Having firmly thrown myself onto the hemp seed bandwagon (crowned the ‘superfood of 2018′), I was excited to learn of a company dedicated to growing and producing the highest quality Australian hemp seeds and hemp seed products.

VitaHemp uses 100% chemical free hemp seeds grown in Australian to create products locally in Coolum Beach. Hemp seeds are unique as they are a plant based source of all 10 essential amino acids, contain high levels of omega 3, 6, and 9 fats and significant amounts of BCAA’s*.

When questioning the journey of my food, I like to know its origin. But I feel it’s equally important to understand how and where it’s processed. VitaHemp stand out as a company that use only the highest quality machinery, using minimal heat, light or oxygen. This results in great natural products that retain the greatest concentration of nutrients from the hemp seeds and by far, the best nutrient bang for your buck.

So what hemp products can I source in the VitaHemp range?

I’m slowly giving my pantry a green makeover by incorporating with my usual flours and seeds those produced from the humble hemp seed (read more on hemp as a pantry staple here). Lucky for me, and our customers, VitaHemp have created a broad range of hemp products I can play with in the kitchen. They include:

Hemp Protein (50%+)
High in digestible protein with 20 amino acids, including the 10 essential amino acids the body cannot produce on its own. Hemp protein is also rich in vitamins A, C and E, fibre and minerals.
Hemp seed flour
Naturally gluten, nut and grain free with substantial amino acids and protein. It is also very high in fibre. Perfect for use in baked goods in place of or combined with other flours. Try baking with a ratio of 50% hemp flour to 50% alternate flour.
Hulled Hemp Seeds
Delicious and nutty , the seeds are a perfect nutrient dense addition to your smoothies, salads, pesto and hummus. Hemp seeds also have a perfect balance of omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids known to boost skin health and reduce inflammation in the body.
Hemp seed oil liquid
Exciting news for vegetarians and vegans as this liquid is a plant based alternative to fish oil. It has a perfect 3:1 balance of omega 3 and 6 fats, with a delicious nutty flavour that adds an extra dimension to your salad dressing, steamed veggies or dips.
Hemp seed oil capsules
Not a fan of the nutty liquid flavour but still want to reap the amazing benefits of hemp seed oil? Try capsules instead. Each capsule will give you 750mg of cold pressed hemp seed oil in a convenient soft gel capsule. They’ve thought of everything!

Information in hand, it’s time to get busy in the kitchen. Throw a handful of seeds into your smoothies and bliss balls. Whip up some pumpkin hemp muffins (recipe here), drizzle the oil over your veggies or salad or create your own hemp and banana breakfast pancakes (recipe here) . Whatever way you choose to incorporate hemp seeds, it’s well worth giving these tasty and might nutritious seeds the spotlight they deserve in a healthy, balanced diet.

notes

*According to Vitahemp, BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids) help to trigger protein synthesis, supplying muscles with energy. They are essential in that the body cannot make them from other compounds, and help to support muscle function & repair. These Amino Acids are the first to be pulled from muscles as a source of energy.