Hemp: the most important things about "superfood"
Ana Goldscheider studied journalism and corporate communication in Hamburg and is now completing additional training as an editor. In a medical editorial office, she writes texts for print magazines and, among other things.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.Hemp is increasingly on the list of ingredients in food. Experts advise, however, that consumers should be careful when making a purchase.
Whether as salad oil, in a muesli mix or in drinks: hemp is trendy. The seeds are considered a so-called superfood with health-promoting properties. However, consumers should pay attention to certain points when shopping, as Tüv Süd explains.
Really healthy?
Hemp seeds contain high quality fat, protein, vitamins as well as fiber and minerals. Hemp seed oil is rich in unsaturated and essential fatty acids, vitamins B and E as well as calcium, magnesium and iron. All of these substances are good for the body in and of themselves.
Cannabis seeds and oil are therefore also attributed numerous health effects - according to Tüv Süd, these have not been scientifically proven, especially for hemp. Therefore, food and dietary supplements with hemp may not be advertised with reference to disease.
Elevated THC levels
The private cultivation of any kind of hemp - including industrial hemp or hemp as an ornamental plant - is prohibited in Germany. Certain parts of the hemp plant, such as flowers and stems, contain the cannabinoid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which can affect the psyche. The consumer center writes on its homepage: "Foods that are wholly or partially made from the leaves or flowers of the plant often have higher THC levels."
This does not apply to the hemp seeds. Nevertheless, these could come into contact with THC-rich plant parts during harvest and, in small quantities, find their way into foods made from them, the experts explain.
be careful
Consumer advice centers point out possible health impairments from THC, for example drowsiness, drowsiness, but also inner restlessness and sleep disorders. Alcohol or certain drugs may increase this effect. Especially with cannabidiol products (e.g. CBD oil), the consumer advice center warns to be particularly careful and writes: "During controls, increased levels (up to 10,000 times) of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were found in more than 50% of the CBD products."
Consumer advocates therefore advise children, pregnant and breastfeeding women to use other seeds and oils, which can also score with good ingredients. For example, they recommend walnut oil or flaxseed.
Food, drug or medicine?
It is fundamentally important to look at the origin when buying food containing hemp. The Tüv Süd advises to use only reliable sources and to ensure that they come from Europe. Orders in web shops, on the other hand, could be associated with risks with regard to the harmlessness, origin and quality of the products.
Foods containing hemp cannot be put on the same level as the intoxicants marijuana and hashish. Here, the cannabis plant is deliberately used as a drug - with significantly higher THC levels. Cannabis has also been available legally as a drug since March 2017. You can find out more about this in our article "Cannabis (marijuana, hashish)". (ag / dpa)
