Hemp Hearts, With Amazing Health Benefits Are Good for You and Tasty

Hemp hearts are definitely a superfood filled with health benefits! The hemp heart is hulled from the hemp seed. They do come from the same plant as marijuana but they will not get you high. Hemp hearts will get you high on nutrients and health benefits. I enjoy adding them to my meals daily.

So how come they won’t get us high if they come from the marijuana plant?

It is because the plants are cultivated differently for each type. The marijuana plant crop is grown for its THC content; the hemp seed agricultural crop is grown for seed and fiber.

“While it may look like marijuana, the hemp plant is actually a different species of cannabis and contains very little of the active ingredient, THC. This inaccurate association has prevented many Americans from fully experimenting with the superfood” says registered dietitian Rene Ficek, the lead nutrition expert at Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating in Illinois.

What is the difference between hemp seeds and hemp hearts? The whole seeds from a hemp plant have a crunchy outer shell that is hulled to create hemp hearts. It can be called hemp hearts or shelled hemp seeds.

It has only been the last few years that I added hemp hearts to my diet; I have to say I love them. They taste good and knowing how nutritious they are, makes them a great addition to my meals. Also, writing this article, I learned about all the wonderful health benefits.

Hemp Hearts Health Benefits

Hemp has been around in people’s diets for hundreds of years and there is very little published research on its physiological effects. There has been confusion about it and legal issues which have stopped the progress of research. That said there is enough research existing to argue for the continued investigation into the therapeutic use of dietary hempseed.

Improves Heart Health

The main ingredients to help build a healthy heart are fiber, healthy fats, plant-based protein, and eating less sugar. Hemp is helpful with all of those. Research recommends that hemp seeds can improve heart health and high blood pressure.

Helpful to Inhibit Cancer Growth

It was found that cannabinoids from hemp seeds prevent cancer growth, mainly in lung cancer. Research at the University of Rostock, Germany. What this shows is that hemp has a cancer-fighting ability. More research is needed.

The CBD in hemp seeds inhibits the spread of human breast cancer cell invasion according to Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Cut Breast Cancer Risk With These Everyday Habits

Helps Relieve Constipation

Hemp is high in soluble and insoluble fiber which gives sufficient bulk to relieve constipation. Also, this healthy mixture of roughage nourishes the probiotics in the gut. In a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, people who had extreme constipation were given hemp seed pills. The research found that a 7.5-gram pill was more effective than a 2.5 or 5-gram pill and that the hemp seed pill treatment was effective for relieving functional constipation.

Good Source of Omega 3 and 6

They are very rich in alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and linoleic acid (omega-6).

Beneficial for Skin

The hemp seed oil has been found to improve skin health by eliminating flaky, dry, red, skin. The hemp oil penetrates the skin’s inner layers, helping healthy cell growth. Researchers studied the effect of hemp oil on patients with dermatitis or eczema and found their symptoms improved. – Published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment.

In one study of 20 weeks, they found that dietary hempseed oil reduced the symptoms and appearance of clinical atopic dermatitis.

Note: The oil does contain some CBD and that won’t work well for some of us. Apparently, if you put it only on your skin you won’t have any experiences. I have to try this and let you know.

Reduces Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

It was found that hemp seed oil can be helpful for the relief of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.

Helpful for Weight Loss

Hemp Hearts — Hemp sprinkled on coconut yogurt and fruit

It naturally suppresses appetite by helping one feel full longer according to research. Also, it reduces sugar cravings. It has been recommended to add four tablespoons of hemp hearts to breakfast to control excessive hunger the whole day. The fiber in hemp seeds is the main reason for the help in weight loss.

Please Note: Side effects are not big with hemp seeds and not known to cause any effects with common medications. The only place to be cautious with the seeds is if you take anticoagulants because they inhibit blood platelets and may cause a bleeding risk. If you have concerns with any medications, check with your healthcare provider.

Hemp Heart Nutrition

This superfood has a 3:1 balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are good for heart health. They are an excellent protein containing all 20 amino acids and all of the nine essential amino acids necessary. Also, they have a good quantity of minerals such as manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Learn more about hemp seed nutrition.

So there you go lots of good reasons to eat this Superfood.

“Did you know that the Queen of England apparently beds her horses on hemp hurd? Hemp animal bedding is known for being extremely absorbent and helps cut down odours. Plus it’s not as dusty as other materials often used so respiratory health is improved, which is particularly important for thoroughbred horses.” ~Manitoba Harvest (Hemp hurds are the woody inner parts of the hemp stalk.)

Trivia

Two presidents, Washington, and Jefferson both grew hemp.
The people in America were legally bound to grow hemp in the Early Republic.
During the Second World War, the federal government subsidized hemp growing; farmers grew almost a million acres of hemp.
It is much more nutritious than soybeans.
It doesn’t need herbicides or pesticides to grow.
It produces more pulp per acre than trees and makes a good quality paper.
The fiber paper made with hemp does not decompose and doesn’t yellow with age when made correctly.
There is a hemp paper found that is more than 1,500 years old.
Hemp seed oil is made by pressing hemp seeds.
Some of the products made with hemp and hemp oil include: body care products, building materials, cleaning products, health foods, plastics, textiles
Up until the 1880s, all schoolbooks were made from flax or hemp.

The average hemp field in Canada is about 160 acres, which is about 175 NFL football fields (not including the end zones). ~Manitoba Harvest

History (Hemp has a long history)

This is one of the first plants to be cultivated.
There is an archeological site near Japan on the Oki Islands where cannabis was found from around 8000 BC, showing that there was the use of the plant.
In China, 5th millennium BC there are hemp fiber imprints found on pottery. In 2800 BC, the cultivation of hemp for fiber is recorded. They used the hemp to make ropes, shoes, clothes, shoes, and a form of paper.
From 2700 BC through to Roman times, the seeds and flower tops were used medically for a variety of ailments.
In Japan, there is archaeological evidence from 10,000 to 300 BC that cannabis was used for clothing and the seeds were eaten in Japan. There are Kimono designs with hemp.
Herodotus, a Greek historian in 480 BC stated that people in Scythia would inhale the hemp-seed smoke as ritual and for pleasure.
In the 2nd century, Jews living in Palestine cultivated hemp.
In medieval times in Italy and Germany, hemp was added to fillings in pies or added to a soup.
Later it was grown for its fibers creating ropes for sailors on ships, including the ships of Christopher Columbus.
In the fourteenth century, Portugal began growing it for the use of making rope and plugs for ships.
The Spaniards in the 1500s brought it to Chile where it was cultivated.
In the sixteenth century, hemp was grown in eastern England.
May 1765 George Washington noted in his diary about planting the seeds each day until mid-April. He reported that in the October harvest there were 27 bushels. He pushed for the growing of hemp as a cash crop to make fabric and rope.
In the early 1600s in America, early settlers grew hemp for its oil, clothing, rope, and sailcloth. They also built presses for crushing the seeds of hemp and flax.
Henry Ford in 1930 produced an example of the automobile manufactured and fueled by hemp.
The Marijuana Tax Act was passed in 1937 so it became illegal to plant any plant in the cannabis family.
Russia in the early 1940s was the biggest producer of hemp fiber.
Then in 1942, the prohibition was lifted to grow hemp to use hemp to make rope and canvas. As soon as the war ended, growing industrial hemp was once again illegal.
The Canadian government in 1998 legislated the allowing of processing industrial hemp.
In 2013 U.S. retail sales of hemp products exceeds $581 million. Canada celebrates 15 years of Industrial hemp legalization in Canada.

How to Select and Store

It is best to get organic hemp hearts. They are sensitive to light and heat, so it’s best to store them in a cool, dry place or in the fridge.

Here are the organic hemp hearts I get from Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts, you can get them from Amazon with that link.

“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

This is Their Description of Hemp Hearts:

10g Plant Protein per serving
• 12g Omegas 3 & 6 per serving
• Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Kosher, Paleo, and Keto
• Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts are versatile super seeds that add plant protein and healthy fats to any snack or meal–sprinkle on salad, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, blend in smoothies or incorporate into any of your favorite recipes
• More protein and omegas with fewer carbs than Chia or Flax seeds per serving
• At Manitoba Harvest, we believe in cultivating the world in which we want to live. As a Certified B-Corp with a net-zero carbon footprint, sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do

Tips for Eating Hemp Hearts

Add them to smoothies or grind them up and sprinkle them on your yogurt, a salad, cereal, pasta, or steamed vegetables. How to use them is endless. It is good to make a hemp heart meal by grinding them to get all the nutrition from them. Because they are a seed, they can easily not get chewed up fully and just end up in your stools.

Hemp seed oil as finishing oil can be drizzled onto salads and pasta or other dishes.

Now here are some recipes to help you start getting Hemp Hearts into your diet:

Wild Blueberry Grain-Free Crumble is Tasty and Good for You – This is a delicious wild blueberry grain-free crumble meaning it is gluten-free too. It is a very healthy recipe and is also refined sugar-free. What inspired this recipe was that my sister was coming for her birthday dinner and I wanted to have a very healthy dessert to serve.

Creamy Hemp Heart Milk Is Delicious and Nutritious – This hemp heart milk is made with hemp hearts which are the hemp seeds hulled. When I made this, I was very surprised at how quickly it was made and how creamy it was!

Sweet Wild Blueberry Keto Smoothie is Easy to Make – I love this wild blueberry keto smoothie. It is perfect for a quick breakfast or makes a tasty afternoon snack. What makes it keto is that there are only a small amount of blueberries in it and all of the other ingredients are keto-friendly. I make it a little sweeter by adding a few drops of stevia to mine.

Vegan Hemp Heart Pesto is Nut Free and Delicious– This hemp heart pesto is vegan, nut-free and raw. It makes lunch or dinner extra delicious. Most pestos have cheese in them which doesn’t work for those of us who eat dairy-free. I always make my pestos without the cheese. For some, it is best not to eat lots of nuts and this hemp heart pesto is perfect as the hemp hearts add the flavour and texture without the nuts.