But the word is not the thing . While they both belong to the same plant species , they ’ re two distinct varieties .
Cannabis Sativa – This annual herb in the Cannabaceae family has been cultivated for centuries for use as an industrial fibre , seed oil , food , drug , medicine , and spiritual tool . Mostly used for its long fibres , each part of the plant is harvested differently , depending on the purpose of its use . Cannabis Indica – The annual plant of the Cannabaceae family is considered a species of the genus Cannabis , but separate from Cannabis sativa , and originating in the Hindu Kush Mountains and suited for cultivation in temperate climates . Used to induce sleep , the plant is described as relatively short and conical with dense branches and short , broad leaves , while Cannabis sativa is tall with fewer branches and long , narrow leaves . Cannabis Ruderalis – Thought to be a cannabis species originating in central Asia , it flowers earlier , is much smaller , and can withstand much harsher climates than either Cannabis Indica or Cannabis sativa . This species purportedly buds based on age rather than changes in length of daylight , known as auto-flowering . It ’ s used primarily for food production , such as hemp seeds and hemp seed oil .
Perhaps the most important difference between hemp and marijuana is that marijuana – no pun intended – has a high delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol content , or THC , which supplies the sought-after psychotropic effect , but it ’ s low in cannabidiol content , or CBD , which has medicinal properties . Hemp is just the opposite , being typically high in CBD and low in THC , meaning it ’ s not going to get anybody stoned . In fact , clinical studies show that CBD blocks the effect of THC in the nervous system . Both THC and CBD contain cannabinoid , but it ’ s the amount that needs to examined , because CBD is currently a Schedule 1 controlled substance . That means that at present , there ’ s currently no permissible medical protocol in the US .
The main nutritional sources of hemp come in the seeds and the oil .
Touted as a “ superfood ” containing a highly concentrated balance of proteins ( less than soybeans , but much higher than wheat , oats , rye , corn , or barley ), hemp seeds contain a balanced 1:3 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids (“ essential ” meaning your body can ’ t produce it , so it has to come from an outside source ). This amounts to more than any fish and most fish oil supplements . They also offer super omega-3 stearidonic acid and super omega-6- gamma-linolenic acid ( which the North American diet seriously lacks ). Between these compounds , you get reduced inflammation , improved brain function , and lowered blood pressure , cholesterol , stroke , and heart disease risk , as well as increased energy and potential weight loss .
More round , soft , and green than sesame seeds and slightly sweeter than sunflower seeds , hemp seeds can be used to make hemp nut butter with a slight greenish cast from the chlorophyll . The oil has been described as having a pleasantly nutty , slightly bitter taste , and off-yellow to dark green colouring . High in unsaturated fatty acids , it can easily oxidize , so it ’ s not recommended for frying or baking .
“ Hemp is of high nutritional quality because it contains high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids … Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are the only two fatty acids that must be ingested and are considered essential to human health … In contrast to shorter-chain and more saturated fatty acids , these essential fatty acids do not serve as energy sources , but as raw materials for cell structure and as precursors for biosynthesis for many of the body ’ s regulatory biochemicals …”