Of course, you have. For a gazillion reasons, Cannabis sativa – the ancient crop that produces hemp and marijuana – is impressive. Its uses are manifold, from clothing to fuel to building materials. But today we’re talking about its part in your diet. As a food, we can use hemp seed (which, just to be clear, has no intoxication effect) as an oil, a milk, a flour, a protein powder and, in its simplest form, the seed itself. Here’s the lowdown.
nutrition
Hemp an absolute powerhouse. There’s fibre, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, phytosterols, and nutrients including magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, tocopherols (vitamin E), and carotenoids. It also contains phytochemicals shown to be antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic. Because of its sterols and fibre, it’s protective to the cardiovascular system, lowering high blood pressure and improving cholesterol.
It also contains all nine essential amino acids, so is therefore a complete protein. And it’s the protein that’s the showstopper. In terms of sheer plant protein content, it is second only to soybeans. Its amino acid profile is actually comparable to egg white.
uses
Hemp is so versatile. As an oil it can be used in salad dressings; as a milk it’s great in smoothies and lattes; the flour and seeds are perfect in bars, muffins, pancakes, sprinkled on salads or muesli, or added to hummus. Aim for around 2 tbs of the seed or 2 tsps of the oil per day. We love Red Tractor Foods seeds, but there are a bunch on the market. The only caveat is that it doesn’t cope well with high heat and can quickly turn rancid – so keep it in the fridge and don’t cook at high temps.
