Humans have been using hemp for thousands of years, and for good reason too–it’s extremely versatile. Although hemp is breaking away from its negative reputation for being associated with the Cannabis plant, it’s important to know that it’s not relatively close to being like marijuana–it is bred with much lower levels of the psychedelic chemical THC than the drug is.
Our favorite way to use hemp is, of course, in its edible form: as an oil, a fiber and a seed. Hemp seeds especially carry tons of nutritional benefits and can be used in numerous amounts of recipes.
Health Benefits:
This list is a long one! There are so many health benefits to hemp seeds that it would be foolish not to run out to the store this instant to buy them!
- A 1.5-tablespoon serving of hemp seeds contains five grams of protein, 86 milligrams of magnesium, 10 percent daily value of iron, 1245 milligrams of Omega-3 fatty acids and 436 milligrams of Omega-6 fatty acids!
- One of the Omega-6 acids, gamma linolenic acid (or GLA), is an excellent source of anti-inflammatory hormones that support a healthy metabolism and good skin, hair, and nails.
- Like flaxseeds, hemp seeds contain all ten of the essential amino acids.
- Its protein source is much more digestible than others, and won’t leave you feeling bloated.
- Hemp seeds contain anti-aging antioxidants such as vitamin E.
- They’re also rich in other minerals such as zinc and phosphorus.
More to the Seed
Because hemp seeds are one of the best sources of vegetarian and vegan protein, they’re a popular source for plant-based protein powders. Hemp protein powders are just as versatile as the seeds are in their purest form–they can substitute 25 percent of flour in baked good recipes.
And when consuming hemp seeds, you can either dry toast them, eat them raw or even bake them into muffins. All you need is a few tablespoons. We’re completely serious when we say this seed can pretty much do it all!
Indulge in Hemp!
Hemp seeds, which are technically a fruit, can be used in a wide variety of recipes. If you’re looking for something simple, add them to your favorite smoothies. But if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, then check out some of the tasty recipes below that incorporate this delicious superfood.
1. Creamy Hemp Pesto
2. Goji Berry and Hemp Seed Granola
3. Cheezy Kale Salad
4. Creamy Lemon Herb Dressing
5. Banana Chocolate Chia Pudding
6. Raw Ice Cream Sandwiches
For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
Nutiva, as well as other companies, are part of the “Test Pledge”. It’s a pledge that their products won’t have amounts of THC in them that would cause someone to fail a drug test.