10 Best Hemp Oils 2024 in the US

Hemp oil has grown in popularity recently, being touted as a “superfood”, together with flaxseed and chia seeds. Hemp seeds (from the plant Cannabis sativa) have a bit of a “naughty” reputation, since the plant has some of the mild hallucinogenic THC, as can be found in a closely-related plant, marijuana, or cannabis. (So much so, that growing hemp has been banned in the United States since 1937--a ban that was overturned only recently, in 2014!)  But it actually has a negligible amount of THC--less than 0.3% of its volume, as opposed to marijuana, which varies between 5-35% THC. Despite its reputation, it has formidable nutritional value:

• It contains 9 essential amino acids that the body can’t produce on its own and must obtain from a dietary source.

• It has a more favorable ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids, as opposed to flaxseed oil.

• It contains antioxidants, which can have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits for the skin.

There are hemp oil supplements that are intended to be taken orally, while others are meant to be applied to the skin. We’ll treat the benefits that can be expected of each.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a hemp oil. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of hemp oil,

• See useful tips about that particular type of hemp oil,

• Read reviews of different hemp oils, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of hemp oil, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

You can hemp oil sold in a variety of forms.

• Cold-pressed oil, for topical use: There are hemp seed oils that are primarily to be applied to the skin. An example is Sky Organics’ Hemp Seed Oil. The oil protects the skin from pollutants and bacteria, moisturizes the skin and makes it more supple, and can treat redness, itching, and acne-related inflammation, or for eczema or psoriasis. It can also be applied to the hair, to be used as a hair conditioner. Sky Organics’ product is safe to be added to food as well.

Sky Organics Pure Organic Hemp Oil

• Hemp oil drops, to be taken orally: Nutiva makes hemp oil that is recommended as a dietary supplement. They suggest putting it into salad dressings, sauces, smoothies, and other culinary uses.

Nutiva Cold Pressed Hemp Oil

• Softgel capsules: These are gelatin or glycerin capsules that contain cold-pressed hemp seed oil. Manitoba Harvest makes such soft gel tablets that provide you with Omega 3, Omega 6, and other fatty acids, such as Gamma Linolenic Acid and Stearidonic Acid.

Manitoba Harvest Softgel Capsules

• Should have a green hue: Unrefined hemp oil should look like virgin olive oil, meaning that it should have a green hue to it.

• Companies make a range of hemp-based products: Companies that make hemp oil will also usually make other hemp-based products. Nutiva markets hemp oil, hemp protein, and hemp seeds. The hemp protein is in powder form, while the hemp seeds can be added to recipes or eaten as is. They have a taste similar to pine nuts and are an excellent source of dietary fiber.

• Not for frying: Hemp oil has a total of 20 amino acids, including 9 essential amino acids which the body can’t produce on its own. But it’s not recommended to fry with the oil, since that might break down the nutritional compounds. Just add it to salads as is, or put it in sauces, hummus, or smoothies.

• Softgel tablets have a longer shelf life: Manitoba Harvest makes hemp oil in both liquid and soft gel forms. The advantage of the soft gel tablets is that they don’t have to be refrigerated, they have a longer shelf life than liquid oil, and they are convenient to carry around with you.

• Preferable to flaxseed oil: Hemp has three times as much Omega 6 fatty acid to Omega 3 fatty acid. This is preferable to flax seed, which also contains the two fatty acids. But the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 in hemp oil is more favorable to the body.  Hemp oil provides 3300 mg of Omega 3 and 8100 mg of Omega 6 in a 43-gram serving--this is as opposed to flaxseed oil, which has 4050 mg of Omega 3 and 800 mg of Omega 6 oil in 43 grams. The desired ratio is around 4 parts Omega 6 to 1 part Omega 3, for better absorption.

• Side effects: If you choose to take a hemp oil supplement, be aware that there are some side effects. Hemp also contains a high concentration of cannabidiol or CBD. This compound actually nullifies the effects of THC--the hallucinogen in marijuana. But CBD may cause tiredness and loss of appetite. So some caution should be observed when taking these supplements. Fortunately, most hemp oil products that you will buy online will have had the CBD removed.

• Source of super fatty acids: Hemp seed oil also contains Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) and Stearidonic Acid (SDA). These, in turn, increase the amounts of polyunsaturated fats in our diet, which can fight heart disease and helps the body metabolize fats.

• Sky Organics was founded by Sara-Jade in Miami, Florida in 2015. They make skin and hair care products that strive to be purely natural and organic. Their products include carrier oils, essential oils for aromatherapy, kinds of butter, bath bombs, and soaps, suncare products, and more.

• Hemp Garden is a family-owned business in Carmarthenshire, Wales. They make natural, organic hemp seed-based products, including soaps, kinds of butter, and oils for skin care, as well as hemp tea and coffee!

• Nutiva was founded in 1999 by John Roulac. The company name is derived from the words “NUT of Cannibis satIVA”. Their first product was hemp seed bars, but they have expanded to all sorts of organic culinary oils and nutritional supplements, such as hemp oil, hempseed, hemp protein, medium-chain triglycerides, and more.

• Manitoba Harvest was founded by Mike Fata, in developing a line of hemp-based nutritional products. Their headquarters is located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They grow, make, and sell their own hemp food products. Their foods are tested for nutritional value as well as taste quality.