When people hear the word “hemp,” they automatically think about marijuana. That’s because the plants are from the same family. However, they are grown to be completely different from one another. Marijuana contains high amount of THC, while hemp is full of nutritional elements that makes it a great food supplement to add to your diet.
Hemp: A Food Supplement and other Products
Hemp is used to produce a large variety of food products. It includes hemp milk, hemp oil, hemp cheese substitutes and hemp-based protein powder, to name a few. Vegetable milks have grown to be very popular, including products made with soya and wheat. Hemp milk has a nutty flavour. It is created by mixing water and sweetener to hulled hemp seeds.
Hemp oil has a strong grassy flavour. It can be used as a food supplement for various purposes. The active ingredient it contains has become one of the favourite elements of many pharmaceutical companies. In regards to nutraceuticals, hemp oil is considered as one of the best to add to a diet. Especially since it is a great source of protein, as it contains all nine essential amino acids inside it.
Nutritional Characteristics of Hemp
The nutritional content of hemp has proven to be a healthy addition to any diet. Here are some of its most important values.
Full of Healthy fats
Everyone knows that fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. But if you don’t like to eat fish, you may be lacking in DHA or EPA. That can be corrected by adding hemp to your diet. It possesses a large concentration of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, in the form of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA). It is a great source of healthy fat that can compensate for people that don’t consume eggs and fish.
Hemp is also a source for omega-6 fatty acids. The percentage of GLA contained inside it is even higher than ALA. Thanks to its phytosterols, it also helps to reduce cholesterol in the body by removing the fat that settles in arteries, thus preventing potential cardio-vascular problems as well.
A Great Protein source
People often believe that to get proteins you need to eat meat. But in truth, some plants also contain proteins, which is the case with hemp. Because it has all ten essential amino acids inside, it is a complete protein source. And since phytates are not found in hemp (they can stop the body from taking in proteins), proteins are 100% absorbed.
Others
Finally, hemp seeds contain vitamins A, B, C and E. It is also a great source of minerals including iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.
