Hempseed Oil
hempseed oil
[′hemp‚sēd ȯil]Hempseed Oil
a fatty vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the plant Cannabis sativa. Depending on how it is processed, hempseed oil ranges in color from light to dark green. It contains 5.8-9.9 percent palmitic acid, 1.7-5.6 percent stearic acid, 6-16 percent oleic acid, 36-50 percent linoleic acid, and 15-28 percent linolenic acid. The iodine number is 145-167. Of the various types of vegetable oil, hempseed oil is closest in chemical composition to linseed oil; it can often be used instead of linseed oil in the manufacture of drying oils, varnishes, and paints. Hempseed oil has limited use as a food product.