When I helped a friend to design a manufacturing line producing building materials from hemp, I started by pressing the juice instead of retting hemp on the field for weeks. This juice idea electrified me and I had hemp juice analyzed for its nutritional value. Then I came up with technical processes to press the juice from the hemp plant. A completely new economic added value and a new health benefit was won.

In modern times cultivation has led to varieties with very low THC content, making hemp drug free. This is the prerequisite for my discovery: using an industrial plant for human food and life stock feed. Trying to cook and chew hemp has to fail, as the fibers are much too strong to be grinded by our teeth. The way to make hemp edible is to press the juice from the upper leafy parts and from the leaves, which are not used by industry and formerly withered on the fields.

Hemp is a new protein rich food source to feed the world.
The juicy parts of the plant are collected separately at the same time hemp is harvested for its fibers. 3-4 tons of hemp juice can be gained from one hectare of industrial hemp for human consumption as beverage or in other food products. At the same time an equal amount of press remnants ensues as valuable animal feed.

Why press the juice and not just mince the plant parts in a blender? This “juicing” process is widely used for Cannabis grown in pots and harvested when the plant is much smaller than industrial hemp. It is not suitable for industrial hemp because its strong fibers can upset the intestinal system. Cows are less sensitive and like the press remnants with a high content in short fibers. To press hemp juice is economical because two products for two different user groups result: hemp juice for humans and press remnants to feed life stock. In addition the hemp fiber is used as before by industry.

The alternative process to boil leaves for hemp tea is a form of extraction. It has been shown that extracts of different kinds accrue far fewer of the nutrients that are present in the juice.

The technical process of pressing hemp juice is delicate. Much can go wrong. Unsuitable machines can press a juice that is devoid of many of the ingredients that are valuable in hemp. Ideally the juice is thick and becomes even thicker after boiling to activate the Cannabinoids. (See use of juice – nutrition)

This invention is useful for making beverages from drug free hemp, fermented drinks, beer mixes, interesting new soft drinks and cocktails, food products such as hemp tofu, natural taste enhancers for hearty and sweet tastes, dietary supplements, health drinks and powders, skin care, bath salts. A door has been opened awaiting creative spirits to help feed the world with hemp.

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