Along my quest to find foods that would help to heal any inflammation in my body and improve recovery, I stumbled along these little seeds. When I first heard of hemp I immediately thought of the hemp necklaces that I used to make when I was younger and place cute little charms in them. (Shout out to all my fellow 90’s kids!) Little did I know that the seeds of hemp can not only be eaten but deliver INCREDIBLE health benefits for inflammatory conditions as well as enhancing athletic performance! Once I heard I knew I had to hop on board and give these a try! Here are reasons why hemp seeds are considered nutrition powerhouses in my book!
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
The 3 main Omega 3 fatty acids include alpha- linoleic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The latter two are most commonly found in fish and other marine organisms and the former found in more plant based foods such as hemp, pumpkin, chia, flaxseeds, walnuts and green leafy vegetables. They all play a role in being an anti-inflammatory as well as EPA and DHA being shown to have a beneficial role in fetal developments. Although ALA has not been shown to have the same health benefits as EPA and DHA, ALA still holds incredible anti inflammatory benefits and can be converted to EPA and DHA though not as readily as that from fish. In research studies mothers given supplements of EPA and DHA (fish oil capsules) during their pregnancy had less inflammatories and their offsprings were shown to have decreases in cases of asthma, food allergies, and an increase in hand eye coordination. (1) The latter is ESPECIALLY important for athletes in their sport when making crucial decisions on the field, on the bike or even on the run if there are things that pop up. (And oh YES they do! Who else has tripped over some sort of a root while on a trail run or had to make a quick decision to leap over one? I know I am not the only one!)
There were also studies done on the benefits these Omega 3’s have on cardiovascular health and helping with Alzheimers. In regard to cardiovascular health, EPA and DHA showed positive effects on cardiovascular health and overall consuming these two in a diet will lower the chances of having cardiovascular related health events. (1) This is INCREDIBLY important for endurance athletes as the inflammatory compounds generated from intense bouts of training can increase one’s risk of heart disease.
Gamma Linoleic Acid
Hemp seeds are an excellent source of Gamma Linoleic Acid, and Omega 6 that is actually anti-inflammatory (most Omega 6 fatty acids are proinflammatory). It is also very beneficial for the lining of the gut which can prevent further stomach issues, significantly impacting one’s athletic performance. 1 tbsp of hemp seed oil contains about ~450 mg GLA.1 Gamma linoleic acid is commonly used for gut repair protocols and for relief from PMS symptoms which can help with overall performance and decrease time away from training! (2)
Plant Based Protein
Hemp is an excellent source of plant based protein. Although plant based proteins are not as bioavailable (as absorbable) as animal based protein, hemp can still be used as an alternative protein source or as a means for extra protein. About 3 tbsps of hemp seeds contains about 10 grams of plant based protein and 180 calories.
These seeds are also a source of all nine essential amino acids, amino acids which can not be created by the body and must be included in one’s nutrition routine. One of these in particular, leucine, is an important building block for muscle protein synthesis and recovery and for reparation to the lining of the intestinal tract. The leucine content of hemp seeds is about 5.2 g/100g. (3)
Other important amino acids that hemp is rich in are arginine, phenylalanine and tyrosine. Arginine is the precursor to a compounds known as nitric oxide. This compound helps to dilate blood vessels and deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscles and organs much quicker and more efficiently which can help with better energy and better recovery! The content of arginine is about 15.52 g/100g. Phenylalanine (the precursor to tyrosine) is the beginning of the path to the production of your body’s thyroid hormone (important for metabolism), dopamine (important for focus, mood and circadian rhythm) and noradrenaline and adrenaline (your adrenal hormones.) With this in mind, hemp can be a great addition to one’s nutrition plan to help with better metabolism and energy production, mood and sleep as well as healthy adrenal function! The content of these amino acids is about 9.53 g/100g. (3)
Nutrient Powerhouses
Among the mass amount of nutrients contained in hemp, magnesium is just one of those! Why is this so important? Magnesium is a mineral that is great for digestion, bone health, helping with muscle spasms, lowers blood pressure and can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Eating an excess of magnesium does not negatively affect human health since any unused magnesium is expelled in urine but it can cause increased transit times if too much is ingested.
Some other foods high in Mg include pumpkin seeds, boiled organic spinach, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and chia seeds.
Now it’s time to have fun with these little seeds! Mix them in with some walnuts, a couple dates and water and process into a milk or throw them on top of some avocado toast, on top of a salad or on a bright protein smoothie bowl!
References:
- Swanson, D., Block, R., & Mousa, S. A. (2012b). Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: Health benefits throughout life. Advances in Nutrition, 3(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.111.000893
- Berardi, J. All About Hemp. Precision Nutrition Website. https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-hemp. Accessed June 8, 2022.
- El-Sohaimy SA, Androsova NV, Toshev AD, El Enshasy HA. Nutritional Quality, Chemical, and Functional Characteristics of Hemp (Cannabis sativa ssp. sativa) Protein Isolate. Plants (Basel). 2022 Oct 24;11(21):2825. doi: 10.3390/plants11212825. PMID: 36365277; PMCID: PMC9656340.
