With most of the chaos around hemp being caluminous, have you ever tried to look beyond it? Well, if you haven’t, it’s your time now. Hemp, as a whole plant, is a gift of nature, that has been evaded for way too long now. First discovered in the foothills of Himalayas in India, hemp, also finds its mention in the vedas as one of the five sacred plants ‘bhang’. Since then, the only issue that has thwarted the reach of hemp in each household in the country, is the stigma that has latched onto it.
Weeding out this stigma would not be very hard, once its potential users are made aware of its benefits- be it on the health front or on the industrial front. Each part of hemp plant– seeds, stalk, fibre, flower- have incontestable benefits, which when unveiled would place it as a frontrunner for raw material, in almost every sector.
This article however, would primarily talk about hemp seeds, which lie at the heart of the plant. Hemp seeds in India have been a part of Ayurvedic medication for the good.
Let us explore how their role are interwoven and shed light upon Hemp seed: An Ayurvedic medication.
Hemp seeds and nutrition
Hemp seeds, having been a part of India’s history, is a legacy of its own, handed down over to the humankind by the Himalayas. Since then, from being used in the ropes to tie cattle to being used to cure ailments, hemp seeds have done it all.
Hemp is essentially a part of one of the eight clinical domains of Ayurveda, i.e, the Rasayana Tantra( the knowledge of rejuvenation). A great source of protein, the nutritional properties of hemp seeds have made this possible and thus, it is highly valued by the human society. The nutritional properties are as follows:
- Improve immunity
- Smoothens muscle functions
- Anti-inflammatory
- Boosts hormonal balance
- Aids cardiovascular health
- Helps in weight loss
In addition to the above properties, hemp oil obtained from hemp seeds, also called hemp seeds oil, is rich in Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Vitamine B1 and Vitamine B2, essential fatty acids as well as minerals. Apart from being very effective as a medicinal aid, hemp seeds oil also works wonders for skin and hair.
In the circle of Ayurvedic medication, hemp seeds and hemp seeds oil are particularly beneficial for Vata(meaning, space and air) dosha and also helps in balancing the Pita(meaning, fire and water) dosha. These doshas, according to Ayurvedic teaching, are the different types of energies that lay the foundation of life. Hemp seeds, as Ayurveda believes, despite having no THC content, has tamasic(sedative) qualities, which make you feel rejuvenated, by releasing serotonin and inducing deep sleep. Hemp seeds are also nutritionally more efficient than flax and chia seeds. Hemp seeds, an ayurvedic medication, has more to it than nutritional properties.
Hemp seeds in industry
Industrial hemp, has contributed in an conducive way to diverse sectors such as- fabric or clothing, construction, bodycare products, biofuel, paper, amongst many others. Since agriculture of hemp plants requires
- Negligible amount of pesticides
- Is capable of returning the essential nutrients to the soil
- Can be harvested within 3 months
- Consumes minimal amount of water,
It is extremely environment friendly. As the top producer of biomass in the world and competent of producing the strongest fibre, hemp seeds is extremely popular in the industrial world.
Ways of intake of hemp seeds
Few common ways being:
- Blend to make hemp seed milk
- Eat raw as snack
- Powder it to consume as condiment
- Sprinkle on top of dishes
- Make a smoothie by adding few more ingredients
You can also innovate different ways of inculcating it into your diet and adding flavor. You can also choose from different type of hemp seeds available depending on the flavor, although the natural flavour is mostly nutty in taste.
Bottomline
Hemp seeds: an Ayurvedic medication, could also cause mild diarrhoea or inhibit platelet formation. Like everything in this world, these are amongst the very few side effects of hemp seeds. Hence, it is advisable to consult your doctor before beginning to consume it on a regular basis or including it in your medication. Although when it comes products constituting hemp seeds oil for hair and skin available in the market, those are scientifically proven. Thus, do not give a second thought before purchasing those products because what’s better than nature’s gifts for well being of humankind.
References
https://medium.com/@ministryofhemp/what-are-the-benefits-of-hemp-seeds-584fc352257c
https://bohecolife.com/blogs/hemp-health-nutrition/at-the-heart-of-hemp-all-you-need-to-know-about-hemp-seed-nutrition
Vata
