Hemp oil is extracted from the seeds of the Cannabis Sativa (hemp) plant. Yes, it's the same species of plant that can produce marijuana, but hemp oil is 100% legal and 100% free from intoxicating compounds.

Hemp seed oil is obtained by pressing seeds of the hemp plant. When cold-pressed, the hemp seed oil appears greenish in colour with a nutty flavour. Unlike other methods to extract oil, cold-pressed hemp seed oil retains its flavour, aroma and nutritional value.

Think of it like any other seed oil - like sunflower oil or sesame oil - only better! You can eat it raw, use it on your skin, give it to your pets and more!

How is hemp oil used?

Hemp seed oil is quite versatile, and you can use it for:

• Nutrition. Hemp seed oil contains lots of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, healthy fats and a host of other nutrients, making it a fantastic nutritional supplement. You can use it as a dressing, or take it raw as a supplement or buy hemp oil capsules.
• Skin care. The same properties that make hemp oil nutritious to ingest also make it great for the skin. You can just apply it directly to your skin or add it to your moisturiser.
• Pet care. Hemp seed oil is perfectly safe for pets.
• Candles. Hemp oil can even be used to make candles and other waxy crafts.

Is hemp seed oil legal?

100% yes. Australia's food standards agency amended the Food Standards code to designate hemp seeds and products derived from hemp seed as food products.

That means it's 100% legal to buy and consume hemp seeds, hemp seed oil, hemp protein and hemp flour in Australia.

[CHECK OUR HEMP OIL FOR SALE HERE]

It's legal to grow industrial hemp, defined as strains of Cannabis Sativa containing no more than 0.3% of the intoxicating compound THC, across all Australian States and territories - but only for commercial growers who have the appropriate permits.

What is the nutritional makeup of hemp oil?

When assessing the nutrient profile of any food or supplement, it helps to look at the macronutrient profile and the micronutrient profile.

Fat, protein and carbohydrates are all macronutrients, while vitamins, minerals and plant-based phytonutrients are all considered micronutrients.

This massive section and its several subsections are substantially different to the ones in the ‘hemp seeds’ article.

Hemp seed oil macronutrient profile

In terms of macronutrients, hemp seed oil is like most other cooking oils: high in fat, low in carbohydrates and negligible in protein.

Here's the macronutrient breakdown for The Cannabis Company's 100% raw hemp seed oil: 91% fat, 7% carbohydrates, 0% protein.

Fatty Acids

The fat in hemp oil is comprised of mostly polyunsaturated fats, and of most of these are the extraordinarily healthy polyunsaturated fats known as Omega 6s and Omega 3s. 

On top of this, hemp oil's 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 (57% and 17% of hemp oil's total fat content, respectively) is considered to be an ideal balance between the two types of fatty acids. These fatty acids are considered essential because our bodies need them but can't create them on their own.

However, modern humans tend to overconsume Omega 6s, which are plentiful in products like:

• Sunflower oil
  
  
  
• Soybean oil
  
  
  
• Generic 'vegetable oil'
  
  
  
• Margarine
  
  
  
• Dips
  
  
  
• Sauces
  
  
  
• Potato chips
  
  
  
• And basically anything in the supermarket or your favourite restaurant that uses oil.

Omega 3s, on the other hand, aren't as plentiful in most plants - so we have to go out of our way to eat more fish or supplement with fish oil in order to maintain a better Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio.

Luckily we have hemp oil, one of the few plant-based oils with significant levels of Omega 3s.

Researchers believe a diet including balanced amounts of both omega-6 and omega-3 fats may reduce inflammation.

Hemp seed oil micronutrient profile

Hemp seed oil is also incredibly high in many important micronutrients. These are the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function well.

Here are some of the micronutrients hemp oil can deliver right to your cells, according to one analysis.

Vitamins and minerals in hemp oil

Source: NCBI

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is comprised of four groups: tocopherols and tocotrienols. Hemp Seed Oil has all four groups and contains higher levels of tocopherols than most oils do.

The Vitamin E in Hemp Seed Oil helps our bodies fight off degenerative conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain types of cancer. Just one teaspoon a day can keep your body healthy!

B vitamins

The B vitamins are actually a group of vitamins generally responsible for allowing our bodies to convert food into energy. Hemp seed oil is an excellent source of the specific B vitamins Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine and Folate.

Vitamin A

Hemp oil contains a compound called carotene, which our bodies convert to into Vitamin A. This vitamin supports healthy skin, a strong immune system and vision/eye health.

Minerals

Hemp seed oil contains a range of beneficial mineral including an incredible amount of phosphorous, which helps the body produce protein for cell maintenance, repair and growth; significant amounts of magnesium, which plays a role in numerous bodily functions including muscle ad nerve health; as well as potassium, calcium and zinc.

Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are plant-based compounds, not classified as vitamins or minerals, but which nonetheless have massive benefits to our health. These include chlorophyll, which has antioxidant and detox properties; and phytol, which has antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering properties.

Amino Acids

Hemp seed oil also contains all of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) and also contains surprisingly high levels of the amino acid arginine, a metabolic precursor for the production of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule now recognized as a pivotal signalling messenger in the cardiovascular system that participates in the control of haemostasias, fibrinolysis, platelet and leukocyte interactions with the arterial wall, regulation of vascular tone, proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and homeostasis of blood pressure.

What are the benefits of hemp seed oil?

These nutritional facts make hemp oil highly beneficial for your health. Here are some of its:

• Lowering cholesterol
  
  
  
• Lowering blood pressure
  
  
  
• Improving cardiovascular functioning
  
  
  
• Supporting the immune system
  
  
  
• Increasing energy
  
  
  
• Reducing inflammation and arthritis symptoms
  
  
  
• Relieving pain
  
  
  
• Moisturising and nourishing dry skin and hair
  
  
  
• Speeding muscle recovery following exercise
  
  
  
• Reducing PMS symptoms

What is cold pressed hemp oil?

Nut and seed oil, including hemp seed oil, can be extracted from the nut or seed in one of mainly two ways: expeller pressing or cold pressing.

When cold pressing oil from the seeds, producers keep the temperature low to maintain freshness and lock in more nutrients.

Expeller pressing, on the other hand, generates friction (and thereby heat) when grinding down the seeds to extract the oil. Because efforts aren't made to mitigate the heat, the end-product can lose its effectiveness and/or spoil more quickly.

Unlike other methods to extract oil, only cold-pressed hemp seed oil retains its flavour, aroma and nutritional value. Therefore, you should look for hemp oil that has been cold pressed to ensure you get the most bang for your buck.

[Take a Look at Our 100% Raw, Cold-Pressed Hemp Oil]

How can I add hemp oil to my diet?

Because of its versatility, it's quite easy to add hemp seed oil to your diet and beauty routine. Here are a few ideas:

Diet

• Drizzle hemp seed oil over your salads
• Blend some hemp oil into your smoothie
• Down a shot of hemp oil as an anti-inflammatory supplement, or buy it in capsule (softgel) form.

• Buy moisturiser, lip-balm or shampoo made from hemp oil
  
  
  
• Mix hemp oil into your other moisturisers
  
  
  
• Rub hemp oil directly onto dry skin
  
  
  
• Apply hemp oil directly onto the skin over inflamed joints

Where can I buy hemp oil?

These days, you can buy hemp oil almost anywhere including most larger Woolies and Coles. But if you want Australian, 100% raw, cold-pressed hemp oil, we recommend you look for it in your local health food store.

[Get your 100% raw cold-pressed hemp oil here]

Is hemp oil safe for pets?

For sure. Hemp oil offers all of the same nutritional benefits to your pet.

You can use it externally by applying it directly to their skin or by purchasing special pet shampoo and conditioner that include hemp oil as an ingredient.

[Check Out Our Hemp Grooming Products for Pets]

It may be difficult to get your pet to eat straight hemp oil, so the best way to feed it to them is by using a special dropper, like the one offered in all of BuddyPet hemp seed oil supplements.

Bottom line

Hemp oil is an extremely nutritious, highly affordable oil that you can use in so many ways, from salad dressing to skin care to supplementation to pet health.

So next time you find yourself needing to replace your olive or other salad dressing oil, why not pick up a bottle of hemp oil instead?

You'll be surprised at how versatile it is… and at how quickly you'll need to replace it!