The Powerful Nutrition & Nutty Flavor of Hemp Foods

It is often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What we choose to eat at breakfast can affect our physical and mental performance, mood, weight and general health. A horde of health conscious people are hungry for convenient new breakfast options that provide the nutrients and energy they need to fuel an active lifestyle. One of the hottest health food trends in North America, hemp foods provide a powerful nutrition profile and a nutty gourmet flavor that is a great way to start the day.

The nutritional value of hemp is backed by science. “Hemp is a powerhouse breakfast food,” explains Koya Webb, NASM, a fitness trainer and lifestyle coach based in Beverly Hills, California. “Not only is hemp one of the richest plant sources of protein, it also features the perfect balance of omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids and plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber,” adds Webb, a former college track & field star that is training to compete at the 2008 Olympics.

Hemp seed oil, hemp seed butter, hemp milk, hemp protein powder (flour) and shelled hemp seed are becoming popular ingredients in prepared breakfast foods and recipes. Two exciting new products that exemplify this trend are Hemp Bliss organic hemp milk from Manitoba Harvest (www.manitobaharvest.com ), and HempPlus® Organic Hot Oatmeal from Nature’s Path (www.naturespath.com). Both of the companies are hemp foods leaders that have been producing a variety of products for several years. Delicious ‘power breakfast’ recipes are listed below, and more are available at www.manitobaharvest.com/recipes.

Hemp Beverages - Pouring it On
Offered in Chocolate, Vanilla and Original varieties, Hemp Bliss organic hemp milk provides an amazing 1,200 mg of omega-3 essential fatty acids and 5 grams of protein in each serving. Overall, it offers more Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fats of any milk including dairy and other alternatives such as soy, rice and almond. It can be enjoyed straight up as a breakfast drink or as an ingredient in a variety of recipes. Perhaps most notably, Hemp Bliss is a nutritious boost for smoothies (see recipe below). Classic breakfast meals like ‘milk & cereal’ have never been healthier – just pour it on.

Traditional Hemp Breakfast Fare
Nature’s Path offers many ready-to-eat breakfast foods that feature hemp, including their new HempPlus® Organic Hot Oatmeal, Organic HempPlus Granola and HempPlus Toaster Waffles. HempPlus® Organic Hot Oatmeal provides 4g of fiber and 5g of protein per serving and is lightly sweetened with brown sugar and organic cane juice. A healthy breakfast solution for people on-the-go, just add hot water and stir for a nutritious breakfast that delivers all 9 essential amino acids.

Smooth Move - A Healthy Liquid Hemp Breakfast On-the-Go
For those that prefer to gain their breakfast nutrition via a liquid form, Manitoba Harvest offers Organic Hemp Protein Powder that is easy to mix with juice or blend with a smoothie. With sales of more than $2 billion forecasted for this year, smoothie drinks are one of the hottest breakfast trends in North America. Hemp protein powder is a healthy whole food alternative to soy isolate protein powders, which are commonly non-organic, may contain GMOs, and are often processed with hexane - a petroleum solvent similar to gasoline. Hemp is also free of the enzyme inhibitor found in soy, grains and other legumes that prevents protein absorption and typically causes gas, bloating and other digestion problems.

Hemp Breakfast Condiments – Hemp Seed Butter is Spreading
A wonderful spread for breads, bagels and croissants, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Seed Butter contains more omega 3 & 6 essential fats than any other nut butter and is also one of nature’s richest sources of complete protein (35%). What it doesn’t have makes nutritionists happy too: no Trans Fats, hydrogenated oils, cholesterol, added sugar, gluten, preservatives, artificial colors and artificial flavors - and it is low in saturated fat. With more than 7g of protein per slice, Healthy Hemp Sprouted Bread from French Meadow Bakery (http://www.frenchmeadow.com/hemp.html) is a scrumptious toast to enjoy the hemp seed butter with. Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Seed can be sprinkled on bowls of fruit, blended in smoothies or added to baked goods. Similarly, Organic Hemp Seed Oil, which tastes like sunflower and walnut oils, can be blended with pure maple syrup and enjoyed as a topping.

Power Baking
For those that prefer to mix their own breakfast batters, Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Protein Powder can be used in just about any breakfast baking recipe imaginable including pastries, pancakes, bread, croissants, waffles and muffins, (see recipe below). Pancakes made with hemp flour offer as much as 10 times the protein per serving than regular pancakes. As a general rule for baking, hemp flour should be used as a replacement for about 25% of the conventional flour called for in a recipe. Also, baking should be kept below 360F to preserve the nutrients.

Manitoba Harvest – Fresh from Seed to Shelf
Manitoba Harvest contracts thousands of acres of hemp seed production in Manitoba with more than 20 farmers that are shareholders. The company owns and operates a kosher and USDA certified organic facility and their products are distributed to thousands of stores in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. Manitoba Harvest products are also sold as bulk ingredients to food and cosmetic manufacturers. Since Manitoba Harvest is an integrated producer of hemp food products they control production from “seed to shelf,” and are therefore able to ensure freshness and quality. For more information, visit www.manitobaharvest.com or call 1-800-665-HEMP.