The hot new superfood – cannabis?

“Superfoods are vibrant, nutritionally dense foods packed with highly nourishing properties.”

-David Wolfe

We have all heard of superfoods – that is, foods that are more nutritionally dense than other foods that are thought to help protect cells, ward off disease and generally support the health of the whole body. Popular superfoods include raw cacao, goji berries, spirulina, kale and more. But did you know that hemp could be a superfood?

As a green leafy crop, hemp has many different varieties that have different levels of nutrients, and some could be a great addition to a healthy diet. Hemp is packed with protein, iron, amino acids, vitamin E as well as omega-3 and 6 oils, which are important for cell regrowth and supporting brain health. Many people use hemp seeds to supplement their diet, and a vegan protein powder such as CBD Sport’s version that is derived from hemp with an impressive 9g of protein per tablespoon!

 It seems that we should be including hemp within the superfoods pantheon, and our ancestors apparently thought the same. Hemp is one of the oldest domesticated crops on earth, with evidence of hemp cultivation discovered as far back as 8000 BC. A plant-based protein such as hemp would have been of great value to our ancestors, and it remains as important today. Most regions on earth have their own native superfoods – goji berries are from China, spirulina is from central Africa, and bee pollen is more or less globally native. We now have access to all of these great superfoods, so we are incredibly lucky to enjoy the benefits of as many nutrient-rich superfoods as possible.

As we know, cannabis plants have not always been illegal, and it was even an essential crop for many cultures. As well as having medicinal and nutritional value, hemp was used to make rope, textiles and pottery – the neolithic Yangshao culture’s whole economy was based on hemp.

So, what does hemp have to offer our diets? Here is a list of hemp’s essential nutrients:

• 20 amino acids, including high levels of tyrosine and arginine – hemp even includes 8 amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own
• More essential fatty acids than any other seeds or nuts
• A perfect 1:3 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 oils
• A fibre-based source of carbohydrates
• Antioxidants, plant sterols and phytonutrients that help protect the body’s cells from damage
• Essential minerals including manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and zinc

Consuming superfoods is considered to be a way of offering holistic support to the entire body – everything from your skin and nails to muscles, organs and brain tissue are fuelled by the nutrients that superfoods can provide, so over time, it is thought that superfoods can improve overall health and even increase life expectancy.

Being mindful of the food that we consume and the effects it has on the body has never been more important – with a wide range of diets and health regimes to choose from, opting for natural, whole foods rather than processed food is always a sensible choice. By adding plant-based whole food to our diet, we can minimise the consumption and therefore the adverse effects of junk food, refined sugars, flavour enhancers and trans fats.

Could consuming cannabis really be an effective way of helping keep the body healthy? Considering the information above, we can certainly appreciate the impressive nutritional profile of this ancient and misunderstood plant.

How can you add cannabis to your diet?

Many companies are offering snack foods like sweets, cakes and gummies infused with CBD or even cannabis-filled ‘edibles’, but eating a sugary cake infused with cannabis seems counterintuitive to a healthy diet! Try these healthy ways to incorporate hemp into your diet.

• Make a tea infused with hemp flowers, stems and leaves
• If you have access to a fresh plant, try using the green leaves in smoothies
• Try a CBD oil or capsule and get a concentrated dose of high-quality hemp oil
• Use hemp products topically in the form of creams and balms

We offer a great range of high-quality CBD products derived from hemp plants grown especially for their CBD content, and extracted using proprietary technology, thus preserving the CBD, plus other cannabinoids and 40 terpenes, thought to further aid the coveted Entourage effect.