Hemp seeds are the edible part of the cannabis sativa plant, and they are also sometimes referred to as "hemp hearts." While they do contain all kinds of amazing nutrients, they don't have THC, so there are no psychoactive effects from consuming hemp seeds.
Instead, you'll get numerous vitamins and minerals, such as B-complex vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, arginine, fiber and more. Hemp seeds also contain all nine essential amino acids, so they are a complete protein. Ready to learn more about how to eat hemp seeds? Here's a look at some ways to cook and eat this incredible seed.
1. As a Substitute
Hemp seeds bring a wonderfully unique taste. They have a hint of a nutty flavor and provide a delicious crunch to many foods. If you have a milk, nut or gluten allergy or intolerance, you can use hemp seeds as a substitute for these types of foods.
Making homemade hemp seed milk is an easy and more cost-effective way of getting your dairy alternative. If you're allergic to nuts and miss their distinctive flavor, you can toast some hemp seeds on their own to really bring out their nutty flavor. Most people compare the taste of hemp seeds with a cross between a sunflower seed and a pine nut.
You can also crush down the seeds or hemp hearts into a breadcrumb-like consistency to coat chicken or fish. You'll still get that satisfying texture over the meat and a unique flavor compared to plain breadcrumbs.
2. As an Add-In
Using hemp seed as an ingredient in other types of foods is another way to cook with hemp seeds. You can use hemp seeds as an ingredient in any meal of the day, making it a wonderfully versatile food.
- In the morning, you can add a few hemp seeds to a smoothie if you're on the go. When you have a little more time, make some avocado toast and sprinkle some of the seeds on top.
- For lunch, hemp seeds make a great addition to all of your favorite salads. You could also grind the seeds down and use them to make a homemade vinaigrette salad dressing. For a grain-based lunch, cook up some quinoa and veggies and top it off with hemp seeds.
- At dinnertime, you can add hemp seeds to pasta sauce or put some in chia seed pudding for a satisfying dessert. When you start adding hemp seeds to your diet, you'll find the best ways to eat hemp seeds that satisfy your unique tastes.
3. On Their Own
Hemp seeds make a great ingredient, but they also stand up well on their own. Toast them to bring out more of their nutty flavor or eat them straight out of the shell with nothing else added to them.
Buy Hemp Seeds and More at Sincerely Nuts
If you'd like to incorporate hemp seeds into your diet, shop our selection at Sincerely Nuts to stock up. You can buy exactly how much you want, and you'll find a huge selection of nuts, seeds and other delicious and healthy snack options, too.
