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While the world is rediscovering hemp, people
are discovering the nutritive powers of hemp foods and oils. High in complete
protein and bountiful in essential fatty acids, hemp foods and oils are changing
the way people eat. Probably the most misunderstood of the food categories
is fat. Fat is an essential part of a well-rounded and healthy diet. The major
components of fats are short chain molecules known as fatty acids. All fatty
acids are classified according to their carbon-hydrogen makeup into three
categories; saturates, monounsaturates, and polyunsaturates. The human
body is capable of recognizing and utilizing all of these types of fatty acids,
but for optimum health, 60-80% of the intake should be polyunsaturated fatty
acids.
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Essential Fats
Specifically, there are twenty(20) different types of fatty acids that the human
body needs for optimum health. It can manufacture all but two(2) of these
twenty. These two must be obtained from the diet and are known as the Essential
Fatty Acids (EFAs); OMEGA-6 Linoleic Acid (LA) and OMEGA-3 Linolenic Acid (LNA).
The Essential Fatty Acid Ratio
For optimum health, these two EFA's need to be consumed in a certain ratio.
Recommendations for the optimum health ratio of OMEGA-6 to OMEGA-3 fatty acids
in the human diet have been formulated by the World Health Organization, Sweden
and Japan. The average recommended ratio is 4:1.
The Superfat
Hemp Seed Oil also contains the super polyunsaturated fatty acid Gamma-Linolenic
Acid (known as GLA). GLA is an important step in the body's production of
prostaglandin which helps maintain hormonal balance. The human body is normally
able to metabolize GLA from the EFAs. A diet high in saturated and hydrogenated
fats, a lifestyle filled with stress, and aging, will all block this metabolic
process. Thus consuming GLA is vital to bypassing these GLA metabolism
blockages.
The Unhealthy Fat
The unhealthiest fat to eat is a polyunsaturate which has been heated past 360
F. It is at this temperature that a polyunsaturated fatty acid will change it's
shape from a "cis" to a "trans" configuration. This "unhealthy fat", when
absorbed into the cell, disrupts normal cellular functions and hinders metabolic
activities. Many deep-fried foods and hydrogenated oils contain this fat.
Essential Amino Acids
Proteins in the body serve many functions, acting as enzymes, antibodies and
structural components of tissues and hormones. The building blocks of proteins
are amino acids and the main function of dietary protein is to supply amino
acids for the growth and maintenance of the body tissue. Ten of the twenty amino
acids are considered essential for life because the human body cannot
manufacture them. When a food contains all ten essential amino acids, it is
referred to as a complete protein.
Many plant proteins are labeled "incomplete" proteins resulting from the low
amounts of one or more of the ten essential amino acids. Truth be told, the
"incomplete" label is somewhat misleading as all plant proteins do contain each
of the essential amino acids. But in most cases (e.g. grains, legumes), levels
of one or more amino acids are insufficient for human needs. However, hemp
protein supplies enough of each of the essential amino acids to contribute to
the human body's requirements. In fact, an important aspect of hemp protein is
that it is a quality source of the amino acids arginine and histidine, both of
which are important for growth during childhood, and of the sulfur-containing
amino acids methionine and cysteine, both of which are needed in the production
of vital enzymes. Hemp protein also contains relatively high levels of the
branched chain amino acids that are crucial in the repair and growth of lean
body mass, making hemp protein a worthwhile investment.
More on HEMP and the beauty of it can be
found HERE.
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