Hemp Foods

Hemp is a very popular food in the world market today. Hemp foods are foods that contain derivatives of the nuts and seeds of the hemp plant. Nuts of the hemp are hulled seeds. The oil of the hemp seeds is also a very important part of hemp foods. Seeds of the hemp plant are ground and made into a kind of flour, which is used in food in form of cakes. All these products are collectively known as hemp foods.

The Composition of Hemp Foods

Hemp foods are very rich in proteins. Hemp is a complete source of proteins, i.e. it contains all the proteins required by the human body. The protein content of hemp is about 33%, which is a very high content. Most people use hemp flour in making nutritional protein shakes and desserts like yogurts.

Hemp is an oilseed. It contains an oil content of 44%. The major oil in the hemp nut is linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid for the human body. It makes up for about 28% of the total composition of hemp nut. Apart from this, it has about 9% of linolenic acid and 6% of oleic acid. There three oils belong to the omega-6, omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acid families respectively. Hence, hemp foods contain all the three omega acids, which are essential fatty acids for the body. Hemp foods have about 5.8% of monounsaturated fats and 36.2% of polyunsaturated fats, which categorize them as very nutritious health foods. In addition, hemp foods contain 0% of cholesterol.

Hemp foods are also rich in vitamins. They contain vitamins A, C, D, E along with the vitamins of the B complex. Daily requirements of sodium, calcium and iron are met with single servings of hemp foods, and they also contain a good 6% of fiber content in them.

Health Benefits of Hemp Foods

Since hemp foods have all the nutrients in the right proportions as required by the human body, they are counted as complete health foods. Dieticians all over the world have carefully scrutinized the nutritional values of these foods and are now accordant with the fact that these foods are indeed required by the human body for its proper functioning.

The right blend of omega acids in the hemp foods keeps diseases like arthritis, diabetes, skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, neuropathic diseases and cardiovascular diseases away. They also reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and also some forms of cancers. Rheumatoid arthritis is improved by a regular intake of hemp foods, while in children, they can cause an all-round physical development. Some positive effects of hemp foods have also been observed in people with bipolar disorders.

Most diseases of the human system can be altered by taking a healthy ratio of the omega-6 and the omega-3 fatty acids. The optimal requirement for the human body is at least 4:1, i.e. for every four parts of omega-6 fatty acids, one part of omega-3 fatty acids is required. Hemp foods have an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 3:1, which is much better than the requirement of the human body. This is, in fact, the healthiest combination of essential fatty acids among all oilseeds, and that is the reason why they provide the best fortification for the human body against a host of diseases.

Methods of Consuming Hemp Foods

All hemp foods are better at cold and room temperatures, since at higher temperatures the polyunsaturated fatty acids undergo harmful conversions. This is also the reason why hemp oil is not good for frying, though it can be used for salad dressing. Most hemp foods are taken in toasted and baked forms, taking care that the temperature of baking does not exceed 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Today, hemp foods are available in different forms in the market, such as waffles, salad dressings, nutrition food bars, granola, breads and cheeses, chips and pasta, nut butters, desserts and even oils. Hemp flour is often mixed with other nutritional flours such as flax, soy and maca to enhance its nutritional properties. All these foods are becoming extremely popular on the store shelves as health and nutritional supplementary foods.

The hemp nut provides a crunchy taste and hence is a great addition to several dishes. Hemp foods are tasty and so they add to the palatability of the food. A major reason of the popularity of hemp foods today is due to their nutritional benefits as well as their delicious tastes.