FAQs
Hemp Uses, Information & Facts
Q. What is hemp?
A. Hemp, a strain of Cannabis Sativa, is a wonderfully diverse plant, known for its variety of uses throughout human history. Cultivated or grown mainly for either it’s stalk fibre or seeds for food, the leaves and roots also have many medicinal qualities. Cannabis strains must contain less than 0.3% THC to be classed as hemp. The hemp plant has a deep taproot, giving it the ability to grow in dry conditions.
Q. What parts of the hemp plant can we consume?
A. Hemp is amazing in its diversity of uses for human consumption. Medicinal, dietary, cosmetically, building & clothing to name a few areas that people over the centuries have utilised the plant. Currently in New Zealand the seeds are the only part of the plant that we can consume as a food product. Licensing and regulations mean we are unable to put any other part of the crop in our nutritional products.
Q. Where is your hemp grown?
A. All of our hemp is grown in Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand. We have placed an emphasis on North Canterbury, the region surrounding our new processing hub in Culverden. The climate and soil types are ideal for hemp and the addition of a new rotational crop provides local family farmers with a welcome source of income and soil revitalisation in a drought-prone area.
Q. Are your hemp products organic?
A. All of our products are either spray free New Zealand grown and processed, or organic New Zealand grown and processed. Our Hempy Bars have organic hemp in them. The rest of our products (if we haven’t explicitly and clearly stated) are spray free.
Q. Is all of your packaging compostable?
A. Our packaging is a mix of recyclable and compostable.
Our Hemp Seed Oil comes in a 250ml and 1L glass recyclable bottle. All other products come in home compostable pouches.
Q. What does hemp taste like?
A. Hemp seeds have been described as having a nutty, buttery taste and texture perfect sprinkled on porridge, granola, salads... literally any meal!
Hemp Protein has an earthy, nutty flavour - perfect in smoothies.
Hemp Seed Oil has a nutty, smooth, light profile - perfect as a salad dressing.
Q. What is the recommended daily intake of hemp seed oil?
A. Our recommended daily intake of Nutritional Hemp Seed Oil is 1 tablespoon per day. This gives you your daily dosage of Omega 3 as well as many other healthy micro-nutrients. You cannot consume too much hemp!
Q. What is Omega-3?
A. Omega 3 are a type of essential fats that the human body is unable to create on its own. We must get them from certain foods we eat. Omega 3 has a wide range of health benefits. Omega 3 has been shown to prevent heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic diseases. Omega 3 limits and reduces inflammation.
Q. I thought that Omega-6 is bad for you? How much is in your products and why do you say it’s good?
A. Omega 6 is not necessarily bad for you. Like anything with diet, the key is balance. Many of us consume too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3. This imbalance leads to inflammation. The trick is to get the ratio of 3:6 correct. To do this eat food with more Omega 3 in it. Hemp seeds have an ideal 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3.
Q. Is your hemp oil the same as CBD oil?
A. No, our Nutritional Hemp Seed Oil is made by cold pressing the whole hemp seed and is not the same as CBD Oil. The leaves and flowers of the hemp plant are utilised to extract CBD Oil which has incredible medicinal benefits that hemp seeds do not contain.
Q. Does your hemp oil have THC in it?
A. Our Hemp Seed Oil contains no THC in it. Our farmers have their crops tested at time of harvest by laboratories for this key element, all having to return a less than 0.3% test result. Our farmers this season returned all below 0.05% - well below the minimum threshold.
Q. What is the difference between hemp and marijuana?
A. Although strains of the same plant family, hemp and marijuana are very unlike. Both plants are cannabis, but scientifically their chemical properties, morphology and their uses by humans are completely different. One key difference is that hemp contains very little to no THC, whereas marijuana plants are grown in order for the THC to be very high.
Q. Is hemp easy to harvest?
A. Hemp is like many other crops that our Kiwi farmers grow and harvest for our food consumption. It requires specific equipment for harvest, contractors who have knowledge and experience, and timing. Moisture levels play a key part in growers deciding the right time to harvest. As our farmers practise, experiment and learn as they do with any other new crop in their farming systems, the industry will gradually get to the point where the harvest is no more difficult than any other plant. Read more about our farmers and their hemp farms here.
Q. What do you see as the next phase in growing sustainable food locally?
A. If NZ farmers can tell our story well - that we produce nutritious sustainable food, consumers will choose to buy from conscious local producers instead of cheap imported food or fast food. New Zealand growers must tell this story and incorporate nutritious regenerative crops into their traditional systems. Avoiding importing supplements and feed from overseas, producing everything on farm and eliminating pesticides, herbicides and all sprays to move more and more towards an organic style of farming.
Q. What are some other uses of hemp?
A. Clothing, building, cosmetics, paper, bio plastics, insulation. Check out our sister companies: Kōaka Hemp Health & Skincare, and Original Canvas Hemp Apparel.
Q. Brother Michael, what is your favourite way to consume hemp?
A. Hemp Protein Powder, taken 1 tbsp per day in a green & berry smoothie. My daily dosage of fibre!
Q. Brother Brad, what is your favourite way to consume hemp?
A. The Hemp Hearts for me are a foundation of my diet. They go good on everything from smoothies to nourish bowls all the way through to the delicious Creamy Mushroom Hemp & Herb Pasta recipe. Because I eat mainly plant based, I know hemp seeds are an epic source of protein and healthy fats, and can bulk up a meal without having to do any prep. Its easy to digest as well so you don't get any bloating or crappy feeling afterwards.
Q. Brother Brendon, what is your favourite way to consume hemp?
A. I am taking an intense approach to watching what foods I put in my body as I turned 30 earlier this year. Anti-inflammatory foods are my priority. With this, I make a daily smoothie and always add 20mL of Hemp Seed Oil to it. So delish and nutrish :D