Generality
Hemp seeds are typical oriental plant foods (eg from India) and Russia. Always considered a "poor" product, hemp seeds have recently been re-evaluated, especially in the vegan diet, to the point that today, by virtue of their nutritional properties, they are considered as a real food supplement.
Classification
From which plant do edible seeds get?
The botanical classification of hemp has long been the subject of controversy; once it was believed that there were numerous Species, today instead we tend to consider the morphological variations as typical signs of the Subspecies or of the varieties.
By hemp, we mean a plant belonging to a botanical group of the Cannabaceae family, Genus Cannabis; from here, the differentiation of the various types of hemp is more complex and, based on the classification method, it is possible to distinguish Species and / or Subspecies and / or varieties. Probably the most reliable classification is based on the framing of only one Species ( Cannabissativa ) and the consequent differentiation into many varieties (erratic, doetes, lupulus, macrosperma, gigantea, excelsa, compressa, sinensis). Only the Indian one (binomial nomenclature: Cannabis indica ) "could" be considered a different Species from Cannabis sativa .
Indian hemp, not cultivable in Italy, is known for its narcotic properties and, whole or processed, constitutes a narcotic product prohibited by Italian legislation, and not only, for voluptuous use. In the oily portion of shoots, leaves, seeds and flowers, Indian hemp contains some psychotropic / psychoactive nerve molecules known as phytocannabinoids (eg THCA), but absent in significant quantities in the Sativa species and / or in the other variety.
Hemp sativa is used for the production of fabrics, oil or feed, and has been tested for possible use in the biofuel sector. What is most suitable for the production of seeds (therefore, also of oil and feed) is a "dwarf" variety; on the contrary, the most suitable hemp for textile production is the one called "giant".
Role in the Diet
Hemp seeds can be used as an intermediate food between the category of dried fruit (achenes) and that of cereals. Like wheat, barley, oats etc., hemp seeds can be consumed alone (peeled or whole) and their use is foreseen in different recipes (above all "ethnic") belonging to: first courses, salads, unique dishes etc.
From the hemp seeds, through the cold "squeezing", a vegetable oil is obtained with a taste that vaguely recalls that of hazelnut; this oil, particularly prone to rancidity, must be kept in the refrigerator.
See in-depth article on hemp seed oil
What advances from the extraction is a good substrate for the production of flour or feed.
See in-depth article on hemp seed flour
Hemp seeds can also be used in the formulation of processed products such as tofu (hemp-fu), seitan or some beverages.
Hemp flour cookies
X Problems with video playback? Reload from YouTube Go to Video Page Go to Video Recipes Section Watch the video on youtubeNutritional aspects
In Western food, hemp seeds represent a product defined as "obsolete"; this is not so much attributable to taste (certainly singular) as to the nature of the food in existence. However, hemp seeds are a food particularly rich in nutrients useful to the body and can be very useful especially in the context of various types of diet.
The nutritional content of hemp seeds is similar to that of achenes. The caloric intake is conferred above all by lipids, but also the protein fraction seems quite relevant; carbohydrates are essentially complex.
Fatty acids (about 35% of the weight), contained in hemp seeds, are predominantly polyunsaturated (2/3 of the total); moreover, the proportion of "essential" lipids (ω ‰ 3 and ω6) and vitamin E is, to say the least, remarkable. In addition to consuming whole hemp seeds, choosing the right oil (to be consumed raw in condiments) could help increase the daily intake of these nutrients. Thanks to the presence of ω ‰ 3 and ω ‰ 6, hemp seeds and hemp seed oil could prove useful in structuring diets against high cholesterol, against hypertriglyceridemia, against hypertension and against inflammation systemic responsible for atherosclerosis.
Regarding proteins, differently from most plants, besides being abundant (≥20% of the weight) they have a good biological value. This aspect is particularly important because one of the most controversial features of the vegan diet is precisely the lack (or inadequate relationship) of essential amino acids.
The fibers contained in the hemp seeds are abundant and are even more so in the seeds NOT decorticated, therefore integral. This nutritional component is very useful for the proper functioning of the intestine, for the regulation of absorption and for the prevention of colon tumors.
Hemp seeds also contain a good vitamin profile, although detailed information on precise quantities is not known.
