Facts about Hemp Seeds Nutrition – Ways to Add Hemp to Your Diet

A powerhouse of wholesome nutrition, hemp seeds, and their derivative products are nourishing supplements that are incredibly easy to add to your diet. Hemp seeds nutrition provides all of the essential amino acids you need along with an ideal ratio of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. On top of this, hemp seeds’ calories are low and each seed comes packed with protein.

Anyone wondering how to eat hemp seeds has tons of options at their disposal. They can purchase prepared products such as hemp seed oil salad dressings. Or, they can prepare their own healthful foods at home using organic hulled hemp seeds. The seeds can be ground up, blended into a milky drink, baked, or even eaten raw.

Prepared products worth sampling include hemp flour and hemp seed protein powder. What is hemp seed protein powder or oil? Learn more about them below, along with some other culinary options, as well as the most interesting hemp seeds nutrition properties.

Some Incredible Hemp Seeds Nutrition Facts

Hemp seeds (sometimes written as hempseeds) have been used for thousands of years as a health remedy and nutritional supplement. Ancient Chinese medicine texts talk extensively about hemp as a critical component of many treatments and therapies.¹

Ancient cultures were certainly on to something since hemp seeds’ nutrition is truly remarkable. The seed itself is composed of about 30% oil and 25% protein. Edestin and albumin are the two main proteins.  Together, they provide nutritionally significant amounts of all essential amino acids. Hemp seed protein also provides an exceptionally high amount of the amino acid arginine which can sometimes be difficult for the human body to create itself.

The star of hemp seeds, though, is their oil. What is hemp seed oil made of? It’s 80% polyunsaturated fatty acids which provide healthy benefits to skin and hair, as well as your inflammation and immune systems. Some scientists feel that omega 3 fatty acids can even benefit your mental health by providing essential building blocks of cell membranes.

Hemp seeds’ calories are also incredibly low, with just 57 calories from an entire tablespoon of raw, shelled seeds.

Note that hemp seed oil is different than CBD oil and other cannabis-based extracts. Hemp products contain no psychoactive THC. And because hemp seed oil is created from the seeds of the plant, there are minimal amounts of other cannabinoids.

Thanks to their nutritious oil, hemp seeds can offer benefits to your skin when applied directly or when eaten as part of your diet.

How to Eat Hemp Seeds in Several Delicious Ways

You can add hemp seeds nutrition to any meal by sprinkling a tablespoon or so of raw or crushed seeds on top. The seeds add a nutty flavor to dishes, similar to sunflower seeds or a pine nut.

Hemp seeds can also be made into a high-protein powder similar to flour. This flour can combine with other components to make breads or a batter for coating your favorite foods, offering a healthy gluten-free alternative.

You can create hemp seed milk by blending raw hemp seeds and water.

As for the hemp seed oil itself, you can cook just about anything in it or use it as a component of recipes for things like baked goods. Since it has a great omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of between 2:1 and 3:1, using it as a culinary oil or health supplement can provide several key health benefits for your heart, skin, and mind. Hemp seed oil can even help you lose weight!

These diverse culinary applications add limitless possibilities for adding hemp seeds’ nutrition to your diet. Purchase hemp seed oil or some raw seeds for yourself to begin making delicious, nutritious experiments in your own kitchen!

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References

1. Brand EJ, Zhao Z. Cannabis in Chinese Medicine: Are Some Traditional Indications Referenced in Ancient Literature Related to Cannabinoids? Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2017Oct;8.