Hemp milk or Hemp Seed Milk, is a drink made from hemp seeds that are soaked and ground into water, yielding a creamy nutty beverage. It is a healthy alternative to animal milk and other plant milks. It has come into light into health and fitness publications as a "new health food darling"Hemp milk? It's healthy and legal as hemp cereal, Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved on 15th of February 2010. due to its benefits.
Health Benefits
According to Dr. Andrew Weil, hemp seeds contains little to no THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive substance found in marijuana but instead, contains a three to one ration of Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids and other nutrients include magnesium, phytosterols, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin and thiamin.
Hemp milk also contains 10 essential amino acids, making it an excellent vegetarian source of protein as hemp protein does not contain phytates, enzyme inhibitors found in some soy protein that can interfere with the assimilation of essential minerals. Hemp protein may also be more digestible than soy protein because unlike soy, it doesn't contain oligosaccharides, complex sugars that can cause flatulence if not properly broken down during digestion.
Dr. Weil also maintains that as far as allergies are concerned, hemp seeds and nuts do not pose the threat that tree nuts do and that anyone allergic to soy or dairy should be able to safely consume hemp milk.High on Hemp Milk? Dr. Weil.com, Retrieved on February 15th, 2010.
