If youre looking for a creamy, rich and delicious drink, filled with protein and healthy fats, look no further. Hemp milk may be your tasty answer. Hemp seeds contain all eight of the essential amino acids, making it a pretty great protein source. Just half a cup of hemp seeds offers 44 grams of protein (thats 11 grams of protein per ounce) and 640 calories.
Another amazing fact about this glorious seed is that it is perfectly balanced in essential fats. Humans need both omega-6 and omega-3 fats in order to function at our best. The ideal ratio is thought to be between 1:1 and 1:4 (thats omega-3: omega-6).
Hemp just happens to offer up a 1:2 ratio of such essential fats. Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are substances that control the formation of blood clots. Not all EFAs are created equal however. Omega-3 fats are very good at preventing blood clotting, as they are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6 fats offer little protection, and actually encourage platelet aggregation, raising the risk for heart disease and stroke.
Not only do omega-3s lower the risk of heart attacks, they also lower bad cholesterol levels, inhibit cancer, protect against diabetes, maintain muscle mass, heighten mood and attention span, improve the immune system, and increase energy. The list goes on from here too! And what about omega-6 you ask? Well, if you are eating too much, you will suffer the opposite of the above effects. And Im pretty sure you wouldnt want that
We do need omega-6 however, as this type of fat offers structure within our cells. If we got too much omega-3 our blood could actually become too thin. This doesnt usually happen in this day and age though, since grains are high in omega-6, as are conventional meats and farmed fish. Therefore, its good to be mindful of foods that offer a balance of both fats. Thanks be to hemp!!
Did you know that hemp has been cultivated by humans since 4000 B.C., and was perhaps one of mankinds earliest crops?
At one time, monks in Europe were required to eat hemp three meals a day, in the form of soup, gruel or porridge.
Another benefit to hemp seeds, is that they blend up very well without any need to strain. I suggest soaking them overnight to get rid of digestive inhibitors, and also to help reduce the bitter flavor that some varieties of hemp have.
Put a little cinnamon and stevia, or a touch of raw honey in your homemade hemp-milk, and sip yourself happy.
Lisa Virtue is the author Drink Nut-Milk and Kefir: Nutrition and Recipe Guide for the Most Nourishing Nut-Milks. This column first appeared on FitnessGoop.com.
