You’re probably well versed in all things hemp by now, and you might already incorporate it into your day. Just like you, we’re always looking for new and exciting ways to amp up our wellness routine, so were completely intrigued when we heard about Australia’s first true hemp water (yes, hemp WATER!) brand being launched by a fearless female who’s also a mum.
We caught up with the founder of +hemp, Natalie Moubarak, to get the lowdown on combining setting up a business with motherhood, the health benefits of hemp water and the future of hemp products worldwide. Here’s what she had to say:
Q: Why were you driven to bring out a hemp product?
A: I was driven to create a hemp product after it successfully treated psoriasis that I had for more than 15 years. After doing lots of research on hemp and its benefits, I came up with a concoction to mix hemp with moisturising creams, which worked much better than any other creams I was prescribed. From there, I undertook an 18-month journey into developing +hemp, Australia’s first true hemp water. I wanted to create an accessible drink that enables people to enjoy the benefits of hemp.
Q: What do you believe the benefits of hemp to be?
A: Hemp oil has beneficial health properties of being anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants. This has been known to increase healthy immune systems, linked to cardiovascular health, and decreases cholesterol. It also has benefits of amino acids, high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 as well as Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA).
Q: What are the benefits of hemp water specifically?
A: Hemp water is a hydrating beverage that contains the benefits of hemp in an accessible and convenient form. +hemp is made of hemp oil mixed with water – the natural emulsifiers that are used enables the hemp oil to mix with the reverse-osmosis filtered water in the drink. This means that it contains the nutritional and health benefits of hemp oil.
In addition to this, we’ve added in vitamin C to +hemp to provide additional vitamins.
Q: Why is your product unique and why do you believe it’s stronger than other hemp products, e.g. hemp oil?
A: I think what makes +hemp unique is that it is a hemp-based water rather than a hemp-infused beverage – a product that is becoming more prevalent on the shelves.
All hemp products are different and consumed in a variety of ways. For example, hemp oil and seeds can be used in making protein balls, but I think hemp water is convenient enough for anyone who wants to get hemp foods into their diet.
Q: Is it hard to juggle being a mum with setting up your own business?
A: It can be a hard thing to juggle, but I’ve learnt to involve my kids in the whole business process. By involving them in what I’m doing with +hemp, work and family never feels separate. I’ve educated my kids about hemp and its benefits, which is a plus because they want to get involved and help me in any way they can. They love being able to help and they think it’s lots of fun – from helping to pack boxes, to assisting at the market stalls with customers – they love the whole experience.
Q: Where do you see the future of hemp products in Australia going?
A: I think that hemp products will become more mainstream and convenient as people become more educated and familiar with the benefits of hemp. There are people out there who are still hesitant as it was only legalised as a food product – in its seed form only – in Australia in 2017, so this is still relatively new. As more products come out in the market, people will feel more comfortable with hemp products and their diverse range of benefits!
