Hemp seed is the number one overall seed and food for the three essential fats and all necessary protein—it's no wonder it's been called a super food.
From the 'achene' family of one seed indehiscent fruits that is small and dry and usually contains an oily germ, (sunflower seed family), hemp's Latin name, Cannabis sativa, means "useful hemp." The name fits given its many uses and variety of forms—seeds, oils, protein powders, and even fiber for clothing, rope, paper, and more. Native to central Asia, it has been grown in China for many centuries, and was also grown by the ancient Greeks and is still grown in central Europe. Hemp has also been grown in the United States since early Colonial days. To put its uses in perspective, the average sailing ship had 60 tons of hemp rope, canvas and seed for ballast.
Hemp should not be confused with its cousin, cannabis, which is a narcotic—but there's a reason that the confusion exists and persists. In the early 1900s, industrial hemp was fast developing and threatened powerful business interests in the oil and wood industries. Chemical producer Dupont and newspaper magnet Randolf Hearst joined forces in a hysterical fear campaign called Reefer Madness, which propagated misinformation that linked industrial hemp with its cannabis cousin, leading to the 1937 U.S. Marijuana Tax Act.
In fact, industrial hemp seeds usually contain 0.5 to 1 percent of THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Marijuana contains 3 to 20 percent and must be heat activated above 170F. It is possible to test positive for THC in a urine test if you consume a mega dose of hemp seed oil (100 ml or more per day for many weeks) because the oil is the most concentrated source of THC after expeller pressing whole seeds.
Not only is hemp useful and nutritious, it's also a very sustainable plant. It grows six to 16 feet tall in 90 to 110 days, and one acre of hemp is equivalent to four acres of pulp wood trees. It grows deep roots and can be grown on the same land year after year, plus it does not require, fungicides, herbicides or pesticides. By comparison, the cotton industry is a huge consumer of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides—all unnecessary since hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent, and more mildew-resistant than cotton.
Benefits of Consuming Hemp
Hemp is well balanced and so highly concentrated in all the essentials fats that just two tablespoons gives a woman nearly half her daily EFA needs and a third of her daily protein needs.
Hemp seeds are about 25 percent protein, 35 percent fats, and 35 percent insoluble fiber. Not surprisingly, hemp seed oil is proportionally higher in fat (45 percent) as well as protein (30 percent), and it makes a delicious condiment on foods. Hemp contains no enzyme inhibitors, so no soaking or sprouting is needed for maximum nutritional benefits with minimal digestion.
Is used to treat constipation, nervous diseases, and is shown to be effective at lowering the risk of heart attack, heart disease, and cholesterol, and it also has anti-inflammatory effects, making it beneficial for arthritis and autoimmune disorders.
Benefits of Hemp:
- Gluten-free
- GMO-free
- High in EFAs, the raw materials used to build the brain, eyes, testes, ovaries, adrenals, and a component in the membrane of every cell in body and the sheath on the nerves. Omega 3 turns on genes responsible for burning fat.
- Lowers LDL cholesterol and cravings for sugar, and is heart healthy.
- Increases energy, endurance, metabolic rate, and recovery of muscles after exercise.
- It's great for dry skin and hair.
- Improves organ functions, immunity, and hormone balance.
- Helps reduce PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps.
- Reduces risk of degenerative disease.
- Perfect foundation foods for any health program and higher quality of life.
Keep in mind that, like many plants, hemp can be an allergen for some people.
Hemp Oil
Hemp oil's ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids is about 4:1, which mirrors the primitive diet the human race evolved from for 2.5 million years. It is also a great source of Gamma Linelenic Acid (GLA), vitamin E, Oleic acid, and Omega 9, plus it has the lowest saturated fats of any common plant oil.
This oil has a delicious sunflower, walnut taste that complements many foods. It also an effective moisturizer as it can penetrate all layers of the skin, plus it has natural SPF properties that protect your skin from sun damage.
Udo Erasmus, author of "Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill," mentions in his book that hemp oil has an unusually well-balanced profile and can be used long term, whereas flax oil is too rich in Omega 3 to be used exclusively in the long term and could lead to Omega 6 deficiency.
Consume 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight each day, and extra during periods of stress.
Hemp Protein Powder
Unlike grains, nuts, and legumes, hemp protein powders have no enzyme inhibitors, so they are very easy to digest. They have a nutty taste and can be mixed with any foods, especially in blender drinks. Just 25 grams is an excellent foundation.
Hemp protein powders contain 46 percent protein—twice the protein of meat!—and are a complete protein source. Hemp protein is the highest plant source of edestin globulin protein (66 percent), which is known as the perfect protein for humans because it is required in large amounts to produce antibodies, build immune support, and aid digestion (it's also a foundation of DNA). The rest is albumin protein, the closest resemblance to human blood plasma. As Udo Erasmus put it, "you could live on hemp protein alone."
In addition to protein, the powders contain Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids, fiber, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, D, and E, Sodium, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, and Niacin.
Be sure to store hemp protein powders in a cool, dry space.
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