Seeds: Hemp Hearts

Do you eat seeds? Have you ever wondered why they are good for you? Well, I'd love to share all I know about seeds with you, including health benefits and delicious ways to add them to your diet. Over the next few weeks, I’ll highlight some of my favorite seeds, starting this week with hemp hearts!

Have you ever tried hemp hearts (also known as shelled hemp seeds)? I eat them all the time, mainly because of their high protein content. I like adding them to smoothies in place of protein powder because there is only one ingredient: shelled hemp seeds! They have a mild, nutty flavor and are easy to incorporate into many dishes.

One of my favorite snacks - avocado toast! Hemp hearts help boost the protein content and make it more filling.

Nutrition highlights

Three tablespoons of hemp hearts from Bob’s Red Mill contain:

• 160 calories 

• 10 grams of protein (more than an egg!)

• 10.5 grams of healthy unsaturated fat

• Only 3 grams of carbohydrate, all of which comes from fiber

Health benefits

Hemp hearts contain:

• Minerals (manganese, magnesium, phosphorus) - important for bone health

• Vitamin E - acts as an antioxidant, which can reduce inflammation

• Unsaturated fat - keeps skin and hair healthy

• Very little carbohydrate - won’t raise blood sugar

• Lots of protein - filling and stabilizes blood sugar

Hemp hearts are a great way to add extra protein to your bowl of oatmeal! 

Adding hemp hearts to your diet

• Sprinkle on avocado toast

• Add to oatmeal or cold cereal

• Mix into overnight oats (recipes coming soon!)

• Add to smoothies (see last week’s post with my favorite recipe!)

• Toast them and sprinkle on salads

• Add to pancake, waffle, or muffin batter

• Make into hemp milk (I use this recipe)

• Mix into yogurt

Storage

Once open, store hemp hearts in the fridge or freezer to help extend shelf life.

What’s your favorite way to eat hemp hearts? Up next: flaxseeds and chia seeds! See you back here next week!