huo ma ren

[Guest guest]

I've wondered myself about the rancidity of huo ma ren, as well as its

effect upon patients who are subject to increasingly sensitive drug

tests. A number of hemp butter sites on the web make points about having

no detectable THC contamination in their products, which leads me to

question whether seeds from our sources would be problematic. (I know

people who will avoid poppyseed bagels because they have to take random

drug tests and the trace amounts of opiates in legal culinary seeds

register as evidence of drug use.) While it may be insufficient to get

clients high, it may still register.

 

Flaxseed, ya ma ren, goes rancid within literally minutes of grinding,

which is why I counsel clients to grind it immediately before eating. I

suspect that huo ma ren would work better in that manner, especially if

given in congees. I share Todd's scepticism that essential fatty acids

would survive decoction, especially powdered in a bag prepared for the

week ahead. Udo Erasmo does indicate that hemp seeds, oil or hemp butter

are more stable than flaxseed and flax seed oil (but are less stable than

peanut butter.) Michael Tierra recommends huo ma ren electuaries or

halvas, which should be freshly made and refrigerated.

 

Erasmo says that hemp seeds sold in the US are steamed. Steaming may

cause the seeds to split, permitting oxidation of the oil (although

visual inspection of my huo ma ren shows little evidence of splitting.)

The cold pressed oil has a peroxide value (PV) of 0.1- 0.5, versus 6-7

for oil made of steamed seeds. (Peroxide oil is a measure of rancidity).

He says that the PV of hemp is safe and does not ruin its taste, unlike

flax oil which tastes bad with a PV of 2-3. For contrast the PV of

virgin olive oil is around 20 and the PV of unrefined corn oil may be

40-60. So for yin and fluids deficiency it looks like either

refrigerated fresh hemp oil or freshly ground huo ma ren would be most

nutritive.

 

About 65% of the total protein in hemp seed is edestin, a sturdy, stable

protein, similar to that found in the albumen in egg whites and blood.

Edestin is however destroyed by heat so is not present except in the

Canadian products.

 

As for fumigation, I got the same negative response as Todd in

questioning US Customs a year or two ago. However fumigation in the

country or origin is sometimes a problem. Erasmo points out that the

usual fumigants for hemp seed are highly volatile and rarely leave

detectable residues, which squares with Subhuti Dharmananda's

information. Canadian hempseed, which is mechanically hulled instead of

steamed, and Canadian hemp oils may avoid fumigation entirely but

roughage would be lost reducing the laxative effect.

 

Karen Vaughan

CreationsGarden

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Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

" To give pleasure to a single heart, by a single act, is better than a

thousand heads bowing in prayer. " M. Ghandi

 

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[Guest guest]

It is my understanding that sterilized huo ma ren is legal for use in

the US. Numerous companies import this seed legally. However, it has

been heat treated to prevent sprouting. Since the active components are

heat sensitive essential fatty acids, I would suggest that most seeds

are rancidified by this process, making them not only useess, but

perhaps dangerous. Rancid EFA's cause cancer at very high rates due to

massive free radical induction.

 

As Kevin Oneil mentioned in an earlier post, it is also unlikely that

powdered water extracts contain much EFA either,as these are fat

soluble. Huo ma ren was typically used as pill or porridge because of

this. I think pure hempseed oil, which is usually cold extracted and

stored in the refrigerator is a good substitute for both dry

constipation, yin xu, lung dryness and some scaling skin diseases, all

of which have been treated by huo ma ren in ancient times.

 

Also, someone mentioned fumigation, though I am unclear about what

exactly was being referred to. There is a misconception that chinese

herbs are fumigated at some point in their journey west. Actually, they

are not fumigated at US customs; I checked. And as far as I can tell,

they are not fumigated by the Chinese unless they are actually infested,

but certainly not as a matter of course. This is a common misconception

and can be verified by both Andy Ellis at springwind.com herbs and

Subhuti Dharmananda at itmonline.org. If anyone has actual evidence

(not anecdote) to the contrary, please provide.