By: Elna Botes van Schalkwyk and Esther Vasa
Hemp seed proteïn powder is the fine milled or powdered hemp seed once the oil content has been removed. Hemp is especially useful to vegans as an organic raw form of proteïn. It contains all the essential amino acids and is considered to be a complete food, boasting 40% absorbable high-quality proteïn and all essential amino acids. It builds muscle and boosts energy levels. It has a nutty flavour and can be sprinkled over salads, mixed into a pâté with olive oil, garlic and himalayan salt, or simply added to soups and smoothies.
Hemp seeds are an incredible vegan source of biologically available and easily digested protein. Hemp seeds contain all 10 essential amino acids. 3 tbsp of Hemp Seeds = 11 grams of protein!!! Hemp seeds contain a healthy anti-inflammatory 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat. Hemp seeds contain an especially beneficial type of omega-6 fat called GLA (gamma linolenic acid). GLA is a direct building block of good anti-inflammatory hormones. Hemp seeds may be the only edible food source of GLA. While it’s true your body can convert the typical food version of unprocessed omega-6 called linoleic acid (LA) into the “useable” GLA form your body needs, the conversion process can be thwarted by many internal and external factors. Chronic health conditions such as diabetes, infections, and even stress can reduce your body’s ability to convert dietary LA into GLA. This is a bad deal because GLA is very important for achieving optimal health. But simply by incorporating hemp seeds into your diet on a regular basis you can be sure of getting a healthy dose of GLA.
