Discover The Superfood Power Of Hemp

[MedicalNeed]

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered 'super-foods.' One of the oldest and yet seemingly most misunderstood superfoods on the planet is hemp. Hemp is an incredible multi-purpose plant that can be used for anything from paper, rope, and cloth. It is also one of the most nutritionally well-balanced foods on the planet.

Although many people associate hemp with its sister plant marijuana (Cannabis sativa l.) the two are not the same. Hemp products come from a special variety that contains virtually no THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the chemical that gives marijuana its psychoactive effects. Therefore hemp is a perfectly safe food that will not make one "high" or cause anyone to fail a drug test.

Hemp has been cultivated and used by many ancient cultures since the beginning of recorded history. Researchers have found its use in China, India, Babylonia, Persia, Egypt, and the native cultures in North & South America. Hemp fiber was used to make rope and cloth, while the stalk was used to make paper. These cultures also used the seed for nutritional purposes. It can be eaten as shelled seeds, oil, butter, flour, and protein powder.

Hemp protein is one of the very few plant based complete protein sources. This means that it contains sufficient quantities of all 9 essential amino acids. Hemp is a great source of sulfur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine, which are necessary for cellular detoxification and the production of vital enzymes. Additionally, it is rich in branched chain amino acids that are needed for muscle growth and repair.

Almost 60% of the protein in hemp is made up of a globulin source called edestin. Most of the rest is in the form of albumin. Albumin and Edestin have a very similar molecular makeup as the protein found in the human body. Because of this common link, hemp protein is very easily absorbed into human blood and used for roles as critical as DNA repair.

Most of our world is suffering from abnormal fatty-acid ratios. Two critical forms of essential fats are the omega 6 and omega 3 varieties. Due to the heavy consumption of processed vegetable oils and grain-fed meat & dairy products most people have very high levels of omega 6. The World Health Organization recommends a 4:1 omega 6mega 3 ratio. The typical western diet produces a ratio from 20:1 - 50:1. Abnormal ratios cause heavy increases in inflammation that lead to accelerated aging and advanced disease states.

Hemp contains the optimal ratio of 3.75:1 (omega 6:3) making it a powerful source for an anti-inflammatory diet. Hemp is also a great source of the omega-6 essential fat gamma linoleic acid (GLA). GLA is only found in quantities of significance in hemp, borage oil, evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil, & Spirulina. Because of the scarcity of GLA much of our society is deficient in this essential fatty acid. GLA is critical for reducing inflammation in our body and is one of the most powerful nutrients for balancing hormones. Additionally, sufficient quantities of GLA promote healthy skin, hair, & nails.

GLA significantly increases metabolism by encouraging stored fat known as brown adipose tissue (BAT) to be effectively used for energy. Additionally, GLA activates the metabolic process by providing key nutrients for the cellular energy system called the sodium-potassium pump. When the sodium-potassium pump is effectively operating in every cell it can remove toxic substances from deep within the cell structure. If the pump is weak, cells will store toxins and the metabolism will be slowed.

News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source: naturalnews.com
Author: Dr. David Jockers
Contact: NaturalNews.com
Copyright: 2010 by Truth Publishing, Inc.
Website:Discover the superfood power of hemp

 

[bluedream420]

Wow that's some of the craziest shit i have ever heard. So if all of that is true then why doesn't the government realize that hemp is good for us and we should eat a lot more of it?

 

[Jim Finnel]

Because big business, the corporations that control us don't want it because they're profits are elsewhere. Our rulers don't care about us. We are simply consumers and workers. 'Let them eat shite.'

 

[bluedream420]

You know i always have heard about the government not really caring about us really and just using us for tax money and to make themselves more rich, but now im starting to realize its not bullshit.

 

[Tiger Balm]

That hunger exists anywhere is a complete shame. Everyone should have their own patch, and there should be stands in vacant lots for apartment dwellers. The seed is also a superfood for birds - imagine fields of hemp along migration routes of birds flying south - how well fed they would be for the flight over the gulf.

 

[Jacob Bell]

Wow. That's cool. I want to start adding hemp seeds to my diet, like yesterday. I'm always looking for a great protein. This sounds like it fits my bill.

 

[Tiger Balm]

Wow. That's cool. I want to start adding hemp seeds to my diet, like yesterday. I'm always looking for a great protein. This sounds like it fits my bill.

go to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's - they carry hemp milk. Pour that over your morning oatmeal and you will be well fed.

 

[Captain Kronic]

Another great post for those of us who need to know the truth!

Here is another, more in dept look at the benefits of hemp seeds... props to Julie G.
Hemp Seed: The Most Nutritionally Complete Food Source In The World

 

[Icemud]

I've been using a Hemp product called Nutiva Hemp Protein powder and It really give's me a lot of benefits. I started using the shake I make as a meal replacement and lost a lot of weight. On top of that, I didn't seem to fatigue easily and have a lot more energy for the day. Here is what I do for my shakes if your interested...

Nutiva Hemp Protein power...I order mine from a web site called vitacost
I usually use about 4 to 5 big spoonfuls per shake.

Lowfat milk, can also use soy milk....fill up whatever glass your using 3/4 full.

Lowfat vanilla yogurt- I like the Dannon Kind.

Put all this in a cup and mix it up....The hemp takes a little getting used to but with the vanilla yogurt, it almost resembles a Mc Donalds Shake...

I would definitely recommend hemp shakes!!

 

[420]

I eat Hemp Seeds, Hemp Hulled Seeds, Hemp Protein Powder, Hemp Oil and Hemp Salad Dressing every single day.

Thanks to our Sponsor Foods Alive!

 

[VaporNation]

The nutritional profile of hemp is perhaps the biggest reason for its recent (and historical) praise as one of nature’s truly perfect foods: high in protein, rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (with an uncannily perfect ratio of omega-6-to-omega-3, almost too good to be true), rich in chlorophyll and the green plant phytonutrients like the best green leafy vegetables possess, low in carbs/sugars, high in fiber.

And it tastes great, with a nutty flavor that blows away flax and soy. No soy estrogens or the other negative properties which can make soy inappropriate for some people. Did we mention the extremely high amounts (and perfect balanced profile) of essential fatty acids, which are particularly important for brain health, memory, mood, and concentration?

Few natural food sources have withered as much confusion, controversy and misinformation (and lack of information) as hemp – which is unfortunate, and even ironic, given that it is one of the world’s most perfect foods.

Actually, it goes far beyond food, as this super-plant has also been used for centuries as a wonderful source of fibers for clothing and accessories, soaps and oils, and much more. It's even rumored to be the world's "oldest food" consumed by modern man.

But even despite the recent hemp boom which has hit the nutrition & supplements world over the last year, few still know just how impressive this plant is, or that it may qualify as one of the best brain health-boosting & anti-aging foods on the planet.

Have you been seeing more and more health foods, snacks, nutrition bars, oils, breads and other products on the shelves with the word “hemp!” on the packaging? Protein powder that “now includes hemp greens!”, cereals with hemp seeds, hemp drink mixes, hemp bathing oils and soaps? Thanks to a recent explosion of legal hemp growing largely based in Canada (hemp has been legal to grow in Canada since 1998), a version of this plant – and more specifically, the seeds of the plant, has become what many believe to be the next revolution in health foods, based on its rather staggering nutritional profile.

But before we get into exactly why hemp is such a perfect food (and specifically, a perfect brain health food), let’s clear up any misconceptions you might have regarding the hemp seeds legally sold and used in foods compared to its (illegal) other incarnation.

hempfield

The hemp available today in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and UK is based on a naturally selected strain of the plant, cannabis sativa, which produces effectively no measurable THC, the psychoactive element in marijuana. By law, this Canadian-grown hemp must contain less than .01% THC, which means that no, you cannot get “high” from eating even large amounts of these hemp food products, including the straight seeds or ground powders.

While there may still be some lingering errata with regard to trace amounts of THC showing up on drug tests in some very isolated cases in which persons consumed hemp, the analogy of someone eating a poppyseed bagel and worrying about the trace amounts of opium from the poppy seeds comes to mind.

Bottom line: these hemp food products are THC-free (which is also why they are legal). So put any pot-related misinformation, stereotypes, concerns or fears aside, straighten out your friends and family on the subject, and read on about just why this plant deserves unprecedented attention when it comes to your health as you age...

The nutritional profile of hemp is perhaps the biggest reason for its recent (and historical) praise as one of nature’s truly perfect foods: high in protein, rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (with an uncannily perfect ratio of omega-6-to-omega-3, almost too good to be true), rich in chlorophyll and the green plant phytonutrients like the best green leafy vegetables possess, low in carbs/sugars, high in fiber.

And it tastes great, with a nutty flavor that blows away flax and soy. No soy estrogens or the other negative properties which can make soy inappropriate for some people. Did we mention the extremely high amounts (and perfect balanced profile) of essential fatty acids, which are particularly important for brain health, memory, mood, and concentration?

hemphead

Let’s look at some of the specifics:

- Shelled hemp seed contains 33 percent pure digestible protein and is rich in iron and vitamin E as well as omega-3 and GLA. A recent report funded by the Canadian government states that hemp protein is comprised of 66 percent high-quality edistin protein, and that hempseed contains the highest percentage of this of any plant source. Hemp also contains three times the vitamin E contained in flax.

- Good fats: while hemp seed is an excellent source of protein that also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, its most important feature is that it provides both essential fatty acids (EFAs) needed in the human diet–linoleic (omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). These fats are "essential" because they cannot be manufactured in the body and so must be consumed as food. Hemp has an omega-6/omega-3 ratio of 3.38, which is closest to the optimum 4.0 average recommended by the World Health Organization for the human diet.

- Hemp for Heart Health: EFAs are essential for the health of the heart. Numerous studies showthat substituting healthy polyunsaturated fats such as hemp for saturated fats can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest and fatal cardiac arrhythmia, as well as reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease the cellular buildup in arteries associated with atherosclerosis. Hemp also contains phytosterols, which have been shown to reduce total blood cholesterol by an average of 10 percent and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by an average of 13 percent.

- Brain health: because EFAs make up a large portion of the brain, hemp is especially beneficial for brain health, particularly memory function. Membrane loss of EFAs has been found in such disorders as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Research has shown that a diet with a proper balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids–such as in hemp oil–may help delay or reduce the neurological effects of these diseases and improve quality of life.

- Skin health: The critical importance of EFAs for healthy skin makes hemp seed oil a highly effective skin care and cosmetic product. Its lipid constituents allow it to permeate through the skin and nourish skin cells directly. For this reason, hemp oil is beneficial for skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. For the health of skin and hair, nourishing and balancing hemp oil is now added to a multitude of soaps, shampoos, skin lotions, lip balms, conditioners and other natural skin-care products.

...the list of hemp benefits goes on, and that's not even getting into the topic of how hemp is also an incredible material for clothing, materials, industrial uses, and more -- and completely bio-sustainable, eco-friendly to the planet (unlike synthetic materials).

23121896

The foods, products, and what's out there: at BrainReady, we've become huge fans of hemp foods recently, and have been trying many different brands and varieties of hemp foods (always raw, organic, pure hemp however...no hybrids). Many stores now carry shelled hemp seeds, which are a great way to get your hemp -- as you can eat them straight out of the bag, mix with cereals, put into shakes, however you like.

There are also hemp protein powders, which are usually ground hemp seeds concentrated into a powder to provide a high protein, fiber, and all the other benefits in a powder form that is easily mixed with liquids such as juice or water (and are great after a workout!). Then there's even "hemp milk", similar to packaged soy milk (same form factor and idea as soy milk cartons, but with hemp instead of soy), which have become our replacement for soy milk recently. There are hemp nut butters (very tasty!), and of course, hemp oils (much like flax oil).

A few of our favorites that we've tried (with links):

Living Harvest Raw Organic Hemp Seeds: these are wonderful eaten straight, or mixed with other cereals. Great nutty taste! Our new breakfast favorite.

Living Harvest Hemp Protein Powder: the concentrated, high-protein ground hemp that has become our new post-workout recovery favorite. We mix it with water and drink, but you can also mix it with juice or other beverage if you prefer. Incredible combo of protein, EFA's, branch chain aminos, fiber, wow!

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Seed Butter: this tasty stuff is our new peanut butter. Great on organic whole grain toast, on crackers, or straight!

Nutiva Organic Shelled Hemp: this 5-pound bag is definitely the best, most economical way to get ultra-high quality organic hemp seed...which we use as the basis for cereals, for adding to salads, anything. Hemp is definitely something you want to buy in bulk, and this is a good way to do it particularly as most stores do NOT carry this one, so get it online.

Nutiva Organic Hemp Oil: the best hemp oil we've tried, and this deal (via Amazon.com) is great because you get two bottles for the retail price of one. Hemp oil is great on toast, salads, vegetables, and yes, you can use it on your skin (save money on the expensive anti-aging skin lotioons and try hemp oil...it's incredible).


In summary, hemp is an incredible brain health & anti-aging nutritional powerhouse -- but it's also so much more. Suffice to say that we've made it a dietary staple at BrainReady and are feeling better than ever.

- The BrainReady Team

Hemp ? The Perfect Brain Health Food? | BrainReady | BrainReady.com