Hemp: The Nutty Food Source With a Questionable Reputation

Why Add Hemp To Your Diet

Hemp is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant.  You don’t smoke it but you can incorporate hemp into your daily meals very easily.  This powerful plant has so many nutritional and healing properties more information should be shared on having more hemp in your life.  Hemp milk, hemp seed, hemp oil are all great additions to your vegan diet.  Not as powerful as marijuana, industrial hemp contains about 0.3% – 1.5% THC whereas marijuana contains about 5% – 10% or more THC. This means two things:

1.  Incorporating hemp products in your daily diet is extremely beneficial for you and your family.
2.  Consuming hemp products will not get you high like smoking a joint so they are completely safe, healthy and legal. Your body will thank you for the experience.

Here are the three forms of hemp I use on a regular basis:

HEMP MILK

I drink Living Harvest Hemp Milk in my Banana Smoothie every day.  In addition, I bake my delicious vegan desserts with it exclusively (except when I’m using coconut milk).  Hemp milk has a creamy consistency and neutral flavor. I drink and cook daily with Living Harvest Tempt Hemp Milk – Original – 32 oz

Hemp milk has the following nutritional benefits:

• Strengthened Immune System
• Clear, Healthy Skin, Hair, and Nails
• Strong, Healthy Heart
• Increased Mental Capacity
• Hemp has anti-inflammatory agents and improves circulation.

An 8-ounce glass has the following nutrients:

• 900mg Omega-3 Fatty Acid
• 2800mg Omega-6 Fatty Acid
• All 10 Essential Amino Acids
• 4 grams of Digestible Protein
• 46% of RDA of Calcium
• 0% Cholesterol
• Potassium
• Phosphorous
• Riboflavin
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B12
• Folic Acid
• Vitamin D
• Magnesium
• Iron
• Zinc

As you can see hemp milk is rich in protein and contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, folic acid, and vitamins A, E, and B-12. It is also rich in magnesium, potassium, iron, and magnesium — all essential nutrients for a healthy diet and immune system.

Making your own hemp milk is simple and guarantees you always have it when you want it.  To make the hemp milk you will need 1/2 cup of raw, organic, shelled hemp seeds and 2 cups of purified water. To finish, you will need a piece of cheesecloth or a nut-milk bag. Blend the water and hemp seeds in a blender for about 3 minutes or until they are well blended. Once you are done blending, strain the milk through the cheesecloth and enjoy. Of course, it always tastes better cold so you might want to chill it first. This mixture should store in the fridge for about 3 days.

HEMP SEED

The hemp seed is the most nutritious seed in the world. 25% of their total calories are high-quality protein.  This is considerably more than similar foods like chia seeds and flaxseeds which provide about 16–18%.  They are considered a complete protein source, which means that they provide all the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are not produced in the body and need to be eaten to be included in our diets.  The concentrated balance of proteins, essential fats, vitamins, and enzymes combined with a relative absence of sugar, starches, and saturated fats make the hemp seed a Super Food. Hemp provides a broad spectrum of health benefits, including; weight loss, increased and sustained energy, rapid recovery from disease or injury, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, reduced inflammation, improvement in circulation and immune system as well as natural blood sugar control.

They also contain gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which has been known to reduce inflammation, benefitting the heart. GLA also produces prostaglandin E1 which reduces sensitivity to the hormone prolactin.  Prolactin sensitivity results in issues with PMS or increased menopausal symptoms.  Adding several tablespoons of hemp seeds in your diet daily can help you manage these symptoms.

Hemp seeds are also rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which have been known to remedy eczema and psoriasis.

Check out, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds, Natural, 1 Pound

HEMP OIL

High in essential fatty acids, Omega 6 and omega 3, hemp oil can be used to increase immunity, counteract aging skin, and improve cardiovascular health. As mentioned previously the gamma linoleic acid can slow down the aging process and fight psoriasis.

Remedies dehydrated hair, skin, and nails: hemp oil is high in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, hemp oil has a composition similar to skin lipids, which makes it an excellent natural emollient and moisturizer. It is especially useful for dry, tired, or dehydrated skin and nails. It increases skin elasticity and water retention capacity in tissues. Pure hemp oil can be used to treat dry hair and is often included in hair conditioners.

Controls Blood Sugar: hemp oil is low in carbohydrate and sugar content, hemp oil is can be a great food additive for diabetics. The nutrients present in it can help moderate blood sugar levels.

Boost Your Immunity: Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids also improve immunity and regulate intestinal flora, thus building a natural barrier against microbes and increasing the resilience of the body.

Prevent Varicose Veins: High in omega-3s, hemp oil can thin your blood, reducing blood clots and varicose veins.

Nutritional Negatives

While hemp does contain a lot of nutritional benefits, there are two things that you should keep in the back of your mind when incorporating it into your diet.

1. Calories can add up: When we talk about “superfoods,” we often focus a lot on their nutrient perks but forget that they still do contain calories. Hemp seeds are about 45 percent fat, and two tablespoons contain around 9g fat and 100 calories. If you start adding hemp seeds to your salads, smoothies, and morning Greek yogurt and berries, the unsuspecting calories can add up.
2. It does not contain leucine: Leucine is the amino acid that is responsible for signaling our bodies to start up the muscle-building machinery. To build and maintain your lean athletic body, it is important to have leucine flip this cellular switch throughout the day. Research shows you need about 3g leucine in a given meal to do this (maybe less if you are a smaller build). Despite hemp protein’s diverse amino acid profile, it has only 0.6g leucine per 15g protein, so don’t rely too heavily on hemp to provide your protein base.

If you’re interested in trying Help Oil, I recommend Manitoba Harvest Hemp Oil, 60 Softgel Capsules (Pack of 3) because it is easier to tolerate than straight Hemp Oil. The 3 Pack lasts 90 days.