“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates
During my childhood in Iran, one of my favorite snacks was puffed rice with roasted hemp seed. After I left Iran, I couldn’t find hemp seed for many years until just recently when I discovered it in an Amish store. Planting hemp has recently been legalized in the US and farmers have jumped on it, because of the many benefits that this plant offers. Hemp oil has been used in the East for food and medicine for thousands of years, but recently has became popular in the West. You can eat the seeds raw, cooked, or roasted. I also use them as an ingredient in homemade granola.
Hemp seed is considered a nut and super food for its nutrition. Hemp is in family of marijuana cannabis, but the active narcotic component is small and is in their seed shells. They are rich in healthy fat, especially two important fatty acids, omega 6 and omega 3 and are a good source of high quality protein, even more than chia and flax seeds. Hemp seed has fiber and high amounts of vitamin E and minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, sulfur, and zinc.
Containing all these nutrients, hemp seed can reduce heart disease and blood pressure and help in recovery after heart attacks and reduce the risk of blood clot formation. Hemp seeds can improve skin diseases such as eczema. This seed is one of the rare plants providing complete protein (having all essential amino acids). Hemp seeds can help PMS and menopause and reduce their symptoms. Seeds that are not shelled can be beneficial for digestion. As always be careful not to overeat it, which can result in dizziness.
“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii
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