, insomnia and pain and nausea relief.

In the marijuana plant, most essential oils are harvested from its flowering parts, but hemp being a male plant, doesn't have that part. Its CBD is obtained from the leaves and stalk. However, it's just as effective as marijuana CBD but with no traces of THC which makes it safe and practical for daily use.

Benefits

The most prominent use of the hemp plant seems to be for personal wellness and benefit as many people have reported its medical and health advantages. CBD oil is generally valued as a rare medicine with almost no side effects, low risk and high medical rewards. One of its greatest advantage and application is probably the treatment of epilepsy in children.

Although marijuana has been used for the same treatment in past, THC is not suitable for children who haven’t been fortified to take the disorienting effects. This is where CBD gets its important role – it has similar benefits as THC by relaxing the body and relieving tension, but it has no psychoactive effects making it safe for children to use.

Today, people use it for many things – as a general supplement, to help with depression, insomnia, anxiety, pain relief and inflammation.

Uses

Hemp is a versatile plant with a great variety of uses, one of them being organic hemp honey packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. It’s a natural humectant that helps moisturize the skin and reduce its redness and sensitivity.

Further research studies have shown that CBD can also help improve sleep, mood and metabolism, so hemp honey is a perfect way to ingest phytocannabinoids for those with a sweet tooth. You can add it to your tea and lemonade, or on your morning toast. It’s also an ideal addition in various salad dressings, over fresh fruit or in a light lunch snack.

Being packed with fibre, protein, healthy fats and acids, hemp CBD powder is labelled as a superfood by many, so it’s an excellent dietary supplement and is typically mixed in smoothies and juices. Another addition to your beverages is hemp tea and coffee which are drinks infused with CBD.

Hemp tinctures, creams and lotions can be used in your daily beauty routine. Tinctures are generally thought to be very potent and as hemp tinctures contain no psychoactive substances, they are completely safe for daily use. Hemp creams are derived from hemp oil or extract and can be used as a beauty product and pain reliever. Similar to that, hemp lotions have a high amino acid content of the hemp plant which makes them ideal skin moisturizer.

The research on hemp uses and benefits is still relatively new and in many countries, there are restrictive laws that prevent researchers from exploring the potential of cannabis plants more deeply. However, as CBD is becoming more common in use, research of its potential benefits is likely to expand so we might say that the future of hemp looks promising.