Nutritional Goldmine

Hemp is a substance that is clouded with controversy, but hemp seeds provide a source of protein with all eleven essential amino acids, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and healthy fiber. Hemp is used to refer to the industrial (non-narcotic) strains of Cannabis. So even though the nutritional content is rare, by no means are any edibles in this blog "special."

Hemp seeds are very versatile and ground into a meal similar to flaxseeds and pressed into milk similar to almonds or rice. They are a great source of unsaturated fat, which is very heart healthy. The oil if found bottled (watch out for preservatives) can be great for pan frying, albeit very expensive. The oil is more often seen in skin care products.

Hemp protein powder is a great answer for those not able to tolerate whey. Soy protein is the only other option for protein powders, usually, and it is very hard for the body to digest. Hemp protein powder has good healthy fiber and is easier on the system, not to mention has more natural amino acids and omega fatty acids. The powder is usually green though, so even though it may taste like vanilla or chocolate, anything it goes into will likely become dark green. Add blueberries and blackberries to a smoothie and it should take on a more purple hue. This type of protein powder dissolves well into juices or even oatmeal, however. You can even go wild and add hemp protein powder to hemp milk and double up on the good nutrition. Gesundheit!