Hemp oil is still a great unknown in the food world. Our nutritionist explains the benefits of hemp oil in your diet and answers if this oil is better than olive oil, a very common doubt.

What is hemp oil and what are its main benefits?
Hemp oil is made from cold-pressed hemp seeds. It has a bright green or golden color (depending on whether it is obtained from whole or peeled seeds) and a delicious nutty flavor.

One of the most remarkable aspects is that it is one of the richest foods in omega 3. Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid, which means that it must be provided in the diet on a daily basis. This component has heart-healthy properties, is anti-inflammatory, and protects the proper functioning of the nervous system.

If you want to learn more about the benefits of hemp oil in your diet, we recommend the post: Benefits of hemp oil for your health.

Is hemp oil better than olive oil?

In Spain, we are fortunate to have one of the best oils in the world at a very affordable price. The consumption of olive oil is widely established as the main food oil consumed in homes. It is worth mentioning that virgin oil varieties are the most advisable, due to their higher content of vitamin E, chlorophyll, and antioxidant flavonoids (which give the oil its characteristic greenish color and intense flavor).

Certainly, olive oil is one of the best oils that can be used in our food, both raw and for cooking. In that sense, hemp oil is not intended to displace virgin olive oil in cooking, but to complement it.

What are the benefits of hemp oil in the diet?

The advantage of hemp oil over olive oil is that it is much richer in omega-3. This is why many nutritionists recommend hemp oil as an omega-3 supplement. If you want to find great information, check out the original source to learn more.

In diets in which it is important to increase the omega 3 intake, it can be recommended to use hemp oil, always raw, so that all the properties of omega 3 are preserved. One teaspoon (approx. 5 ml) of hemp oil provides 1 g. of omega 3 and manages to reach the daily requirements of this nutrient.

Hemp oil as a source of omega 3

Other foods very rich in omega-3 that nutritionists recommend are hemp seeds, walnuts, oily fish, and flax or chia seeds. The best thing, without a doubt, is a varied diet, which includes these foods on a regular basis. However, it can happen that the nuts are finished in a few days, or that the jars of seeds are left forgotten on the shelf, and we forget to add them to the dishes, out of absent-mindedness. In that sense, getting into the habit of dressing salads with hemp oil is an easy way to ensure the daily consumption of omega 3 that we need every day.

How to introduce hemp oil into your diet?

Basically, you put it in the cruet and dress your dishes just as you would olive oil. You don’t need any regulating pipette or measure the quantities you use.

-It is recommended to use it raw, in sauces or dressings. It can be used (alone or combined with olive oil) in a pesto sauce, mayonnaise, garlic-oil sauce, etc. We love it simply as a dressing, a drizzle of hemp oil on top of recipes, for example, when plating hummus, vegetable creams, or salads – its nutty flavor gives it an unmistakable touch!
-It could also be used for gentle cooking at low temperatures.
-It is not recommended for frying, grilling, or sautéing at high temperatures (just as it is not recommended for cooking with sunflower oil and other seed oils). The oils that resist better to high cooking temperatures are olive oil and coconut oil.
-As a curiosity, you can also use hemp oil for cosmetic purposes, in homemade masks. Because of its omega-3 content, it is a real balm for dry skin.

Does hemp oil contain cannabinoids, such as THC or CBD?

Hemp oil is derived from hemp seeds and therefore does not contain any cannabinoids (neither CBD nor THC). Nor does it contain these compounds in small quantities.

THC (psychoactive compound) and CBD (anti-inflammatory) are found in the resin of the flowers (buds) of the plant and are extracted by other procedures. Hemp seeds do not contain cannabinoids and, by extension, neither hemp oil nor hemp protein contains them.