Hello Hemp Hearts!

In my most recent recipe (Breakfast Banana Muffins) I used hemp hearts as one of my ingredients. This is still a relatively unknown ingredient to many households in Canada. This is a shame, since they are such wonderfully versatile ingredients that packs a punch of nutrition.

Hemp hearts come from the hemp plant, which is a fast growing crop that requires little in the way of pest control. Some of our biggest fields of hemp are in Manitoba. These are grown by the world’s biggest hemp food producers, Manitoba Harvest. This is the company that first introduced me to hemp hearts. From the hemp you can harvest the hemp hearts to use as a whole food, mill the hemp hearts to create a protein powder or press the hemp hearts to create an Omega-3 rich oil.

What kind of nutrition can you expect from a hemp heart? For every serving, 3 tablespoons, you will get 10 grams of plant based protein which includes all 10 essential amino acids, 12 grams of Omega-3 and Omega-6’s some of the Omega-6’s are in the form on GLA which is known as the beauty fat, and 1 gram of carbohydrates. These little seeds are also rich in minerals such as magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorus. Hemp hearts are also a great source of fibre on top of everything else!

Hemp hearts are a great addition to the diet for everyone. They fit with keto, paleo and whole30 diets as well as providing excellent protein for those who are vegan or vegetarian. They add a subtle nutty flavour to your dish and if you blend them into something, a nice smooth texture.

What are some ways to add hemp hearts into your daily food?

One of my favourite ways is to including them into my baked goodies. They are such a great addition to items such as muffins, granola bars (Holy Granola Bars, Batman!), energy bites and even cookies! I love that they add a bigger nutrition punch to items that are more grain based. This makes it more balanced and I don’t worry as much about blood sugar spikes.

Smoothies are another great way to use hemp hearts. Add a few tablespoons into your fruit smoothie to get some extra healthy fats and protein. Doing a smoothie bowl instead of a regular smoothie, just sprinkle hemp hearts on top to add texture and nutrition to your dish.

Salads are often a place we don’t think to put hemp hearts, but they are a delicious topper to any salad. Cream it into avocado to make a dressing, or just sprinkle it on top of your salad. You could double your dose of hemp on your salad by using the hemp oil as part of your dressing instead of using olive oil or avocado. This will give it a rich nutty flavour that pairs well with fresh fruit like strawberries or blueberries.

There are so many amazing recipes using hemp hearts, we just have to find the one that works for your family and before you know it, you’ll be using it daily!

Hemp hearts are naturally gluten free, and nut free, so it’s a great ingredient to use for those removing gluten and nuts from their diet. Because of the omega-3 content, it is best to store your open bag of hemp hearts in the fridge or freezer. This will help to protect the omegas and give the product a longer life. I tend to buy a bigger bag, so they are always in my freezer and I can keep them fresh for as long as I need to use them up.