Some people may be surprised to hear that I let my 1 year old son have sprinkles on his food. In fact I encourage it!
What my son knows as “sprinkles” is actually hemp hearts. These tasty little additions are loaded with nutrients. They give our foods an extra boost of protein, healthy fats and fiber along with twenty trace minerals and a high content of vitamin E. They are very high in magnesium, a mineral that has over 350 jobs to do including relaxing muscles, relaxing blood vessels for easier blood flow and calming the nervous system. Just 3 tablespoons provide roughly half the recommended daily intake of magnesium.
Hemp hearts are considered a complete protein. This means they provide us with all 9 of the essential amino acids that our body can only get from food. It’s extremely rare for a plant to be a complete protein source. The only plants that exceed hemp in protein content are algae, such as spirulina, and AFA blue-green algae. Protein is helpful not only for building muscle and keeping us strong, but also for keeping balance blood sugars, brain chemistry, neurological health, rapid healing…
A quarter cup (4 tablespoons) contains 13 gm of protein. This is a huge amount of protein from a plant sourced food.
The healthy fat we get from the hemp hearts has the highest percentage of essential fatty acids of nearly any seed in the world and they have the ideal balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, they nourish the brain and eyes and lubricate the cardiovascular system. Research has shown that coconut oil appears to increase the effectiveness of the omega-3 fatty acids in hemp hearts, so eating them with some raw organic coconut oil is a great recommendation.
These little guys are made up of 35% protein, 47% fat, and only 12% carbohydrate.
Hemp hearts are what is found inside the seed from a hemp plant. Although they look very similar, Marijuana and hemp are actually different plants.
Hemp hearts are simple to use. My son likes them sprinkled onto his berries, in his almond yogurt or apple sauce. You can also add them into smoothies, put them on salads or onto your stir fry!
Hemp hearts are especially great to add into your breakfast routine. Most people choose breakfast options that are carbohydrate dense (cereal, toast, bagel, waffles, muffin, fruit with granola, pancakes, oatmeal). These give us a morning energy spike, but don’t help to keep that energy maintained for very long. We need to make sure we have protein, health fat and fibre with every meal and snack we eat – especially breakfast.
Including these components in breakfast helps to keep us physically and mentally energized until lunch. Protein in the morning provides the body with the building blocks to have proper melatonin production at night to help us sleep well.
This picture is my breakfast. 100% rye bread with coconut oil, natural almond butter, banana and sprinkles!
If you’re looking for new breakfast ideas here’s a great recipe to try out.
This recipe will transform your oatmeal so it has the right balance of protein, healthy fat and fiber to make it an energy rich, mood stabilizing, blood sugar balancing breakfast!
Oatmeal – From “Discover the Power of Food” By Janet Jacks
*wheat free *gluten free *dairy free *vegetarian *vegan
Serves 1
2 1/2 Tbsp dry steel cut oats, wheat free
1/2 cup water
Generous pinch of unrefined grey or pink salt
1 Tbsp coconut butter ghee (or “Virgin Coconut Oil”)
2 Tbsp hemp hearts
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
Cinnamon to taste
1 Tbsp raisins
1. Combine the oats with the water and salt, and let soak overnight
2. In the morning, bring them to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook on low for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Place the oatmeal in a bowl and stir in the coconut butter ghee until it melts. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
4. If desired, add walnuts or pecans to add a crunchy texture.
PREP TIP: Put the oats, water and salt in a pot at suppertime and let it sit at room temperature overnight. In the morning, it will be quick and easy to cook.