Hemp seeds are from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, the same species (but different variety) of cannabis, or marijuana. Hemp seeds do not contain the psychoactive cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Hemp is back! This variety of the cannabis plant, not to be confused with its intoxicating cousin (marijuana), is one of the most significant crops in history.

Hemp dates back to 8,000 B.C. in present-day Iran and Iraq. It was among the first crops to be cultivated as a textile fiber, in things like cloth, rope and paper. Every part — seeds, stalks, leaves, flowers, roots — can be used. Historically, it has been used as food, in religious rituals, and medicinally to treat ailments like wounds, toothaches and arthritis. Dietary hemp seeds are nutritious, versatile, and tasty.

– Read the entire article at Chicago Sun Times.