Hemp - you've probably heard this word a lot lately. Feverish discussions in the media, more and more hemp products in the retail trade and hemp plants sprouting up in the fields. What's going on? Hemp is back! And not just as a temporary hype, but as an ongoing trend due to its enormous potential.
We at HANS Brainfood also use the hemp plant for our products and would therefore like to inform you about...
- The history of the hemp plant
- Various uses for hemp
- the difference between weed and cannabis
- the nutrients of the plant
The way to us
The hemp plant has inspired mankind for thousands of years. The first contact was through the consumption of hemp seeds: Birds and small rodents were observed picking and collecting the seeds - and so interest in the small, green-brown colored seeds also grew among humans.
The first agricultural societies to cultivate hemp emerged in Mesopotamia (today Iraq and part of Syria), in the Nile Delta and in China. Through the migration of peoples, the hemp plant became known worldwide and spread rapidly. The plant probably came to Europe in the 7th/8th century BC.
A true all-rounder
From then on, more and more uses were found for hemp:
The seeds could not only be shelled and eaten, but also pressed to produce oil. Hemp oil was then used to prepare food, but also - unimaginable for us today - as lamp oil!
The fibers were used to make fabrics, ropes and as insulation material. Textiles made from hemp were used in shipping in particular, as they were much more durable than comparable products made from linen or cotton and were less affected by the salty sea air. Would Christopher Columbus have been able to reach America without sails made of hemp? Probably not. That is why hemp was cultivated wherever there was a sea power.
Even the world's first paper, made in China around 100 AD, was made from the fibers of hemp and mulberry. Could you have imagined that?
Miracle cure in times of need
In medicine, hemp has always been used as a remedy, for example to cure neurological diseases or to alleviate chronic pain. Multiple sclerosis, depressive disorders and ADHD can also be treated with cannabis today. However, the plant also has a dark side: It contains cannabinoids cannabinoids, some of which have an intoxicating effect. The most studied cannabinoids are the intoxicating tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD). Due to these ingredients, hemp was banned in the 20th century.
The difference between cannabis, marijuana, hashish and hemp
If you are confused about what exactly the terms mean, then this explanation from the German Hemp Association will bring light into the darkness.
- Cannabis - Latin for "hemp" - generally refers to the hemp plant and products containing THC.
- Marijuana or weed - these are the flowers of the female hemp plant. The THC- and CBD-containing resin of the plant forms on the glandular hairs.
- Hashish - is the collected and usually pressed resin of the hemp plant.
Hemp celebrates a comeback
Since the 1990s, the hemp plant has been making its way back into people's consciousness. Due to its durability and ecological benefits, hemp fiber is now increasingly being used again in both textile production and construction. Hemp can also be used as a raw material for the construction of cars, airplanes, etc. or as biomass to replace kerosene in the future.
The American hemp expert Jack Herer sets out his views on this in his book a clear statement:
"If, in order to save our planet and reverse the greenhouse effect, we want to abandon all fossil fuels and petrochemical products in the future, as well as the deforestation of our forests to produce paper and agricultural land, then there is only one plant that, as a renewable resource, is capable of supplying the majority of paper, textiles and food, as well as domestic and industrial energy consumption, while also curbing pollution, improving soils and purifying our air: it is an ancient companion that has always done this for us: Cannabis, hemp, marijuana."
However, hemp is particularly popular in the food industry these days. Thanks to a protein content of over 30g per 100g, the high proportion of omega 3 and 6 oils and the large number of amino acids it contains, this native superfood is used in many different forms as a plant-based source of protein. They are available in bread or baked goods, bars, protein powder or simply in their original hulled seed form as a topping for bowls or as a supplement in muesli.
Have you acquired a taste for it? Then try our hemp protein powder or our hemp bars.
They are available in the flavors apple & cinnamon, coffee & mulberry, cocoa and of course the HANS Original, which consists only of hemp and honey.
Are you interested in how hemp is harvested? Then take a look at our harvest video.
The largest of our plants was a proud 3.80 meters high!