Hemp For Your Health: 7 Uses

Catherine Pearson First Posted: 05- 6-11 08:25 AM
Source: huffingtonpost.com

Hemp has been generating a lot of buzz recently, and it's not because of marijuana. Hemp food products, which contain no THC, are hailed by many in the mainstream as being good for your health.

Case in point: On a recent episode of "The Doctor Oz Show," the medical celeb (and HuffPost contributor) touted the health benefits of hemp milk, which is made by crushing the seeds of the cannabis plant and mixing them with water. Oz himself singled out hemp as his favorite milk alternative, while Samantha Heller, R.D., spoke about some of its reported benefits. "Hemp milk is a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which have been found to be good for both the heart and brain," she said.

In addition to Omega 3, which studies have shown can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, hemp is said to be high in Omega 6 fatty acids, and also contains all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids help form protein in the body and are key to tissue repair as well as overall growth.

Curious about incorporating it into your diet? This week marks the second-annual Hemp History Week, put on by hemp advocates to promote hemp farming and manufacturing in the U.S. Here are some of the categories on the market.

Hemp seeds, which can be purchased shelled, can be eaten raw by on their own. Like many other seeds, they can also be sprinkled on salads or cereals.

Hemp milk is made when the seeds of the hemp plant are ground up and mixed with water. There are both sweetened and unsweetened versions on the market, as well as flavored varieties, like chocolate and strawberry.

Hemp seed oil is pressed from the hemp seed and according to at least one manufacturer, is best used as a finishing oil. It can also be taken as a gel capsule.

Hemp butter is made from shelled hemp seeds. Like butter, it can be used as a spread on foods like bread and bagels.

Like many other protein powders, the hempseed version can be added to smoothies, as well as sprinkled on oatmeal or other breakfast cereals.

Companies are now offering their version of ice cream, which is made using hemp milk. It is sold in take-home containers, as well as frozen bars.

Not necessarily all health-related, there are a slew of other products on the market made from hemp, including (but not limited to): clothing, jewelry, lip balm, hats, soap and shower curtains.