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Hemp Seed Benefits (According to Ayurveda)

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1. Ayurvedic Perspective

2. Biocharacteristics & Herbal Actions

3. Similar foods and herbs

4. Impact: On tongue, nerves, elimination, etc.

5. Indications / Benefits

6. Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Hemp Seed: Seaweed and Baby Kale Tabouli

Introduction

Heavy, oily and slightly sweet, hemp seeds are a hearty addition to your winter diet. These dense seeds nourish and build tissue, leaving you feeling strong, stable and sustained, even during the harshest months of the year. Their grounding nature helps keep you calm in times of stress, while their sedative effect soothes an agitated nervous system and induces feelings of deep relaxation. A client summarized the nutritive properties of hemp seeds, describing them as having a "soft texture, earthy and sweet flavor, [and a] lovely oil residue."

Blended in smoothies, tossed in salads, or sprinkled on soup, hemp seeds add substance and bulk to your meals. If you don't tolerate dairy, you can even make your own homemade hemp milk from the seeds. They tend to expire quickly, so it is better to buy the seeds in smaller quantities. The sweet, oily, and heavy qualities mean they are particularly beneficial for Vata dosha, and also balance Pitta. The density and cooling nature of the seeds mean they can aggravate Kapha, especially if digestion is weak or sluggish.

The first record of this wild seed dates back to ancient civilizations over 10,000 years ago. Over the millenia, it has been cultivated and harvested for an array of uses, including clothing, construction materials, and even paper. In recent years, the popularity of hemp seeds has increased dramatically as people have started recognizing the nutritious benefits. There has been much debate and controversy about hemp seeds, as they are from the same plant as marijuana - cannabis sativa. Countries around the world have differing laws regarding the production, harvesting and selling of products from this plant, as certain parts have a psychoactive component (THC). However, US law defines hemp as all parts of any cannabis sativa plant containing no psychoactive properties. This means the seeds you find on US supermarket shelves do not contain any measurable amounts of psychoactive compounds and are safe for consumption.

Hemp for Heart Health

It's no coincidence that hemp seeds, specifically the shelled variety, are also known as "hemp hearts." These seeds do, in fact, have a particular affinity for the heart and are known to benefit heart health. From an Ayurvedic perspective, hemp seeds act as a nutritive tonic that increase strength in the body, including the cardiovascular system. These seeds are one of the only plant sources to have the optimal ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids naturally occuring. The proper balance of these fats is essential for heart health and prevention of conditions including atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes. Also, these seeds are a source of the rare fatty acid gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) which reduces inflammation, and benefits the heart and circulation.

Hemp seeds balance Pitta, which is the primary dosha present in the blood (rakta dhatu). A heart and its channels can only be as healthy as the blood flowing through them. If the blood is full of toxic substances, like metabolic waste products (ama), high cholesterol or excess fat, it can create a buildup of plaque and lead to atherosclerosis. This is a specific type of arteriosclerosis in which the channels narrow and blood flow to the heart is restricted. Hemp seeds can help build strong, clean blood provided digestion is strong. They are a rich source of iron, and can be used to build the blood in cases of deficiencies such as anemia.

Soothe & Sedate

The heavy, oily and dense quality of hemp seeds gives them a grounding quality that promotes rest, sleep and stillness. In Ayurveda, foods that have this effect on the body are considered to be (tamasic). In excess, tamasic foods dull the senses and create feelings of lethargy and inertia. For this reason, they should only be eaten in moderation. One client recalled this dull affect after eating hemp seeds, "The soft, heavy qualities left me feeling tired and a little lethargic, like I had put in a hard day's work."

Tamasic foods do, however, play an important role in soothing and sedating the nervous system. If you tend to feel frenetic, anxious, and always rushing from one task to another, the heavy, dense qualities of hemp seeds can help you slow down and relax. A client described the hemps seeds as, "Very calming for me, preventing irritation that is common in my life." This client went on to explain how the sweetness of hemp seeds enhanced this experience, "The sweet taste also made me satisfied and grounded me." Heavy and soothing, the oily quality of hemp seeds nourishes the nervous system. A client shared that the seeds brought an "earthy density to [their] early morning busy mind." Another client described a similar experience stating, "The hemp seeds were oily which made me feel heavy like a weight. I felt grounded to the earth. Content!"

The mild sedative and tamasic effect of hemp seeds can help eliminate insomnia, making them a useful sleep aid, particularly for Vata constitutions. Blend a tablespoon of hemp seeds into a cup of milk, heat on the stove and add a pinch of nutmeg for a rejuvenating drink to ease you into a night of deep sleep. A client shared how hemp seeds prepared them for sleep, "I grew sleepy, my eyes wanted to close and thoughts started to slow way down." Hemp seeds also have a high magnesium content which helps relax the whole body. Magnesium also stimulates the release of serotonin in the body which is converted to melatonin in the brain, promoting deep and restorative sleep.

Powerful Protein Source

Hemp seeds are highly regarded as one of the best plant sources of protein. These little seeds pack a powerful punch, as they contain all amino acids, including the nine essential ones the body cannot produce itself. Heavy and dense in nature, the seeds promote growth and strength of bodily tissues, including the muscles. A client commented on this strengthening effect of hemp seeds, "I noticed I felt stronger about thirty minutes after eating them, and that I didn't get all that hungry afterward either." Another shared how they impacted energy levels, "After eating the hemp seeds, I noticed that I had increased energy, as if I had an energy drink. I definitely enjoyed and took advantage of the increased energy."

The slightly sweet taste of the seeds gives them an anabolic quality, building and nourishing strong muscles. Hemp seeds are a useful addition to a vegetarian or vegan diet as roughly 25% percent of its composition is protein. This high percentage of plant protein will satisfy your appetite and leave you feeling full and satisfied. "They gave me a full feeling despite only having a spoonful. It was a great sensation considering I had just woken and was looking for something wholesome," noted a client.

Effect on Digestion

Hemp seeds have a heavy, downward energy, supporting good bowel motility. A source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, they add bulk to the stools and support smooth elimination. Many clients have reported improved bowel movement since adding hemp seeds to their diet. One revealed, "I ate hemp seeds first thing in the morning and it seemed to help my morning elimination along. Within ten minutes I had an elimination." Another client shared how hemp helped calm their irritable bowels, "After eating hemp seeds, I noticed a huge improvement in my IBS symptoms, especially less gas and bloating."

In some cases, a person may experience congestion and stagnation as a result of eating hemp seeds. This generally occurs in Kapha constitutions, as their sluggish digestive system can't break down the dense, sweet seeds. One client revealed this experience with hemp seeds, "Once in my stomach, the hemp seed felt heavy, my stomach had a crampy sensation and it felt like my body was sending a lot of energy to my stomach to process the thick gooey paste that was chewed hemp seeds." Not only did this client feel the seeds were too difficult to break down, it also affected their mood, "I felt irritable and tired." If your digestion is weak, it is possible that hemp seeds will pass through the stools undigested. One client shared, "I noticed that there were whole hemp seeds in my feces." Seeds can also appear in the stool if they were improperly chewed.

The oily quality of hemp seeds helps moisten the intestines and relieve constipation, making it a suitable, mild laxative for dry, rough Vata types. A client with dry digestion shared the benefits they gained from adding hemp seeds to their diet, "My digestion is a constant battle, specifically with constipation. [My] poop was less dry than usual and well formed, easy to pass. I attribute this to the oily and binding qualities of the hemp seeds." It is important to keep in mind that as these seeds can speed up motility in the bowels, they are not appropriate for someone with diarrhea.

Conclusion

Adding a little hemp seed to your meals will give you that satisfying substance and some extra crunch. These heavy, dense seeds build tissue and are a valuable source of plant protein. Oily and grounding, they soothe the nerves, helping you relax and enjoy a night of deep, rejuvenating sleep. A nourishing tonic, hemp seeds help build strong blood and support a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. Most commonly, they benefit digestion by acting as a mild laxative, supporting regular elimination of stools. They are generally most supportive for Vata types. These heavy seeds can too difficult for Kaphas to digest, and can often leave them feeling dull, fatigued or congested. Sweet, heavy and comforting, hemp seeds will build up your strength and calm down your mind.

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Seaweed and Baby Kale Tabouli

Is Hemp Seed Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Hemp Seed' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

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AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

SERVING SIZE: 2 tbsp

SPECIES: Cannibus sattiva

FAMILY: Cannabaceae

EAT IN: AUTUMN-WINTER

FOR OCCASION: ON-THE-MEND

Metabolic Nature of Hemp Seed

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	EASY ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY COLD ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD OILY ABOUT OILY BIOCHARACTERISTIC In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily. LEARN MORE ABOUT OILY
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SWEET ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	Subtaste: Crunchy CRUNCHY Makes an audible noise when you eat them. Can provide fun texture variation. SEE ALL 'CRUNCHY' FOODS / HERBS Moves Energy: Downward DOWNWARD Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles. SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS , Inward INWARD Inward moving substances promote introspection, self reflection, stillness, or slow the system down. SEE ALL 'INWARD' FOODS / HERBS Tissue (dhatu): Blood Plasma Lymph BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH Plasma (Rasa Dhatu) includes plasma, white blood cells, and lymph. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH' FOODS / HERBS , Fat MILD FAT Fat tissue (Meda Dhatu) includes adipose tissue and sebum (skin oil). SEE ALL 'FAT' FOODS / HERBS Affinity: Bowel Poop Elimination, Mind Stress Sleep Family: Cannabaceae
HERBAL ACTIONS (see all)	Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Hemp Seed Experiences are Personal Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Bowel Health: High Fiber Laxative HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE A class of laxative that adds bulk and water to stools. The large size of the stool stimulates peristalsis so the stool can pass more easily through the colon. It is important to drink plenty of water when using high fiber laxatives, as they can be dehydr SEE ALL 'HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS Mind, Stress & Sleep: Makes You Tired MAKES-YOU-TIRED Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep. SEE ALL 'MAKES-YOU-TIRED' FOODS / HERBS , Nerve Relaxant Grounding NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts. SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS , Relaxes Eyes RELAXES-EYES Eases tension in eye muscles, so the eyes feel less strained, often by supporting the liver. SEE ALL 'RELAXES-EYES' FOODS / HERBS , Analgesic ANALGESIC Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne. SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS , Anxiolytic ANXIOLYTIC Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines. SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS , Sedative SEDATIVE Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain. SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS Energy Vitality: Satisfies Stomach STRONG SATISFIES-STOMACH Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach. SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS , Builds Stamina BUILDS-STAMINA Promotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion. SEE ALL 'BUILDS-STAMINA' FOODS / HERBS , Nutritive NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing. SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Tonic TONIC A tonic herb restores function through strengthening tissue. This can happen through a combination of nourishing the tissue, and invigorating tissue metabolism. The tonic should not be withering, as in caffeine. SEE ALL 'TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Kidney & Urinary: Diuretic DIURETIC Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure. SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS Strength, Muscle Health: Muscle Relaxant MUSCLE-RELAXANT Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma. SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS Other: Grounding Constituents: Alpha Linolenic Acid, Essential Fatty Acids, Iron IRON Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen in red blood cells. SEE ALL 'IRON' FOODS / HERBS , Magnesium MAGNESIUM Helps muscles relax. Laxative. SEE ALL 'MAGNESIUM' FOODS / HERBS , Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Phosphorous, Protein, Fats

Foods with a Similar Nature to Hemp Seed

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Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Sedative, Builds-stamina, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Analgesic, Makes-you-tired, Relaxes-eyes

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Cream of Wheat

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Whole Wheat Flour has these Actions in Common

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Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Hemp Seed

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive, Sedative, Analgesic, Tonic, Anxiolytic, Builds-stamina, Diuretic

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Kava Kava

Kava Kava has these Actions in Common

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Diuretic, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive, Sedative, Tonic, Analgesic

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Skullcap

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Oats, Fresh Milky Seed

Oats, Fresh Milky Seed has these Actions in Common

Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive, Sedative, Tonic

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Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh has these Actions in Common

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Eleuthero Ginseng

Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

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Impact of Hemp Seed

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.