Note: Guest post from Jessica K
What is hemp? What is the relationship between hemp and marijuana? Are they the same? Not quite. Hemp is a variety of the ‘Cannabis Sativa’ plant and althought it’s a distant relative of marijuana, it does not contain any significant amount of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) like Cannabis seeds do.
Although they belong to the same family of plants, hemp seeds are definitely not the same as the vast variety of marijuana seeds available, such as dutch seeds and feminized seeds, and differ a lot in both their cultivation and function.
It should come as no surprise then, that hemp seeds are good for your health and have a ton of medicinal powers. A quick source of energy, hemp seeds are useful not just for skin disorders but also prevent heart attacks, be used for weight loss, and provide your body with many of nutrients. And hey, vegetarians and vegans can rejoice, as hemp seeds are an excellent source of vegan protein.
The list doesn’t end here. Read ahead for some of our favourite facts and hemp seed benefits.
A RICH SOURCE OF FATTY ACIDS
Hemp seeds are the one of the best sources of vegan protein. Containing an average level of fat, hemp seeds are extremely rich in Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, they also contain gamma-linolenic acid and a high level of protein. As if this were not enough, they also contain vitamin E and minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and sulphur.
The best part? No cooking required. Often consumed raw, even the calories provided by the seeds come from high-quality proteins – and with a mild flavour, are actually quite easy to work into your diet. Moreover, hemp seed protein is the perfect plant-based protein with a whopping twenty amino acids. Out of those twenty, the human body is unable to produce nine and is solely dependent on food items for obtaining them – look no further.
PREVENTION OF HEART DISEASE AND SKIN DISORDERS
Not only high in nutritious value, hemp seeds have many medicinal benefits too. Containing high amounts of amino acids arginine, hemp seeds produce nitric oxide in the body which directly acts on the blood vessels. It helps your blood vessels dilate and relax, lowers blood pressure and can even prevent heart attacks. The level of C-reactive protein is also lowered by increased arginine intake. C-reactive protein is directly linked with heart disease.
On top of improving your cardiovascular health and adding years to your life, hemp seeds are found to be exceptionally good for individuals suffering from skin diseases such as eczema. Dry skin, itchiness, and other uncomfortable symptoms of eczema receive a huge relief from hemp seeds. This is thanks in part to hemp seeds’ anti-inflammatory properties.
HELP WITH WOMEN’S HEALTH AND PAIN MANAGEMENT
Hemp seeds are exceptionally helpful for curing women’s health ailments like PMS and menopause. PMS, caused by sensitivity to the hormone prolactin, can be minimized and aided by the GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) found in hemp seeds, which has a reducing effect on prolactin in particular. GLA is also found to be effective for an imbalance of hormones and other problems related to women’s problems later in life, namely menopause.
IMPROVED DIGESTION
Hemp seeds are a very good source of soluble and insoluble fibre. Fibre is an essential part of our diet and helps in proper digestion of all the foods we consume. Additionally, hemp seeds also hold the power to relieve you of constipation issues.
WEIGHT LOSS
Trying to shed some pounds? Look no further. Hemp is a natural appetite suppressant and has also been found to reduce sugar cravings to a large extent. And beyond that, they taste good! With a mild, nutty flavour, hemp seeds can be incorporated into a number of healthy recipes – sprinkle them over yogurt, toast them, add them to a salad or even your favourite cookie recipe!
Not interested in eating hemp seeds? Hemp oil will still pack the same benefits. Hemp oil or hemp seed oil is the raw oil derived from hemp seeds. With the ability to revitalize your skin, the oil is particularly known for its beauty benefits and the ability to maintain hormonal balance. It lowers the cholesterol level of your blood and brings sugar levels down, being extremely useful for diabetic patients. It’s also beneficial if you suffer from low immunity and fall sick with the slightest change in the environment.
Feature photo via With Food and Love
