Hemp is indeed one of the most misunderstood and misjudged plant in our planet. It usually raises confusion and draws images depicting taboo. But, what’s hemp in an unbiased definition? What does the world of science say about this plant sentenced to be unheard by some people that have chosen the side of benightedness?
The Cannabis Family Tree: Understanding this plant called hemp is very much like unearthing the plant where its rooted. What’s hemp? The plant is also called Cannabis sativa L, it has several different variants or genus such as the bow-string hemp (Sansevieria cylindrica), Indian hemp (Corchurus capsularis, C. clitorus, Apocynum cannabinum, and jute), Mauritius hemp (Furcraea gigantea), Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea), New Zealand hemp (Phorium tenax), and Manila hemp (Musa textilis, abaca). The marijuana (hemp-marihuana) also belongs to the hemp family.
The Winding Road towards Hemp’s Understanding: In fact, a very thin line between fact and fiction was created because of many misperceptions tagged to this plant giving a lot more room for confusions and controversies. The world’s realties have been battling over myths for many years ever since this plant surfaced to the long list of civilisations that we know. First, we must realise that the world itself has been engaged to an extremely confusing and befuddled past. History wasn’t actually clear on who discovered and popularised hemp as part of each civilisation we know. The matter has been fogged up even further because of the illegal strain of marijuana, detracting from the legal and highly useful hemp plant varieties.
One thing is worth of confidence; the plant has been used by people for lots of things from food, clothing, medicine, personal care products, and shelter or construction for centuries. Pliny, Herodotus, Homer, Ovid, Virgil, Livy, Martial, and Galien spoke about the wonder plant and highlighted their value to the society. Today, as a result of it’s popularity individuals turned it to a business opportunity fueled by it’s amazing versatility. Many products and solutions have been formulated and created for public consumption since 8000 BC and the number is still growing each and every day as technology advances and studies about this plant go deeper.
The Application: Hemp has been storming the business world as it offers a very long list of possibilities. People are now finding more and more advantages, including the rediscovery of how it was utilized centuries before. The plant now enlists limitless offerings and individuals are now going back to hemp as a substitute to the basic needs like:
Food – Hemp contains handful of vital fatty acids and amino acids which are very helpful to our health, making hemp a great booster to the immune system. The seeds could be pressed to make edible hemp seed oil which could be used for cooking, salad dressing, or simply a supplementary.
Fuel – Hemp seed oil can even provide fuel through ethanol fuel production. As a matter of fact, ethanol fuel from hemp seeds are said to be better than unleaded gasoline as it doesn’t emit black carbon, making a great bio-alternative. Besides, the plant has been providing us combustible fuel through out the history.
Hemp is one of the most beneficial and useful plant the heavens gave us to use, its just a sad thing that we have opted to ignore it’s existence when the world turned to synthetic manufacturing alternatives. It is funny to imagine that only if this plant could talk, it could have delivered one of the greatest teachings we’ll ever hear, making us realise how we have underestimated this natural alternative.
