History of Hemp: Where and When It All Began
People are quick to sing the praises of hemp, lauding it as a miracle of nature. Although many people are a bit overenthusiastic about the potential benefits and uses of hemp plants and their extracts,...
What Are Hemp Hearts & How Do You Use Them?
Do you know what a hemp heart is and how these hearts support overall wellness? We’re here to give you all the basic information you need to know about the hemp plant, hemp seeds, hemp hearts, and the numerous hemp health benefits right here in this article.
What Are Hemp Hearts?
Hemp hearts are the inner part of a shelled hemp seed.
The hemp heart is full of bioavailable nutrition, meaning your body can absorb its many nutrients easily!
Hemp seeds do not contain any THC — in fact, they don’t contain any of the cannabinoids you’ll find in the flowers, leaves, and stalk of the rest of the hemp plant. They have their own unqiue profile of nutrients to offer!
Hemp 101
The hemp plant is primarily utilized and farmed for its CBD, stalk, hemp seeds, and other highly beneficial and nutritious properties.
Hemp plants have only trace amounts of THC, generally not enough to result in psychoactive properties, unlike other plants in the cannabis plant species that are specifically grown for their THC.
Hemp by dry weight must have less than 0.3% THC in the United States to be considered federally legal.
Thanks to hemp’s hardiness and ease of growth, hemp seeds are sown directly where the farmer intends for the plant to grow, rather than being transplanted from a plant container after germinating.
The hemp plant is an annual plant that thrives in warmer climates with well-drained soil. It grows in almost any region, except those with extreme temperatures, such as desert areas. The hemp plant is also relatively resistant to disease and pests, which makes it ideal for organic farming and sustainability.
How Can Hemp Hearts Be Used?
Hemp hearts are consumed raw or cooked, depending on preference. They are easily added to fruit and protein smoothies, baked goods such as granola bars and cookies, and sprinkled over oatmeal and salads.
Hemp hearts have a nutty flavor, which pairs well with a variety of foods!
Hemp hearts are also used to make hemp protein bars and hemp chocolate (though you can also get these hemp-rich goods ready to go right here at evo hemp!).
What Are the Wellness Benefits of Hemp Hearts?
Many nutritional benefits can come along with consuming hemp hearts.
Hemp hearts contain all nine essential amino acids our bodies need for daily function. Amino acids assist in a multitude of our body’s daily to-do’s, from transporting nutrients, to supporting the protein synthesis that build muscle mass, to even playing a role in the production of hormones.
Hemp hearts are also nutritionally diverse! Healthy fats such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, 10g of protein, vitamins E, B6, and B1, and minerals including phosphorus, magnesium, zinc are just some of the nutrients you’ll find in these tiny little seeds!
Many people consider the hemp seed a “superfood” because of its nutritional completeness! Hemp’s complete balance of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and mineral content have earned their reputation as one of the most nutritionally complete foods in the world. Think support for heart health, digestion, energy production, and so much more!
Are Hemp Seeds & Hemp Hearts the Same Thing?
Yes… and no.
Both the hemp seed and the hemp heart come from the same part of the hemp plant, but they aren’t quite the same thing.
Hemp seeds are just that — the entire hemp seed. This includes the shell exterior of the seed.
Hemp hearts are the hulled hemp seed, i.e. the softer inner part of the seed, sans crunchy “outer” seed.
That said, both the whole seeds and hulled hearts are nutritionally dense and consumed in relatively the same ways.
You’ll also see hemp seeds as the base for non-dairy hemp milk, hemp cheese, and hemp seed oil.
How Is Hemp Protein Powder Made?
Hemp protein powder is made by grinding pressed hemp seeds into a fine powder. This powder yields an earthy taste similar to nuts and is perfect for adding to smoothies and shakes to boost their nutritional value!
Hemp powder is high in protein, fiber, and helps support healthy gut bacteria and digestive function.
It’s also worth noting that there are two types of hemp protein:
Hemp Shell Protein
Hemp shell protein comes from the shell, or husk, of the seed. The shell protein powder is around 50% protein and has an earthy taste. Its earthy texture is fantastic for baked goods, such as pumpkin bread and fruit smoothies.
Concentrated Hemp Protein
More concentrated types of hemp protein are sometimes up to 90% protein. This type of hemp protein emerges from the hemp milking process. This process extracts the oil from the seed through pressing, leaving the pressed “hemp meal” for grinding.
Concentrated hemp proteins have a smooth, creamier texture and flavor with a nutty aftertaste. It has a creamy light green color and fine powdered consistency.
What Is Hemp Oil?
The process of cold-pressing whole hemp seeds produces hemp oil. Hemp oil is 75% omega-3 (including alpha-linolenic acid, i.e. ALA) and omega-6 fatty acids. It also contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is an essential fatty acid that is highly beneficial for metabolic function as well as brain, bone, hair, skin, and nail health. GLA is also commonly found in vegetable oils.
Hemp seed oil is delicious on salads, over roasted veggies, and even in pasta as a sub for olive oil. It can also be used topically as a nourishing, moisturizing oil for the skin, helping to hydrate dry spots and soothe irritation caused by dryness.
The Bottom Line
Hemp hearts are a nourishing superfood with notable levels of protein, minerals, fatty acids, and fiber. Sprinkling a couple of tablespoons of hemp hearts into your favorite recipes like salads, smoothies, muffins, chicken fingers, yogurt, and more is an easy way to up your nutrition game. Anywhere you can use flax seeds, sesame seeds, or chia seeds, you can use hemp hearts for a more nourishing substitute!
evo hemp proudly sources USA-grown hemp from small family farms in Colorado, grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. We then utilize best-in-class third-party ISO/IEC-accredited laboratories to ensure consistency, quality, purity, and potency in every batch of every product we offer.
To explore hemp’s versatility both as a nourishing, sustainable food and wellness resource, from hemp chocolate to CBD softgels, check out our other hemp-based products here.
Sources:
- Tags: food
