Hemp Seed Oil, Omega 3’s and 6’s and Why You Need Them
In modern times, the ratio between Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, as well as Hemp Seed Oil, in our diets has become skewed. It is believed that long ago, our diets contained the perfect balance of these essential nutrients and we didn’t suffer from the inflammatory diseases that are so common today. These include:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Metabolic syndromes
- IBS and other inflammatory bowel diseases
- Macular degeneration
- Autoimmune diseases
- Psychiatric disorders
The 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids is actually the ideal, and this is known to support cardiovascular health and more.
A selection of our products
Fish oil is great, but…
A lot of people are trying to boost their Omega 3 intake by taking fish oil capsules, but while these are a great supplement in terms of their fatty acid balance, fish contains mercury and iodine, two ingredients that we should definitely try to limit to the minimum and that pregnant women should try to avoid ingesting at all owing to the negative effects of mercury on foetal development. As a result of the drawbacks of fish oil supplements, many are turning to hemp seed oil as a mercury-free alternative to fish oils.
What other reasons are there for choosing hemp oil?
You may have heard that keeping your intestinal flora healthy also helps to keep you healthy because your gut flora are an important first line of immune defense. The essential fatty acids in hemp oil promote the health of ‘good’ flora in your gut, protecting you from colds, flu and other viral infections. All of this whilst still regulating your cholesterol balance and promoting heart health, besides staving off the list of inflammatory diseases listed above.
You can also get a good balance of fatty acids from flax seed oil, but flax seed oil tastes awful whilst hemp seed oil actually tastes really nice. And to get the right kind of dosage from flax seed oil, you have to consume an awful lot of it or else take huge capsules of the stuff. You don’t need nearly as much hemp seed oil to obtain the same effect.
Of course, hemp contains a whole lot of other nutrients as well as the cannabinoid CBD to which many healing properties have been attributed, but researchers believe that we should not overlook the role of the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) in hemp oil as important role players in the healing properties attributed to hemp.
The best EFA supplement
While hemp oil has many potential benefits, it’s important to look into production and extraction techniques to ensure that the EFA’s and other nutritional components are maintained during the production process.
For example, any form of heating will alter the structure of the EFA’s in the oil. A cold extraction process such as Endoca’s supercritical CO2 extraction, on the other hand, preserves all the natural components of the oil.
Endoca obtains its EFA-rich oil only from hemp seed and does not use artificial MCT oil, or coconut oil that is a poor source of Essential Fatty Acids.
By choosing hemp seed oil, you also access a rich source of rejuvenating antioxidants. And no, it isn’t marijuana, and it won’t make you high, but it may well prove to be the best nutritional supplement you ever bought – a great balance of Omega 3’s and 6’s is only one of the many health benefits of healthy hemp oil.
Author: Andrea Durrheim
