Greetings - Here is a small excerpt from the HempNut cookbook by AHG herbalist, Bridgitte Mars. She says she has been healthy food and all of her favorite recipes have been even more delicious than ever using mechanically hulled hemp seed that is unheated and legal and THC free. Love and light Brigitte Mars

Hemp seed

About 65% of the total protein in hemp seed is edestin. Edestin, which has the same Greek roots as the word edible is a sturdy, stable and easy to prepare protein, similar to that found in the albumen in egg whites and blood. It is classified as a globular protein in that it is soluble in a diluted salt solution and is easily changed by heat. It is considered the backbone of the cell's DNA. Half a century ago, edestin was one of the most studied food sources proven to be sufficient as the sole animal protein source. Determinations of amino acids were actually based upon edestin. Edestin aids digestion and is relatively phosphorus free.

Hempseed is really akin to a nutrient dense grain. The protein available in Hempseed contains all nine essential amino acids, with high amounts of the sulfur containing amino acids cysteine and methionine which are often lacking in a vegetarian diet. It is also high in glutamic acid, a neurotransmitter that helps one deal with stress.

Hempseed is second only to soybeans in vegetable protein foods yet even easier to digest and offers a much more complete range of essential amino acids. Hemp seed, unlike soybeans are free of the anti-nutrient factor trypsin inhibitors which impairs protein assimilation and oligosaccharides which cause gas. There is also a significant amount of people that are allergic to soy products yet hemp seed is rarely allergenic. Studies indicate that soybeans are susceptible to the fluctuating density of the ozone layer and their production may be soon reduced. Hemp on the other hand, resists damage from ultraviolet radiation and actually thrives in such an environment. Also soybeans are now being genetically modified and we may not understand the safety or possible ramifications of this process until several years in the future.

Hemp Oil as Food

Hemp oil is rich in essential fatty acids and tastes a lot like sunflower seed oil. Its green color is due to the presence of chlorophyll. Hemp oil contains vitamin E (gamma-tocopherol), a natural antioxidant that helps preserve the oil, but hemp oil still requires protection. Antioxidants can be added as preservatives such as rosemary extract, carotenes or tocopherols. Hemp oil is processed in a nitrogen environment to keep it fresh. It should be protected from heat, light and oxygen by storing in dark bottles and kept refrigerated and used within six months maximum, although six to twelve weeks is preferable. Buy only products that have been shelf dated. It is better to buy small quantities of hemp oil and use them fresh. Avoid rancid oils in the case of any food.

Hempseed oil can be stored in the freezer if it is not going to be used right away where it will keep fresh for over a year. The oil will not freeze, nor will it break the bottle as it does not expand. Though hemp oil is expensive in comparison to refined, solvent or heat expressed oils, it is superior in nutritional value. Some analysts believe that if it were to be legally cultivated in the U.S. that its cost would be comparable to corn oil.

Use hemp oil to dip bread into instead of butter or margarine. Pour some on popcorn. Use it instead of butter on pasta and potatoes. Hemp oil can simply be taken plain off the spoon, stirred into yogurt, applesauce or cottage cheese. Use it in salad dressings too. In Germany, hemp oil makers sell the leftover hemp flour to fortify baked goods. Oil extracted from the seeds can be used in cooking and light sautéing. Since it is rich in delicate unsaturated fatty acids, it is not recommended for deep frying or frying. However when there is adequate moisture, such as in baking a cake, hemp oil can be used to replace or be combined with other vegetable oils.

One to two tablespoons daily is suggested as a dosage for hemp oil for adults. Children can use half that amount and for infants one third. Nursing babies will obtain the benefits through their mother's milk if the mother uses hemp oil as a supplement.