04 How can hemp be used as a food?
Description
This article is from the Hemp / Cannabis / Marijuana FAQ, by Brian S. Julin verdant@twain.ucs.umass.edu with numerous contributions by others.
04 How can hemp be used as a food?
Hemp seed is a highly nutritious source of protein and
essential fatty oils. Many populations have grown hemp for
its seed -- most of them eat it as `gruel' which is a lot
like oatmeal. The leaves can be used as roughage, but not
without slight psycho-active side-effects. Hemp seeds do
not contain any marijuana and they do not get you `high.'
Hemp seed protein closely resembles protein as it is found
in the human blood. It is fantastically easy to digest, and
many patients who have trouble digesting food are given hemp
seed by their doctors. Hemp seed was once called `edestine'
and was used by scientists as the model for vegetable
protein.
Hemp seed oil provides the human body with essential fatty
acids. Hemp seed is the only seed which contains these oils
with almost no saturated fat. As a supplement to the diet,
these oils can reduce the risk of heart disease. It is
because of these oils that birds will live much longer if
they eat hemp seed.
With hemp seed, a vegan or vegetarian can survive and eat
virtually no saturated fats. One handful of hemp seed per
day will supply adequate protein and essential oils for an
adult.
(protien)
A. J. St. Angelo, E. J. Conkerton, J. M. Dechary, A. M. Altschul in
``Biochimica et Biophysica Acta'' Vol. 121 pp. 181. 1966.
A. J. St. Angelo, L. Y. Yatsu, A. M. Altschul in ``Archives of
Biochemistry and Biophysics'' Vol. 124 pp. 199-205. 1966.
``Chromatography of Edestine at 50 Degrees'' by D. M. Stockwell, J. M.
Dechary, A. M. Altschul in ``Biochimica et Biophysica Acta'' Vol. 82
pp. 221. 1964.
(essential fatty acid oils)
``Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill'' by Udo Erasmus pub.
``Hemp-seed Oil Compared with Other Common Vegetable Oils'' by Gerald
X. Diamond in ``Cannabis Hemp Information Kit'' pub.
``Therapeutic Hemp Oil'' by Andrew Weil M.D. in ``Natural Health''
March/April, 1993.
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