Benefits and Nutrition of Hemp Seeds or Hearts

Happy Friday friends!

I am so glad to have Friday here!  You all know that I have been loving my hemp hearts lately.  Today, I thought I would chat with you all about the nutrition and benefits of hemp.

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Before someone goes and gets their panties in a wad…..Hemp seeds and hearts are not marijuana and they won’t get you high!

Hemp seeds are a nutritional powerhouse that I had no idea about until here recently.

Here are a few facts about them from Body Ecology:

• All 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential amino acids (EAAs) our bodies cannot produce.
• A high protein percentage of thesimple proteins that strengthen immunity and fend off toxins.²

  Eating hemp seeds in any form could aid, if not heal, people suffering from immune deficiency diseases. This conclusion is supported by the fact that hemp seed has been used to treat nutritional deficiencies brought on by tuberculosis, a severe nutrition blocking disease that causes the body to waste away.³

• Nature’s highest botanical source of essential fatty acid, with more essential fatty acid than flax or any other nut or seed oil. ⁴
• A perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid - for cardiovascular health and general strengthening of the immune system.
• A superior vegetarian source of protein considered easily digestible.
• A rich source of phytonutrients, the disease-protective element of plants with benefits protecting your immunity, bloodstream, tissues, cells, skin, organs and mitochondria.
• The richest known source of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. ⁵

Feel free to click the link above to see what sources are cited.

Some things that hemp is supposed to do for our bodies is:

• Help lower blood pressure
• Reduce inflammation in the body
• Help improve digestion
• Reduce cravings for sugars and stimulants
• Increase energy
• Help lower cholesterol
• Help control blood sugar

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How have I been eating my hemp seeds?

• Top my hot cereal in the mornings
• In or on top of smoothies or applesauce
• Sprinkled onto my salads
• On top of my snacks- chopped fruit or a protein cookie
• Use in place of nuts on top of my stews

What is the nutritional content of hemp?

(Source)

What do I think?

I really love the hemp seeds.  They are slightly nutty.  They remind me of pine nuts in a way.  With this new meal plan I’m on from my doctor, I have been having a crazy appetite, and this has helped to keep my cravings under control.  I can notice a huge difference in my appetite through the day and my cravings on days that I eat hemp seeds and days I don’t!

Also, I used to get really shaky if I went too long (more than 2-3 hours) without food due to my blood sugar, and that is even improving!  I’m not saying it is all due to hemp, but again I can tell a difference on days I have hemp and days I don’t.

In other words… I‘m sold!  

Other ways to get hemp into your diet is through hemp milk (which I love), Hippie hemp butter (can’t wait to try), hemp protein (can’t wait to try this either), and hemp oil.

How would you use hemp hearts?

Have you tried hemp before?  What did you think?

Any brand of hemp protein you recommend?

 

 

Tagged as: gluten free, hemp seeds, nutrition, vegan