HEMP HEARTS & YOUR HEART: HEART TO HEART CONVERSATIONS

What are hemp hearts? These are hemp seeds without the hull. They are also sold shelled.

Hemp hearts is used to refer to hemp seeds without shells.

And the aim of this article is precisely to recognize the valuable contribution of hemp seeds to heart health. In the health of your heart, if incorporated as a supplement in the diet.

Let’s discover the benefits of hemp seeds for heart health.

#1. THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF HEMP SEEDS

Hemp is a variant of the cannabis plant whose THC content, the psychotropic component of the plant, is less than 0.2%. At these levels, THC is not hallucinogenic or psychotropic.

With regard specifically to hemp seeds, if they are peeled: they do not even have cannabinoid residues: neither CBD (cannabidiol) nor THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)

Shelled seeds may have some residual cannabinoids in the shell. But, if the seeds are hemp: the THC content is less than 0.2%, as already mentioned.

With the almost historic feat of cannabis receiving a recommendation from the WHO (World Health Organization) in 2019 for its removal from the list of dangerous substances.

The recognition of its medicinal properties by the WHO meant that in December 2020, by UN deliberation, cannabis was no longer equated with drugs such as heroin and left “List 4 of the 1961 Convention on Drugs”.

Cannabis. Almost a century of cancellation, but for millennia it has been used for medicinal purposes, but not only (fabrics, construction and food).

This opening created a mental, cultural and commercial space so that multiple approaches can be taken to the plant (namely scientific research) without incurring a crime.

And it may not be fashionable, but it is already common knowledge: hemp seeds, hemp seed oil, hemp proteins are a superfood.

And they are because of their nutritional value. That ancestral knowledge already valued, due to the degree of homeostasis of the organism and general well-being that it promotes for the individual. And this involves heart health.

So: what is the nutritional value of hemp seeds?

As said: it is a superfood.

Hemp seeds provide us with several fundamental nutrients that are beneficial for our health. These nutrients stand out:

Protein: a complete source of protein of vegetable origin and has as much protein as soy, for example. 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 9.46 grams of vegetable protein (the recommended daily dose by the WHO is 48g/day and 56g/day for women and men, respectively.

Amino Acids: if we consider protein as a brick, amino acids are the elements that connect the bricks together. Hemp seeds contain all 9 amino acids essential for the formation of proteins. They are fundamental for growth, production of antibodies, and cell and tissue regeneration.

Fatty Acids: they are a rich source of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, and what is also important, in the proportion considered ideal to guarantee good cardiovascular health. Fatty acids are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

Minerals. It has many other minerals, including phosphorus, sodium, calcium, iron and zinc, but the following stand out as being very important for heart health: potassium and magnesium.

#2. WHAT CAN HEMP SEEDS DO FOR YOUR HEART HEALTH?

From a broad overview of health benefits, hemp seeds and raw hemp, ingested regularly combined with a balanced diet, promotes:

heart health
weight loss
lowers cholesterol and blood pressure
improvement of the immune system
improves blood sugar control
combating constipation

But we are here for the heart and it is the benefits of hemp seeds for the heart that we will focus on.

The benefits of hemp seeds for the heart are significant because, as already mentioned, they have the perfect balance of fatty acids: they prevent atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes.

@2.1 Effects of hemp seeds on atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a condition where free radicals damage the linings of blood vessels and lead to the accumulation of fatty plaques.

Recent studies have presented evidence that deficiencies in fatty acids, namely omega 6 and omega 3 in the body, are associated with the development of inflammatory conditions.

In other words, the development of deformation/disorder in the walls of the arteries (which gives rise to atherosclerosis) has a direct relationship with inflammatory processes and infectious diseases.

This makes it possible to predict that foods with an optimal ratio of omega/omega3 fatty acids, as is the case with hemp seeds, will reduce inflammatory processes, within the context of an ideal diet, thus mitigating the progression of diseases in a atherosclerotic heart.

@2.2 Effects of hemp seeds on cholesterol levels

Hemp seeds contain a high content of soluble fiber and this helps to lower blood cholesterol levels.

A study reports that a diet rich in omega 6, (fatty acid, linoleic acid, LA), 10.8%, reduced total cholesterol by 15%, LDL cholesterol by 22%, after 6 weeks of dietary intervention, in middle aged male elements.

Another study showed that healthy individuals who supplemented food for 4 weeks showed a decrease in the total cholesterol/HLD cholesterol ratio. A high value of this ratio is associated with coronary disease and worse prognoses after a myocardial infarction.

Heart2Heart - heartbeat 2 video de Eunice Patrícia Araújo Veloso

@2.3 Effects of hemp seeds on animal tests

In animal experiments, dietary supplementation with hemp seeds resulted in a significant inhibition of plaque aggregation and a lower rate of aggregation.

This result is important because the aggregation of plaques that come loose forms blood clots and these are the cause of myocardial infarctions and strokes.

In another experiment with rabbits fed a diet rich in cholesterol for eight weeks, they showed an increase in plaque aggregation in the arteries [21]. However, when 10% hemp seeds were supplemented to the diet along with the high-cholesterol diet, these high cholesterol animals showed normal platelet aggregation values.

Two other studies focused on hemp seed's ability to alter heart function before and after an ischemic event.

Studies reported that the hearts of rats fed a diet supplemented with 5% or 10% hemp seeds for 12 weeks exhibited the following improvements when compared to control groups:

a significantly better post-ischemic recovery of maximum contraction function
improved contraction and relaxation rates during blood return

#3. THE CONCLUSIONS

We can conclude that along with a healthy diet, supplementation with hemp seeds can be beneficial for the heart, both preventively and in recovery situations.

Supplementing the diet with hemp seeds can inhibit the formation of clots, as it reduces the formation of plaque in the arteries (in other words, it reduces or delays the occurrence of atherosclerosis); reduces total cholesterol in the blood and in the event of an ischemic attack, the recovery of the heart's ability to contract/relax is more easily recovered in elements with a healthy diet and supplemented with foods with an omega 6/omega3 fatty acid ratio in the ideal proportion.

Having explained what was said, it remains to be left suggestions to include hemp seeds in your diet in light meals and main meals. Here they are:

1) Fruit mix/smoothie for breakfast

https://www.hempathiclight.com/blogs/news/adding-hemp-seeds-to-your-fast-meals

2) Mushroom seeds for lunch

https://www.ruled.me/keto-mushroom-wild-rice-pilaf/

Note: this recipe can be made with:

olive oil instead of butter
raisins instead of almonds
oregano instead of parsley;

It's equally delicious!

References:

https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/6-surprising-benefits-of-healthy-hemp-seeds

https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a40077046/hemp-seeds-benefits/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2868018/

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