Hemp Milk Nutrition and Benefits
For some, drinking hemp milk may be purely an ethical choice instead of drinking cow’s milk. For others, it’s about the nutritional benefits that hemp milk can provide or a way to avoid the intolerance that many have against dairy products. No matter what your reason is for considering hemp milk, it’s a benefit that your body will thank you for. However, if you haven’t fully been convinced it may be time to look further into hemp milk nutrition and benefits.
If you are looking for an alternative to cows milk and you aren’t quite digging the other available options out there like soy milk, almond milk or rice milk, hemp milk might just be the solution for you. Unlike other dairy products that can cause digestive issues, hemp milk is easy to digest and contains some awesome nutrition making it a perfect food for our diets.
In addition to being easily digestible, if you suffer from lactose intolerance or allergies to soy, hemp milk can be a fantastic alternative.
Will I Get High from Drinking Hemp Milk?
You’ve probably seen many products available that say they are made from hemp. The reason we can buy these products is because hemp is not marijuana. It does not contain the same levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) that marijuana has (that’s what makes you high). In fact, industrial hemp contains less than 1% of THC.
While marijuana and hemp both come from the same type of plant, the Cannabis sativa L, they are each from different varieties. Marijuana comes from the high THC content buds and leaves of psychoactive varieties of the Cannabis plant, while hemp is the low THC fiber variety of Cannabis.
If you still need more convincing, one way you can be sure that your hemp products are safe is to only buy from companies who are part of the TestPledge program. This is a completely voluntary program that is designed to limit THC concentrations to levels where they cannot result in positive drug tests.
What is Hemp Milk Made From?
Hemp milk is a simple formula made from water and hemp seeds or hemp hearts that have been pulverized and then strained to extract the milky liquid. Because the main ingredient is hemp seeds, you gain the high protein content plus all the nutrients that hemp seeds hold like all 10 essential amino acids, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and more. Plus, let’s not forget the awesome Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids in a 3:1 ratio.
While you can buy hemp milk from several retailers, you can make your own hemp milk with this easy homemade hemp milk recipe. Start by mixing 1 cup of hemp hearts with 3 cups of purified water in a blender. You can even use more water for a more “skim milk” like consistency or less water for a creamier consistency. If you want a sweeter taste, you can also add in some organic natural sugar additions such as agave syrup or honey. Once you have thoroughly blended the seeds, strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a woven nut milk bag to remove any solid pieces and store in the fridge for 2-3 days at most.
Hemp Milk Nutritional Values
Hemp milk contains calcium and Vitamin D, just like cow’s milk does. This is what gives us our strong bones and healthy teeth. According to the National Institutes of Health, adults need approximately 1,000 mg of calcium each day and depending on the flavor and brand of your hemp milk, it can provide up to 50% of the recommend daily allowance with just one serving.
Hemp milk is also an excellent source of vitamin B, thiamin, and riboflavin. It also serves as a great magnesium source that aids in the healthy function of your muscles and nerves as well as keeping your sugar levels and blood pressure under control.
For the full low down on hemp milk, according to the Global Healing Center, an 8 ounce glass of hemp milk contains the following nutrients:
- 900mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- 2800mg Omega-6 Fatty Acids
- All 10 Essential Amino Acids
- 4 Grams of Digestible Protein
- 46% of recommended daily value of calcium
- Absolutely NO cholesterol
- Potassium, Phosphorous and Riboflavin
- Vitamin A, E, B12 and D
- Folic Acid
- Magnesium
- Iron and Zinc
- And even more
Where Can I Buy Hemp Milk?
Hemp milk can be found in many chain stores like Whole Foods, Earth Fare, Wild Oats and Trader Joes plus many other natural food stores. You can even purchase your hemp milk online from places like Amazon (I usually find it cheaper on Amazon too!). Because it doesn’t have to be refrigerated until opened, it can be a real space saver especially if you buy your hemp milk online. You can find hemp milk available in a variety of flavors including plain or original, vanilla and chocolate
. Just be careful with the flavored versions as they have extra sugar you may not want.
If you’ve never given hemp milk a try or weren’t aware of the nutritional values of hemp milk, what are you waiting for? Make your own or buy a small carton of it to try and see if it’s the right milk solution for you.
Very interesting… we try to avoid diary all together for a variety of reasons, one being the hormones injected into the cows and passed on to us. No thanks. Besides, I’ve never really liked dairy products anyway. There are a variety of other ways to get calcium. I’m not sure this is a route I want to take either, but I’m going to consider it with an open mind. Great article!
Thanks Don. This really does make a great non-dairy alternative. Even if you don’t use it for drinking, it’s great for cooking with too. You should check out just a small carton of it, or even make your own and give it a try. The taste is different…not bad, just different and takes some getting used to, but I use it all the time now.
At last! Someone who unrasdtends! Thanks for posting!
This is a fantastic post, thank you! I’m always looking to make our eating habits healthier, and I have never heard of hemp milk! Thanks for the introduction!
Most welcome Kristen. Hopefully the information wil help you with your healthier eating habits. Hemp has done wonders for my own.
So glad you are a part of the Simple Blogging Network Misty!
I did not know that you could make Hemp Milk! I am a user of Hemp Seeds in my Nutriblast drinks and love the nutritional value I get from them.
I really enjoyed this article and look forward to learning more uses for hemp from you 🙂
Thanks for your comment Sonia. I will admit, I buy more than I make, just due to convenience, but I love it both ways.
Ah, I’ve never heard of it before!
My cousin has to avoid dairy products!
You should whip up a batch and let your cousin try it. It’s completely dairy free!
Great info you shared here Misty, thank you:)
Thanks for stopping by Joan!
I admit I cannot drink any kind of milk however all of this information on hemp is very interesting!
Is it the texture of milk you don’t like or an actually allergy? Cause it is 100% dairy free 🙂 But if it’s the texture…I feel ya. Sometimes I can’t drink milk because it just feels so coating in my throat.
For me it’s all about taste. Unless I like how it tastes, I would never keep using it for the nutritional value.
I am the same way Bonnie. I can’t drink or eat something that tastes bad. For me…it’s not that it tastes bad, it just doesn’t taste like milk to me at least…and it’s hard to “get over” that when you want milk. I do have to share a trick to making it kind of awesome…and I will admit this is not the most healthiest thing you can do, but my 18 month old daughter at first wouldn’t drink plain hemp milk, it had to be one of the flavored ones. But I really wanted her to like my homemade stuff and even my vanilla homemade hemp milk isn’t as tasty as the store bought…so here’s what I did. I got some strawberry quick powder mix…spoonful in a cup and she gulps it down. ok ok ok, I know that’s not the most nutritional, but I mean, she’s 18 months. She won’t drink it just because I tell her it’s healthy. 🙂
ROFL… I used to do the same thing with my daughter when she didn’t want to take medicine. 🙂
But that makes sense… funny how we forget these little tricks when the kids leave the nest. 🙂
Hemp milk is super tasty in oatmeal!
It is Amanda! It’s also fantastic in coffee…especially the vanilla flavored. Yum!
I like this article!
I have been giving my three year old son hemp milk since he was two because he is allergic to dairy and soy. Thankfully he likes hemp milk.
Now I am wondering if there is any side-effect of having hemp milk as every day milk. Have you heard of any side-effect?
Not at all. My little one, who’s also 3 has it quite often and she’s also a big lover of hemp hearts on practically everything. I’ve never actually heard of any side effects of hemp products at all in children’s diets. It’s a regular part of my entire family’s diet.