I’m gonna admit, I was a little freaked out the first time I ate hemp. Peer pressure never got the better of me in my adolescence or college years, and I had always done the best I could to avoid anything remotely drug like. So there I was eating a hemp cookie thinking to myself how ironic it felt. But, the health benefits of hemp are hard to deny. If you’ve never tried it, it might be time to grab a stash of hemp, and eat up!!
Here’s the deal, hemp seeds are totally safe and legal to eat. I know, I know; it’s a little funny to think that we have to question the legality of a YouAnew food favorite, but hey, I’m guessing that’s one of your first questions. Even if you ate a lot of hemp seeds, you wouldn’t get “high” or drug test positive from eating hemp.It’s only been in the past few years that hemp filled foods have been filling the shelves. Prior to 2004, most grocers wouldn’t dare carry any product with hemp. Why? Because of a DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Rule that banned any food containing even trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive substance in marijuana) from being sold. But hey, the health nuts got their way, and a 2004 court ruling made eating hemp seeds totally legal and the latest, greatest new health trend.
Here are my top 5 health reasons eating hemp is cool.
1. Plant Based Protein: 30 grams (3 tbsp) of hulled hemp seeds will give you 10 grams of plant based protein. Hemp seeds provide 10 essential amino acids. Booyah.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Most people aren’t getting enough of those awesome natural anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp seeds are a great source of those essential omega-3s.
3. Fiber: You get 1 gram of fiber for each tablespoon of hemp seeds you eat.
4. It’s Hypoallergenic: If you’re gluten, soy, nut or dairy sensitive, hemp makes for a good allergy-free alternative.
5. It’s Full of Fabulous Nutrients: Looking for more magnesium, manganese, zinc, calcium, iron and B vitamins? It’s time to sprinkle on that hemp.
Okay, so how do you eat it? I’m a fan of the Manitoba Harvest Brand of Hemp Hearts. I like to toast ’em up with a little cinnamon and add them to my oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, salads and favorite healthy baked goods.
Here’s a really simple hemp (come on now, only 4 ingredients) recipe!! I am all about these Cinnamon Oatmeal and Banana Hemp Cookies; I hope you will be too.
Alright, it’s time to Change Your Meals and Change Your Life. It’s Go Time!!!
References:
The cardiac and haemostatic effects of dietary hempseed. Rodriguez-Leyva D, Pierce GN. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Apr 21;7:32
Analytical characterization of Hempseed (seed of Cannabis sativa L.) oil from eight regions in China.Chen T, He J, Zhang J, Zhang H, Qian P, Hao J, Li L. J Diet Suppl. 2010 Jun;7(2):117-29.
The isolation and identification of two compounds with predominant radical scavenging activity in hempseed (seed of Cannabis sativa L.). Chen T, He J, Zhang J, Li X, Zhang H, Hao J, Li L. Food Chem. 2012 Sep 15;134(2):1030-7.
Cholesterol-induced stimulation of platelet aggregation is prevented by a hempseed-enriched Prociuk MA, Edel AL, Richard MN, Gavel NT, Ander BP, Dupasquier CM, Pierce GN. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2008 Apr;86(4):153-9.
