HEMP HEARTS ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE SUPERFOODS. AND SO EASY TO ADD TO YOUR DIET!

Hemp seeds (or hemp hearts), are the seeds of the hemp plant, or Cannabis Sativa. Marijuana also comes from the same plant, but hemp seeds do not contain THC (the active ingredient in cannabis that will make you high). They are actually a tasty, versatile superfood you probably should start adding to your daily diet today.

Adding just 1-3 tablespoons of this powerhouse to your daily meals is easy and will provide you with numerous benefits.

Complete protein

Hemp seeds are a plant-based complete protein, meaning they contain all 20 amino acids, but also each of the 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce. It is a big deal, as there are only a handful of plant-based foods that provide the bundle of 9 essential amino acids. It makes the hemp seeds an excellent protein food for vegetarians and vegans.

Amino acids are the building elements for all proteins. The body cannot produce 9 of these acids, which means we need to get them through food. 30g of shelled hemp seeds (approx. 3 tbsp) contains around 11g of protein. It makes it super easy to have extra protein added to your diet, by sprinkling the seeds on a nut butter toast, salad, add to a smoothie, dressing…Possibilities are endless (see below for more ideas).

Essential Fatty Acids

Hemp seeds are a great source of essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3 and Omega 6. Our bodies cannot produce essential fatty acids, and we must absorb them from the diet (this is why they’re called essential). 1 tablespoon of shelled hemp seeds provides approx. 1,000mg of Omega 3, which is incredible.

The ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s is also important – today, we often tend to eat too many omega-6s (think: vegetable oils) and too few omega-3s (think: fish, flaxseed). Hemp seeds provide a healthy 3:1 balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which is excellent. Introducing hemp seeds to your diet may help to promote the healthier balance of the fatty acids, which may lead to better cardiovascular health and healthy weight management*.

Fiber, Vitamins, and Minerals

Hemp seeds are especially high in magnesium, vitamin E and B1, zinc, and iron. A single serving of 30g will provide you with a high amount of these important minerals and vitamins. Also, there’s a noticeable amount of dietary fiber. All of those are especially important during pregnancy, so hemp seeds could be an easy, natural way of getting those nutrients in.

What not to like?

HOW TO EAT HEMP SEEDS?

Best to eat are shelled hemp seeds. Those are the so-called ‘hearts’ and the ‘juicy’ part of the hemp seed you want.

There are a number of ways you can add them to your meals today; here are a few ideas:

• in smoothies – my hack is to add it to smoothies for more protein and healthy fats. Try this: you can easily add hemp seeds to any smoothie, without changing its taste hugely. It’s a great replacement for any protein powders!
• in salad dressings
• tossed on to salad, porridge, smoothie bowl
• add to curry, soup or a stew
• sprinkled on toast with peanut butter
• add to avocado dip/guacamole or hummus
• add to quinoa, rice or other boiled/ prepared wholegrain
• eaten with yoghurt or fruit salad
• in energy balls or granola bars
• add to avocado-chocolate dessert
• add to your favorite homemade granola recipe

I usually add 1-2 spoons to my breakfast, whether it is a smoothie bowl or porridge. If I am having an egg and toast type of breakfast, I’d have hemp seeds sprinkled on my marmite toast or added to my mashed avocado. Also, they are always a powerful ingredient in many of my homemade quick salad dressings.

What I also love about hemp seeds is that they’re a superfood that can be given to babies and kids. They are nutrition dense food, which means a little goes a long way and you can easily sneak them into their morning oats, homemade pancakes or veggie puree, smoothies…

Hemp seeds during pregnancy

Absolutely safe and recommended to eat during pregnancy. Your body and your growing baby will be grateful for all the hemp seeds goodness, Omega 3s, and vitamins 💚