Hemp is Nutritious, Can be Used in Many Ways
With Many Benefits Hemp can Replace Many Nuts Grains and Powders
Feb 10, 2009
When people think of “hemp” many think of marijuana, but the two plants are definitely different. Think of them as distant cousins; while one can be consumed during any meal of the day legally – the other cannot.
Companies such as Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods and Oils provide a nutritious alternative to everyday food. It’s both healthy and legal – without any of the side effects one might get from spending an evening listening to music at a 70s reunion tour.
Why Choose Hemp?
Hemp can be made into many products from milk to powder, flour and butter. According to Manitoba Harvest, their products can be used alone or mixed into recipes replacing other grains, seeds, nuts and oils.
Shelled hemp seeds, for instance, are a good topper for salads and yogurt. Best of all, the seeds contain a low amount of cholesterol and the fat content is relatively low. Hemp seeds are also believed to benefit the heart and skin, reduce inflammation and aging, and help to lessen the effects of PMS – all because of the specific acids contained in the seed.
Along with being nutritious, hemp is also said to help with disease prevention. According to Manitoba Harvest, a balanced diet including the nutrients received from hemp is believed to reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases as well.
Besides being nutritious and delicious, hemp is also used in soaps, shampoos and other cosmetics. Its stalk can be pressed to make paper and other fibered products, and hemp leaves can be brewed to make tea and can even be used in beer – among other things.
A word of caution though, hemp seed powder, oil and other products tend to have a rather sickening green tint to them. This, however, is simply because the plant's chlorophyll is not destroyed during its low temperature processing.
How Can Hemp be Used?
Hemp products can be used in just about any way or in any recipe that “regular” nuts, grains and powders can be used. Use it in place of other products, or mix it in along with them.
Hemp oils and powders can be used in fresh juices, protein shakes, smoothies, soups, sauces, dressings and more, while hemp seeds can be use to top salads and yogurts, or in breads, muffins, cookies and pastas. It’s all up to the cook.
Be innovative and try something new – it’s time to set aside the nuts, grains and powders that are typically used in cooking and replace them with hemp.
