What is Hemp?

Hemp is our oldest and dearest ancient superfood. It has been attracting everyone's attention lately. From chefs to bakers to diet-conscious eaters, everyone is keen to gain the benefits of Hemp in their diet.
Hemp is a complete pack of all essential amino acids, nutrients, vitamins and minerals required by our body to function effectively.

What is Hemp Oil?

• Hemp oil is extracted from the Hemp plant's seed in a natural cold processed way. This oil is frequently used in cooking as it gives a nutty flavour to a dish.

• The oil has a high nutritional profile packed with potent health benefits. It is a high source of essential vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin E and minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.

• The vegetarian and vegan community highly praises it. Being rich in fatty acids, something one usually only gets from eating fish, hemp seed oil comes as a blessing for these communities. When you think about hemp oil, one thinks about the unique balance of omega 6 and omega 3, and rightfully so.

Do you want to boost your food's nutritional level? If yes, hemp virgin oil is precisely what you should start consuming daily!

Why are Omegas Important?

• To build blocks of cells in your brain, amino fatty acids such as omega play an important role. It helps to increase the brain's growth hormone and aids brain health.

• As crucial as consuming amino acids for our health is, it is challenging to obtain them from our general diet. But don't you worry! Hemp virgin oil has got your back!

• Consuming hemp oil daily will help your body get nutrition from the inside. In addition, the essential fatty acids that Hemp virgin oil contains will help your body solve skin issues such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

• Even doctors recommend Hemp virgin oil for treating skin and hair problems. It is also known to prevent skin cancer.

• Hemp virgin oil is also known to treat and aid brain health. It helps in reducing symptoms of mental issues like depression and anxiety.

Benefits of Hemp seed oil?

• Hemp virgin oil has numerous health benefits and does wonders for your body.

• Hemp is a source of protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre.

• Due to its high fibre content, research has proved that Hemp protein gets easily broken down in the body. Hemp contains protein and albumin. As a result, it aids your digestive health.

• Moreover, hemp virgin oil has a higher concentration of polyunsaturated fats. That helps in the reduction of cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis. It has zero Trans fat and significantly less saturated fats.

• Hemp oil also helps in reducing the bad cholesterol in the body. Lower cholesterol levels reduce your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and other heart diseases. Thus, hemp virgin oil keeps cholesterol in control and aids your heart health.

• Hemp virgin oil is also great for your hair. It is suitable for both oily and dry hair types. It helps to add shine and control oil levels for oily hair and helps recover the damages of dry scalp, nourishing it and providing strength. It also stimulates scalp health to support hair growth.

7 Fun and Tasty Ways to Adding Hemp Seed Oil to your Diet

Not only can hemp oil be applied and used externally, but it can also be consumed. Why not try to incorporate this incredible oil into our food?

Cooking with hemp seed oil

Things to Remember Before Cooking in Hemp Virgin Oil

• Hemp oil has a low boiling point. You can't "cook" with hemp virgin oil. The hemp seed oil should be incorporated into the dishes directly and not by frying something in it. Hemp oil is reluctant to high temperatures, and its nutritional benefits will be majorly reduced. If you heat the oil, not only will its nutritional value decrease, but its taste might differ too.

• Little heat/warm temperatures do not damage hemp oil. Hemp oil is best for cold and warm foods/drinks.

• Don't be disappointed though. There are many ways to incorporate hemp oil into your meals and recipes.

Here are 7 delicious recipes with the goodness of hemp virgin oil-

1- As a Salad Dressing

The slightly nutty, earthy flavour of hemp seed oil fits perfectly in a salad. It can be used as a salad dressing extensively, keeping it away from heat and damage.
Hemp seed virgin oil is the best salad dressing ever. Even better than olive oil and lime. It works wonders and renders the nutrients in their purest form.
You can easily replace olive oil with hemp virgin oil and drizzle it over your crunchy leafy salad. You can also make a tasty, healthy salad dip with it.

Garlic Hemp Oil Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup hemp oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juic?
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• a few sprigs of fresh dill
• 4 cloves garlic - chopped/minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Asian Hemp Oil Salad Dressing

• 1/3 cup hemp seed oil
• 3 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh grated peeled ginger salt and pepper, to taste.

All you have to do is whisk all the ingredients together until it is fully mixed. Let it sit for an hour or so to allow the flavours to meld and enhance. Then, shake well and drizzle onto a salad.

Bean Salad With Hemp Oil

• Finely chop desired vegetables.
• Add boiled/sprouted beans.
• Add salt and lemon to taste.
• Pour 2 tbsp. of hemp oil.
• Mix well and serve fresh.

2- Add it to your One Bowl meal

One bowl/pot meal is preferable and easy to cook as it can be easily prepared with rice, legumes, fresh, cooked veggies, chicken or tofu. They are traditionally served hot and are prepared quickly.

This one-bowl meal is a super bowl packed with nutrients and fibre content. Adding hemp seed oil on top of it will enhance its taste.

You can also prepare a dip of hemp oil and drizzle it over the meal. It will give an incredible vibrant nutrition boost to your power-packed meal. It will act like a booster dose allowing your food to be healthier and tastier.

Toss hemp seeds on top of the meal for enhancing the taste and increase the nutritional benefits of your food.

3- Saute!

Remember not to fry your food in hemp oil. Instead, we recommend shallow frying or sauteing your vegetables, chicken, or meat in hemp oil. It will add tremendous authentic flavour with the goodness of total packed essential nutrients.
You can also cook eggs in hemp oil. It makes for an excellent dressing for boiled eggs and roasted veggies.

For instance, you can make-

• Sauteed cabbage with hemp oil
• Heat the hemp oil mixed with olive or avocado oil.
• Rinse and then toss the finely chopped cabbage.
• Add salt, pepper and coriander as per your taste.
• Keep the flame low while cooking.
• Switch the flame off once the cabbage turns light brown.

4- Scrambled Eggs with Hemp Virgin Oil

Prepare your scrambled eggs just the way you do.

• Whish 2-3 eggs in a bowl.
• Add milk, salt, pepper, coriander, as per your taste.
• Slightly warm the hemp oil in a pan. You can go solo or even add a little bit of olive/ avocado oil along.
• Once the oil warms up, toss the whisked eggs in the pan.
• Remember to keep the flame low during cooking.
• Saute it well till the colour turns to light brown. Serve it hot.

5- In Smoothies

Smoothies are the simplest and most accessible form of a meal. You've got to drink that baby up! So why not give the already highly nutritional smoothie a slight boost.
Adding hemp oil to your smoothies is an excellent way to level up your drinks with essential nutrients. Smoothies have a strong taste and texture which is enhanced with Hemp virgin oil.

Banana Smoothies with Hemp Oil

• Add to a blender peeled, ripened bananas, oats, honey/jaggery, and other fruits.
• Add 100ml of milk.
• Add 2 tbsp of hemp virgin oil.
• Blend it until you get a smooth consistency.
• Serve it cool.

6- In Baked Goodies

Baking with hemp oil increases the taste of the desserts and savouries. Therefore, adding hemp oil to your baking recipes is entirely safe. We’d recommend using hemp virgin oil while baking bread, cookies, cakes, and brownies.
Feel free to add hemp seeds to increase the nutritional value of your baked goodies.

Brownies with Hemp Oil

• Prepare your traditional brownie batter with chocolate, butter, flour, sugar, milk and baking powder.
• Add 1-2 tbsp of hemp oil to the batter.
• Bake as per your recipe mentions.
• Add hemp hearts on top to enhance flavour.

7- In Our Desi Indian Food

Being an Indian, you can never run away from desi food. Paratha is an everyday food for an Indian. Even though your parathas are full of veggies and ghee, they might still not be able to give you the complete nutrition you need. Why not make it healthier and more nutritional?
Adding Hemp virgin oil to your parathas will make the maa ke haath ka swaad a little better. You can stir fry your parathas in hemp oil or add a spoonful of oil on top and grease your rotis.

Aloo Paratha with Hemp Oil

• Make your traditional aloo stuffing.
• Add 1-2 tbsp of hemp oil to the stuffing.
• Prepare parathas and place them on the pan.
• Use hemp oil to fry your paratha.
• You can add hemp hearts on top to enhance the flavour and add more nutrients.