19 Nov 2020 5 MIN READ
Hemp has thousands of uses, from CBD to concrete, and almost everything in between; hemp is undoubtedly one of the most useful natural resources available. While some estimate that there are over 20,000 uses for hemp, there are two uses in particular that stick out: CBD and food. By now, nearly everyone knows about CBD, but what about the nutritional benefits of using hemp hearts?
Hemp flower produces medicine, the stalks help make textiles, but most importantly, hemp seeds are a delicious super-food! Hemp Hearts are the hemp seed without the shell, these are sometimes referred to as hulled hemp seed or shelled hemp seed. It is much easier for your body to absorb all of the hemp seed’s essential nutrients without the shell. With a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and fiber, the health benefits of hemp hearts are undeniable.
Before we dive into all of the hemp hearts benefits, let’s quickly go over a few things you need to know about hemp hearts.
What are Hemp Hearts?
Hemp hearts are hemp seeds without their shell. While the seed’s shell provides a critical protective layer out in nature that allows the hemp plant to grow, the shell just gets in the way when it comes to consuming hemp seeds. Without the shell, the essential nutrients of hemp hearts are easier for your body to take in, allowing you to get more of the good stuff with every bite.
Eating hemp probably sounds weird, but hemp seeds are actually quite similar to flax seed, chia seed, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds. In fact, hemp hearts and quinoa are the only natural sources of complete protein available, and hemp is more nutritious than flax, chia, and pumpkin seeds. Hemp hearts are a superfood because they provide the building blocks for good nutrition and good health.
Unlike other hemp plant products, hemp seeds do not contain cannabinoids or terpenes. Hemp heart benefits are impressive in their own right, but if you’re looking for CBD you should consider the benefits of using a hemp tincture.
Another benefit of using hemp hearts is that they are not an allergen. Unlike peanuts and other nut-allergens, they are safe for everyone to consume.
What are the Health Benefits of Hemp Hearts?
The list of hemp heart benefits is impressive, and once you have a better understanding of hemp hearts nutrition facts, you’ll know what makes these tiny seeds the building blocks for good nutrition.
Hemp Hearts Nutrition Facts
Protein-Packed: Hemp hearts are one of the only natural sources of complete protein. That means that this plant based protein contains all nine essential amino acids.
Essential Omega Fatty Acids: One of the primary health benefits of hemp hearts is that they are made up of over 30% fat. However, hemp hearts don’t just contain any fat – they contain a high concentration of essential omega fatty acids. There is a healthy ratio of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6.
Fiber-Rich: Hemp Hearts are naturally rich in soluble fiber and insoluble fiber, making them great for your gut and colon. The dietary fiber from hemp hearts helps aid digestion too!
Key Vitamins + Minerals: One of the most overlooked hemp hearts nutrition facts is that they contain natural vitamins and minerals that play a critical role in our health. Hemp hearts are an excellent source of magnesium, which has a variety of benefits. We’ll touch on these in more detail below!
Health Benefits of Hemp Hearts
- Overall Nutrition
Hemp hearts are one of the most nutritious plant-based options available. With about a quarter of the calories coming from protein, hemp seeds compare more closely with beef than they do other plant-based options.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and since your body doesn’t produce them naturally, it is necessary that you get them through your diet. As it turns out, hemp hearts are one of the few sources of all the amino acids – making it that much more important for you to eat more hemp foods.
Hemp hearts also contain more than 30% healthy fat, which is mostly omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids. Omega essential fatty acids play a critical role in our immune health and brain function.
- Heart Health
Hemp hearts may help reduce the risk of heart-disease and other heart issues. Not only do hemp hearts help reduce blood pressure, but they also they contain essential amino acids such as arginine, which is critical for maintaining a healthy heart.
- Digestion
The fiber found in hemp hearts is excellent for digestion! Hemp hearts contain both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber, which both work to active aid digestion.
- Bone Health
Hemp hearts are an excellent natural source of magnesium, a mineral that plays a vital role in our bodies. One of the benefits of magnesium is increased bone density. Bone density becomes more critical as we grow older and helps us avoid fractures and other bone issues.
- Improved Cognitive Function
The anti-inflammatory benefits of essential omega fatty acids combined with magnesium’s anti-stress effects help improve cognitive functions. This is one of the most important health benefits of hemp hearts as it impacts your daily life.
Magnesium helps reduce anxiety and improve brain function through the regulation of neurotransmitters. What you eat affects how you feel, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of the most important hemp hearts benefits is that they make you feel better.
- Immune Boost
Omega essential fatty acids play a crucial role in maintaining immune health. These fatty acids actively work to reduce chronic inflammation, which runs down our immune system and makes us sick. Hemp hearts are over 30% healthy fat and are an ideal natural source for omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids.
- Inflammation Reduction
The same anti-inflammatory benefits that give your immune system a boost also help the rest of your body! Inflammation leads to a variety of ailments, including chronic pain, so it is critical to have inflammation-reducing foods as part of your diet. Hemp hearts provide these anti-inflammatory benefits while tasting tremendous and mixing easily with most recipes.
Ways to Use Hemp Hearts
In order to enjoy the benefits of hulled hemp seed, you’ll need to know how to use hemp hearts. Hemp hearts are easy to use and pair with more recipes than you might expect. From a quick topper for salads and smoothies to using hemp hearts to bread your chicken, there is an endless number of ways to get all of the health benefits of hemp hearts.
The Best Way to Enjoy the Health Benefits of Hemp Hearts – A Quick Recipe
Raspberry Pineapple CBD Smoothie
Blend the following ingredients together, garnish with hemp hearts and enjoy!
- Pineapple chunks (2 cups)
- Rasberries (1-2 cups)
- Banana (1)
- Vanilla Yogurt (1 cup)
- Coconut Milk (1-2 cups)
- Coconut Water (1/2 cups)
- Hemp Hearts (3 tablespoons)
- CBD (as desired)
Eat More Hemp Today
Now that you understand the health benefits of hemp hearts, what hemp hearts are, and how to use this delicious hemp food, the only question is simple: why aren’t you eating more hemp?
Hemp is good for you, and the hemp heart benefits are undeniable, so naturally, including them into your diet is the only thing to do. Our mission at Bloom is to provide you with the best of all things hemp. That means we’re going beyond CBD and providing you with everything from other cannabinoids to hemp foods, including hemp hearts.
