A new seed is on the market to add more diversity and nutrition to your diet. Hemp seeds are hulled or shelled hemp seeds which are made from a specific hemp strain with low levels of the component which makes you ‘high’ in marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol or TCH. Levels of TCH are less than 0.3% and have no hallucinatory effects. The risk of testing positive to a urine drug test is highly unlikely although not impossible if you chose to eat enough hemp seeds.
What are the claimed health benefits?
These seeds have been hailed as the ‘next super food’, claiming to help your body lose weight by lowering food cravings, support your digestion, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improve circulation, reduce food intolerance, improve your energy levels and improve immunity. Before you get too excited the evidence from these claims are based on unscientific evidence, animal studies or promoting the findings of the benefits already known from other types of seeds or nuts.
Hemp seeds are considered to have similar benefits to other nuts and seeds and are a good source of protein and omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats which are two healthier sources of fat. Per 100 gram serving hemp seeds have roughly 33.2 grams of protein, compare this to other seeds like pumpkin which has 29.8 grams, peanuts which has 24.4 grams or almonds which has 21.2 grams, hemp seeds can stand on their own as a good protein source.
Hemp seeds compared to other nuts and seeds have a high level of omega 3 fat with around 10.6 grams per 100 grams compared to 5.3 grams in flaxseed oil, 17.8 grams in chia seeds or 9 grams in walnuts. Omega 6 levels in hemp seeds is also high at around 28 grams per 100 grams compared to 21.2 grams in almonds, 17 grams in sesame seeds or 15.2 grams in walnuts. Although unlike other nuts and seeds like almonds or sunflower seeds, hemp seeds have no vitamin E.
How can the seeds be used?
Hemp seeds can be used in many ways and have been advertised for uses in salads, smoothies, yoghurt, sandwiches, baked products, cereals and even stir fries and lasagna!
The Bottom Line:
There are health benefits of hemp seeds including a good source of protein and unsaturated fat. Having more variety in your diet removes boredom and improves the nutrition your body receives. This seed adds one more food choice in your week to help you to be your healthiest.
References
Vogl CR, Molleken H, Lissek-Wolf G, Surbock A, Kobert J. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) as a resource for green cosmetics: yield of seed and fatty acid compositions of 20 varieties under the growing conditions of organic farming in Austria. J Industrial Hemp. 2004;9:51-68. Abstract available from: http://orgprints.org/6929/
Hu FB, Willett WC. Optimal diets for prevention of coronary heart disease. JAMA. 2002;288(20):2569-78. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12444864
Kris-Etherton PM, Innis S. American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada. Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: dietary fatty acids. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007;107(9):1599-611. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17936958
Health Canada. Frequently asked questions about industrial hemp. Available from: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/substancontrol/hemp-chanvre/about-apropos/faq/index-eng.php
Karimi I, Hayatghaibi H. Effect of Cannabis sativa L. seed (hempseed) on serum lipid and protein profiles of rats. Pakistan J Nutr. 2006;5:585-8. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46032757_Effect_of_Cannabis_sativa_L_Seed_Hempseed_on_Serum_Lipid_and_Protein_Profiles_of_Rat
Richard MN, Ganguly R, Steigerwald SN, Al-khalifa A, Pierce GN. Dietary hempseed reduces platelet aggregation. J Thromb Haemost. 2007;5:424-5. Citation available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17155962
Al-Khalifa A, Maddaford TG, Chahine MN, Austria JA, Edel AL, Richard MN, et al. Effect of dietary hempseed intake on cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007;292(3):R1198-203. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17122327
Callaway J, Schwab U, Harvima I, Halonen P, Mykkänen O, Hyvönen P, Järvinen T. Efficacy of dietary hempseed oil in patients with atopic dermatitis. J Dermatolog Treat. 2005;16(2):87-94. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16019622
Health Canada. Seeds, hemp seeds, hulled. Canadian Nutrient File, 2010. 2012 [cited 2016 Feb 1]. Available from: https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/serving-portion.do?id=7568.
