Discover the health benefits of hemp seeds and learn how to add these tasty little seeds to your favorite meals in your own kitchen at home!
Table of Contents
Features
- An explanation of what hemp seeds are
- The nutrition and health benefits
- Delicious hemp seed recipes to try
Why You Will Love This Guide
Hemp is a crop used for many different purposes including the production of food and the creation of the ever-popular CBD oil.
Hemp seeds contain little to no cannabinoids and therefore do not contain CBD or the intoxicating cannabinoid THC.
However, they do contain rich nutrient benefits like other edible seeds including chia seeds, sunflower seeds, or flax seeds.
In this guide, I will explore the health benefits of hemp seeds, share my favorite hemp seed recipes, and answer your most frequently asked questions.
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The Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are a healthy addition to almost any diet.
They are a great source of protein, vitamins, and minerals needed to support a healthy lifestyle.
According to the USDA, a serving of hemp seeds is considered to be 3-tablespoons, approximately 1 ounce, or 30 grams.
This serving size nutritional breakdown is:
- Calories: 170
- Total Fat: 13 grams
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 10 grams (this includes 8 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids and 2.5 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids).
- Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 3 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 3 grams
- Sugars: 1 gram
- Protein: 10 grams
A Good Source of Protein
Hemp seeds are what I consider to be a good source of plant-based protein for those who are adopting a more plant-based diet with 10 grams per ounce.
Unfortunately, protein has no percent daily value, so it is important to use the amount of protein in grams on the nutrition facts label as a guide.
Nutrient Dense
Nutrient-dense foods and beverages contain vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other beneficial substances that may have positive health effects.
They are also naturally lean or low in saturated fat and have little or no added saturated fat, sugars, refined starches, and sodium.
This definition places hemp seeds in the nutrient-dense category because they have positive health effects due to their nutrient composition.
Vitamin & Mineral Content
Aside from the obvious beneficial macronutrient breakdown of hemp seeds, they also contain many important nutrients that benefit health.
Aside from offering many important nutrients, studies have shown that hemp seeds may help to protect the brain, boost heart health, reduce inflammation and improve skin conditions.
One serving, or three tablespoons, of hemp seeds, contains:
- 100% daily value of Manganese
- 70% daily value of Magnesium
- 40% daily value of Phosphorus
- 30% daily value of Iron
- 30% daily value of Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
- 30% daily value of Zinc
- 15% daily value of Folate
- 10% daily value of Vitamin B6
- 6% daily value of Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- 2% daily value of Calcium
Cannabinoid Content
Hemp seeds and hemp seed oil, not to be confused with CBD oil, contain only trace amounts of any cannabinoids.
There is no quantitative amount of THC or CBD present in hemp seeds, hemp seed oil, or hemp seed milk.
Remember, in order to be classified as hemp, a hemp plant must contain 0.3% or less THC content.
These trace amounts are negligible and would not produce any noticeable effects that can be typically associated with the use of cannabis.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no difference between hemp hearts vs hemp seeds. The terms hulled hemp hearts and hemp seeds are used interchangeably, and both represent the same hemp food product pictured below.
Yes, hemp seeds are legal to consume in the United States. Industrial hemp has been recently legalized by the Federal Government with the passage of the Farm Bill in December of 2018 after a nearly 100-year prohibition.
Hemp is a cannabis plant that contains less than 0.3% THC by dry weight volume. Essentially all cannabis seeds are ‘hemp’ seeds because they do not naturally contain high amounts of THC.
No, hemp seeds can not get you high. The likelihood that someone would be able to consume enough hemp sees to do so is extremely unlikely.
The Taste of Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are tiny with a soft texture compared to other seeds.
They have an almost buttery consistency, making them enjoyable in a variety of different applications.
Hemp seeds have a very mild flavor and may offer some of the characteristic ‘hemp taste’ due to their low terpene content.
This flavor is mild in comparison to the higher terpene content of the cannabis plant, which gives the plant the classic, strong, and pungent odor typically associated with cannabis.
Hemp Seed Oil
The hemp seeds mentioned here are used to make a nutritious hemp seed oil, a popular option used in modern-day cooking.
Hemp seed oil is a nutty-tasting, nutrient-rich oil extracted from the hemp seed used as an alternative to olive oil or coconut oil.
It is important not to confuse hemp seed oil with CBD oil in the market today.
You can learn more about the difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil here.
How To Eat Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are delicious straight out of the bag, but many popular uses include hemp seeds served on top of salads, popcorn, yogurt, eggs, vegetables and more.
The naturally mild, but nutty taste
You can also use hemp seeds to make a creamy and delicious homemade hemp seed milk as featured below.
Tasty Hemp Seed Recipes
Are you ready to experiment with hemp seeds in your kitchen? Try these delicious recipes to get started!
Learn everything you need to know about how to make your own naturally vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and Paleo Homemade Hemp Seed Milk with pantry staples easily at home in under 30-minutes.
Hemp seed butter is an easy-to-make homemade seed butter that requires no soaking, special equipment, or long processes. Once it's made, you can easily customize butter to your flavor preferences and infuse it with cannabis, if desired!
A unique twist on the classic party favorite, these cannabis-infused avocado deviled eggs are a savory, mayo-free, high protein, wholesome snack that comes complete with multiple cannabis infusion options to fit any taste.
This tropical green cannabis smoothie is a whole-food, plant-based, gluten-free treat that tastes amazing, can be made in just 5 minutes, and comes with multiple different cannabis infusion options.
Everyone in the whole family will love this Easy Banana Sushi, an easy, fun-to-make treat that will help to get your kids in the kitchen to develop a love of cooking at a young age. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly.
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Hi, I absolutely love your content..thank you. My question is do you have a recipe for hemp seed creamer? I am going to try your hemp seed milk recipe and would love an alternative creamer as well. Thank you
Hello Breelee. Thank you so much for your kind words! Yes, I have this creamer recipe, just swap in your hemp seed milk for the other milk called for 🙂