Health fanatics, diet gurus and die-hard body builders have already included hemp seeds in their diets. If you haven’t already, we’re here to let you know why and how you should use hemp seeds.
Of course you don’t need to be a fanatic or spend your days in the gym to take advantage of everything that hemp seeds have to offer. If you care about your health or maybe want to lose few pounds you may find that they are just the right addition to your diet. In addition to having a rich nutritional profile, they are easy to use and may have a positive impact on your body and mind.
Protein to help you lose weight and build muscles
The seeds are small but they contain a lot of protein relative to their size. And when you want to lose a few pounds, you want to make your meals count. So by adding some extra protein you may feel full longer, preventing you from grabbing that sugary snack after lunch.
If you’re also exercising, your body can use the extra protein in repairing and building muscle tissue. The protein in hemp seeds may not contain all amino acids, amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, but it does contain all essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are the ones your body cannot make.
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Omega 3 and 6 for your brain, heart and hormones
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are important for the structure and function of your body cells. For instance, omega 3 promotes good brain health and may even help prevent heart disease and many other diseases. Both omega 3 and 6 are also important for your hormone levels. Unfortunately, many people get too much omega 6 from unhealthy diets, and too little omega 3. The omega fatty acids in hemp seed seem to have the right ratio and this may help if you experience problems due to a hormonal imbalance.
Good for hair and skin
Hemp also contains several vitamins and minerals that are not only important for you body, but also for your hair and skin. It provides vitamin E, magnesium, zinc and many more. The omega fatty acids may even help with acne.
Nowadays you can find many body care products that have hemp oil as a key ingredient. A good quality hemp product can work wonders if you suffer from dry skin. Hemp in body care may also help balance out an oily skin and even minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
How do you eat hemp seeds?
The hulled seeds are easiest to use. You can basically mix them in any kind of meal you’re having. Mix them in your yogurt or oatmeal. Sprinkle them over your eggs or salad. Blend them into your smoothie. If you like baking, you can mix ground hemp seed in your sweet or even savory baking.
Whole hemp seeds are a bit difficult. They provide you with a lot fiber because of the shell, but they also provide quite a bit of crunch. And we can imagine you may not always want that.
A fun way to use the whole seeds is to turn them into a vegan milk. And it’s so simple. You combine 1 cup of seeds with 4 cups of water in a blender. Add anything for flavor you like. (We highly recommend adding a healthy sweetener to taste, and 1/4 cup of raw cocoa for a delicious home-made chocolate milk.) Then process for about a minute and repeat if necessary. You can strain the milk by using a cheesecloth if you want to get rid of the pulp. Make sure to store your milk in the fridge.
In short
Hemp seeds are exceptionally nutritious and adding them to your diet may bring you great benefits. Besides, they’re easy to add to your daily diet. But to see what they can really do for you; we can only advise you to try them yourself.