Hemp Seeds and Health

Alicia C
Waking Times 

Hemp seeds are a very healthy, nutritious and versatile food. They are rich in protein and contain beneficial fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. I like to sprinkle them over fruit and cereal, and they work well in yogurt and on salads, too. Hemp seeds are a great food for vegans because in addition to being eaten as whole seeds they can be ground to make hemp seed butter, blended with water to make hemp seed milk or pressed to make an oil, a protein powder and a flour.

Hemp seed butter and milk can be made at home or bought in a store. Hemp seed butter can replace peanut butter in sandwiches and on crackers. The milk comes in plain or flavored versions, just like dairy milk. Unlike dairy milk, though, hemp seed milk is a good source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp protein powder is sold in health food and specialty stores and can be added to foods and to drinks such as smoothies to increase their protein content. Hemp flour is also available and can provide a protein boost to baked goods. Hemp seed oil can be used in smoothies and in cold foods like salads.

Healthy Fatty Acids in Hemp Seeds

When referring to the diet the word “fat” conjures up a bad image in some people’s minds, but it’s actually an essential nutrient. It’s important that we choose healthy fat, however, and that we eat it in moderation. Hemp seeds are a great source of healthy fat.

A two tablespoon serving of hemp seeds contains about 9 grams of fat. This fat consists mainly of healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, with a small amount of monounsaturated (very healthy) and saturated (less healthy) fatty acids as well. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids (both polyunsaturated) are present in a little over a 3:1 ratio. Some nutritionists say that many of us are eating far too many omega-6 fatty acids in proportion to the omega-3 ones. Hemp seeds contain a good omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.

There are two essential fatty acids (EFAs) needed by humans. These are ones that scientists say we need but that we cannot make in our bodies. Linoleic acid, an omega-6 substance, is one EFA, and the other one is alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 substance. Both EFAs are present in hemp seeds. They are sometimes known as “parent” fatty acids, since the body can make other fatty acids from them.

Researchers are discovering that omega-3 fatty acids have many very important health benefits. They are necessary for proper brain function and also reduce inflammation, decrease the risk of heart disease and improve the blood triglyceride and cholesterol profile. These benefits have been discovered for the animal forms of omega-3 fatty acid – EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) – which are found in oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel and halibut. Plants contain a different omega-3 fatty acid – ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). Our bodies convert ALA into EPA and DHA, although in limited amounts.

Two Additional Fatty Acids in Hemp Oil

Hemp seed oil also contains small quantities of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA). Gamma-linolenic acid is an omega-6 substance made from linoleic acid and may be anti-inflammatory. Stearidonic acid is an omega-3 substance made from alpha-linolenic acid and increases the amount of eicosapentaenoic acid – one of the fish oil omega-3 fatty acids – in the body. Since GLA and SDA are both made in our bodies, people might wonder why their presence in hemp seeds is significant. The reason is that the reactions that make them are sometimes hindered by other substances in the body. It’s beneficial to eat preformed GLA and SDA instead of relying entirely on our body’s production of these chemicals.

The benefits of hemp seed oil can be obtained by eating hemp seeds or isolated hemp oil. Unrefined, cold pressed hemp oil is green in color due its chlorophyll content and has a pleasant, slightly nutty taste. It’s best not to heat the oil in order to prevent damage to its fatty acids, and it should also be refrigerated and stored in a dark bottle to prevent damage from heat, light or oxygen. Hemp oil is added to skin creams, and some people report that it’s a very effective moisturizer.

Other Nutrients in Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds are a good source of protein. The seeds that I buy contain about 7 grams of protein in two tablespoons of seeds. This protein is useful for everyone, but especially for vegans, who eat no food that comes from animals. Foods from animal sources – especially meats and fish – contain much higher protein levels then foods from plant sources. Protein has many vital functions in the body, including making up our muscles, fighting infections as antibodies, becoming blood-clotting proteins to prevent blood loss when we’re wounded, forming enzymes to control chemical reactions, becoming hormones such as insulin and transporting oxygen in the blood in the form of hemoglobin.

Hemp seeds contain a good quality protein which contains all the essential amino acids (ones that our bodies cannot make), although one of them – lysine – is present in a low quantity. A large amount of the hemp seed protein is in the form of edestin, a type of protein known as a globulin. Globulins also occur in our blood, but scientists haven’t yet discovered whether edestin has any special benefit for us, apart from being a protein.

Hemp seeds are an excellent source of manganese and magnesium and a good source of zinc, iron, thiamine, folate and vitamin B6. They also contain fiber. The seeds are low in sodium and salt, and like all plant foods they contain no cholesterol. Instead they contain phytosterols, which resemble cholesterol in structure and function. Some types of phytosterols have been found to lower the level of LDL cholesterol – the bad cholesterol – in the blood. Hemp seeds are a gluten-free food.

Hemp Seeds in the Diet

Hemp seeds are a great addition to the diet and offer a range of very useful health benefits. I make sure that I include them in my diet. The seeds and their products are relatively new foods in the marketplace, and sometimes wonderful claims are made for their nutritional benefits which haven’t yet been confirmed by scientists. Even without these extra benefits, though, hemp seeds and hemp seed products are very healthy foods!

About the Author

Alicia is a wonderful writer with a first class honors degree in biology. She lives in Canada where she teaches high school biology, chemistry, physics and science. Alicia has a great love of nature and animals. As well as a deep interest in health and nutrition. She enjoys reading, music, writing, photography and walking, as well as exploring spirituality. This article, and more like it can be found on AlciciaC’s Hub pages.

Hat tip to ChooseNatrally.com