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You might think it a bit strange that Hemp & Co advocates for the benefits of hemp and yet here we are busting myths about it. Why would we do that?  It’s simple: we believe in asking questions. We advocate for transparency. We want our products to be supported by up-to-date, verifiable evidence from credible sources. And we want you to feel reassured that you can trust our brand and our products. Several sources of information suggest that humans evolved on an omega 6 (n-6) to omega 3 (n-3) ratio of around 1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is...

Introduction The exact origins of cooking with oil are difficult to pinpoint precisely, as the use of oil for cooking dates back thousands of years. Early human societies likely discovered the use of oil for cooking through experimentation with various plants and animal fats. Today, amidst a plethora of cooking oils available, an intriguing query arises: can I cook with hemp seed oil? Historically, evidence suggests that ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used olive oil extensively for cooking purposes. Rudimentary extraction methods were by hand (e.g. grinding). The invention of the press marked a turning point,...

Introduction Dietary lipids (fats) serve many functions in the body. Until recently it was thought that they were limited to three functions: as structural components of cell membranes, as energy stores and as insulation. As well, it was thought they were metabolically inert and that once, laid down by the developing tissue, their turnover was very slow. It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that this belief was turned on its head. In 1982 Bengt Samuelsson, Sune Bergstrom and John Vane shared the Noble Prize for Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries related to metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), in...

Introduction Distinctive types of fats, referred to as essential fatty acids (EFA) also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), are vital for the development of the brain in the foetus, newborns, and children. Furthermore, they are crucial for maintaining optimal brain function in adults. To understand the importance of these EFA’s in brain development, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of brain structure and function. The brain consists of two primary cell types: neurons and glia (see figure 1). Neurons have been the primary focus of neuroscience research for the last century due to their responsibility for the...