Hemp Seeds And The Nutritional Benefits – Crash Course

Hemp seeds have started to get more and more popular lately, so let’s have a look at what they can bring to the table.

Where To Buy?

They can be bought from natural foods stores, and they can even be bought in bulk. They are usually sold unshelled (so you can eat them straight out of the bag if you’re the kind of person who has yogurt and a tablespoon ready at any time), and of course if you live in a smaller town or if your natural foods store is not well stocked you can always order it online. Hemp is not grown in the US, but don’t worry, as imports from countries like Canada are very common.

Nutritional Benefits

From the point of view of nutrition, hemp seeds are a great protein source. The protein that is found in hemp seeds is very easy to digest, and they are actually used as a substitute for whey protein by those who have trouble digesting whey (which is known to cause bloating). Besides, they can also be used as a healthy protein source for vegans especially useful for those allergic to soy, and 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds contain an amazing 11 grams of protein.

Just like flax, hemp seeds contain all nine essential amino acids, and they have a lot of fiber and fatty acids, and vitamin E plus some trace minerals.They also contain an anti-inflammatory 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid. This in itself is useful more when you want to start being a bit more “omega balanced”, rather than use is a treatment when your omega balance is off.

Hemp seeds have amazing health benefits, as they are known for the fact that they boost immunity and they help with the absorption of minerals.

How To Eat Hemp Seeds

First of all, let’s talk about flavor. Hemp seeds are very small and easy to chew, and they have an almostsweet taste that is similar to pine nuts.

You could use it in similar ways to how you would use flax seeds. You can sprinkle this in your morning yogurt or as a topping for your granola, and they can also be used in a salad, or even in a dressing. They can be used in baking and cooking too of course, but as most vegan foods they are best consumed raw, as they have a greater nutritional value with no cooking.

Hemp seeds add a creamy richness to a lot of vegan recipes, so they can also be added to smoothies- not only will this bring a nutritional boost, but it will also be an important source of protein. You can even make protein bars with hemp seeds, or you can use them to make your own hemp milk.

Breakfast Oatmeal Hemp Seeds Smoothie

If you want to kick start your day, add hemp seeds to your breakfast. You can make a delicious smoothie by blending the ingredients below:

• 2 cups milk (almond milk works well too);
• 1 cup fresh coconut water;
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds;
• 2 bananas;
• Ice (optional).

This recipe might be more than your need for one meal, especially if you want to have something to chew on for breakfast too, like granola or a protein bar, so just use half the ingredientsif you want a smaller portion.

Have you tried hemp seeds? Let us know how you add them to your diet in the comments section below.