Recently I realized that nuts and seeds make me feel anxious, sweaty and interfere with my sleep, the tell tale signs for me of an auto-immune food sensitivity reaction. It was a relief to connect the dots, because omitting nuts and seeds from my diet has resulted in a greater sense of well being. But on the other hand, it’s yet another dietary restriction. Sigh. I love almonds and they have long been a favorite healthy go-to snack.
A couple of months ago I was shopping at COSTCO and bought a large bag of Organic Hemp Hearts, shelled hemp seeds. I had never tried them before. I was really surprised at how absolutely delicious they are. They taste buttery, something like pine nuts, and can be used as a substitute for nuts and seeds, and in some recipes, in place of grain. I have sprinkled them on salads, made salad dressing and tabouli with them, added them to smoothies, put them in soups, and used them in place of pine nuts in pesto.
They have a stellar nutritional profile, and are one of the few plant based proteins that contain all the essential amino acids in a form that is easily digestible. The seeds are high in protein as well as very healthful fatty acids. In addition, they are also rich in vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorus. In contrast to seeds and nuts that are often highly allergenic, hemp seeds have an anti-inflammatory healing effect upon the body. Botanically, they are technically not seeds but fruits.
Wares derived from the hemp plant are very diverse. There are hemp body care products, hemp oil, hemp clothing, hemp paper and even hemp building materials, to name a few. But despite hemp’s growing popularity, an outdated and misguided Federal policy – created in the 1930s – currently prevents U.S. farmers from growing this nutritious, versatile, and eco-friendly crop. The negative perception of hemp in this country is related to its association with marijuana, which has resulted in it being illegal to grow hemp in the United States without a DEA permit, despite the fact that it is a very environmentally friendly and valuable crop. Hemp seeds available for purchase in this country are grown in more rational Canada.
Tabouli Recipe
1 cup chopped parley
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 tomatoes chopped
1 avocado chopped
1 bunch of scallions chopped
3/4 cup hemp seeds
Dressing;
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon raw honey
2 teaspoons sea salt
dash of cayenne
Mix chopped vegetables and hemp seeds together in a bowl. Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl and pour over vegetables
Sounds great! Interesting that you do well with hemp seeds as they are “illegal” according to the SCD and therefore, by implication, on the GAPS protocol….. Would you recommend the hemp protein powder too?
I actually do not personally follow the GAPS protocol any longer. I stopped a few years ago. I recognized that there were many foods that were legal on GAPS that did not agree with me, such as egg whites and nuts and seeds. I have not tried hemp seeds since I figured out that nuts and seeds cause an immune response for me.
I do not recommend protein powders, as they are typically highly processed foods.
This looks interesting! I love the taste of pine nuts and the nutrition profile of hemp seeds is certainly a winner. I also found a great source on Amazon for purchasing 3lbs at a time (will freeze to prevent going rancid as some reviews say this is an issue) at an excellent price for the organic product.
Your article has me curious to try these, Judy! Thanks for the suggestion.