What You Need to Know About Eating Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are delicious, crunchy, and nutritious. They are tastiest when roasted which you can do a couple different ways:
- Spread them out on a sheet pan and roast them in the oven at 375 F until they’re toasty and smell nutty, 10 - 15 minutes. Stir them mid-way.
- Deep fry them or sautee them in a cold-pressed light oil like sunflower, canola, or grapeseed. Do NOT deep fry them in hemp seed oil because the smoke point is lower than the optimal cooking temperature! Hemp oil smokes at 325 F.
- Buy them pre-roasted!
You can season hemp seeds after roasting them any way you want! A little salt, some garlic powder, chili powder, cajun, or curry seasonings… the sky is the limit!
Sprinkle them on a salad or just knock a little handful back with breakfast in the morning.
It’s important to note that hemp seeds do not contain significant amounts of CBD or THC, so please don’t overdo it thinking you’ll get some kind of therapeutic effect.
Protein & Fiber
Hemp seeds are high in both protein AND fiber, so they’re a great addition to a vegan or vegetarian diet. They’re also rich with Omega Fatty Acids which bodies need to function healthily, and which offer benefits ranging from skin to digestive health!
Hemp protein is a great option for people who are looking for an ethical protein source for their daily smoothie, or as a supplement with the use of Hemp Protein Powder. This is powder made from the fibrous bits of hemp seeds after the oil has been extracted from them.
Protein powder that includes the hulls (hard outside shell) of hemp seeds can be up to 33% protein. Hemp protein powder that is made up primarily of hemp hearts may be up to 50% protein!
In either format, hemp protein powder is sometimes also called hemp flour, and can be included in baking projects in limited quantities. It is also sometimes used in making pasta, breads, bars, and any number of other tasty treats.
Bang for your Buck
Hemp seeds are nutrition-rich. In addition to fiber and protein and the Omega fatty acids we mentioned, they are also a good source of iron and potassium. As such, a lot of other hemp products made with hemp seeds are cropping up!
Some of these are
- Hemp Milk
- Hemp granola bars
- Hemp snack mixes
- Hemp Crackers
- Hemp Salad Dressings
Since hemp seeds have been largely off the market as a food or ingredient due to a long prohibition for all cannabis plants, it’s important to mind how your body reacts, and to start out slow. Some hemp seed products may cause mild digestive discomfort if not used in moderation.
If you’re interested in more ideas for hemp products in your diet, check out our post about cooking with hemp seed oil for the holidays. Or check out this recipe for pumpkin and hemp seed bread, and while you’re over there, check for other delicious recipes using hemp products!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where can we use hemp protein powder?
A. Hemp protein powder can be included in baking projects in limited quantities. It is also sometimes used in making pasta, breads, bars, and any number of other tasty treats.
Q. Do hemp seeds contain significant amounts of CBD or THC?
A. It’s important to note that hemp seeds do not contain significant amounts of CBD or THC, so please don’t overdo it thinking you’ll get some kind of therapeutic effect.
Q. How can we make hemp seeds more tastier?
A. They are tastiest when roasted which you can do a couple different ways: Spread them out on a sheet pan and roast them in the oven at 375 F until they’re toasty and smell nutty. Deep fry them or sautee them in a cold-pressed light oil like sunflower, canola, or grapeseed.