Hemp describes low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) strains of the plant Cannabis sativa. Of the approximately 2,000 cannabis plants varieties known, 90% contain only low-grade THC and are used for their fiber, seeds, paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, construction and medicinal oils. Hemp is one of the earliest domesticated plants.
Hemp is thus legally grown in many countries across the world including Spain, China, Japan, Korea, France, and Ireland.
Hemp is one of the faster growing biomasses known and requires few pesticides and no herbicides.
What is the difference between industrial hemp and marijuana?
Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa var. sativa is the variety grown for industrial use, while C. sativa subsp. indica generally has poor fiber quality and is primarily used for recreational and medicinal purposes. Oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis (industrial hemp) produce only minute amounts of THC, not enough for any psychoactive effects. Typically, hemp contains below 0.3% THC, while cultivars of Cannabis grown for recreational use can contain anywhere from 2% to over 20%.
Hemp seeds as food
Hemp seeds can be eaten raw, ground into a meal, sprouted, made into hemp milk (akin to soy milk), prepared as tea, and used in baking. Dehulled hemp seed is the whole seed without the mineral rich outer shell.
References:
Hemp. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp
No comments:
Post a Comment