Hemp

When I first heard about hemp I thought it was something the weed heads smoked back in the day. Something that you should stay away from. Something my mother would definitely not approve of. Hemp does have a bit of a dark history because it was banned here in the U.S. in the 1930's for its similar appearance to Marijuana but it is nothing like Marijuana. Although both are from the same family, hemp lacks the buzzing power of Marijuana and is actually good for us.

Why should hemp be part of your diet?
1. It is an excellent source of protein especially for those individuals who do not eat meat. Hemp is one of the few plant sources that is a complete protein; that means that it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Would you believe me if I said that hemp seed nuts contain more high quality protein that beef or fish? Well, this is true so if you said no, you lost.

2. It boosts your immune system. The secret ingredient is the essential oil. You can eat seeds, oil or even hemp milk to get this benefit. Nice!

3. As a crop, it is resilient. That means even a brown thumb like me could probably grow hemp if it wasn't illegal here. It grows like a weed and as a matter of fact, is very compatible with weeds. It requires less pesticides to grow and will grow up to 8-10 feet high in about 100 days. That's mighty tall!

4. This is important: it's loaded with mercury free Omega-3 fatty acids. Healthy heart = Hemp & Omega-3! Now you don't need to depend on fish to get your O-3's since fish have more of the bad fats than O-3's anyway according to Dr. Oz.

5. It's a strong fiber. Sailors used to make rope out of it but now-a-days you can buy shower curtains made out of hemp. They are naturally antimicrobial so there will be no build up and no need to use harsh chemicals for mildew removal. The flip side of the coin is that they can be quite pricey. You can also buy hemp bags and even clothing.

Hemp is very versatile, good for the inside as well as the outside of your body.