Food trends come and go—from the rise and fall of the cronut to the days when activated charcoal was giving a goth look to everything from ice cream to bread. However, if you’re looking for a food trend that’s more than just Instagram fodder, there’s one superfood experts are going wild for right now: hemp seeds.
“Hemp seeds are one of the few plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids which are great for heart health and reduced inflammation,” explains Shena Jaramillo, MS, RD, of Peace & Nutrition. “They are a good source of fiber, protein, and vitamin E.”
What’s more, hemp seeds can be added to practically anything from smoothies to soups thanks to their small size and the ease with which they blend, Jaramillo notes.
Read on to discover just how much these tiny nutritional powerhouses can benefit your overall wellbeing. And for more great additions to your meal plan, check out The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
They may lower your heart disease risk.
Want to improve your heart health in a hurry? Try adding some hemp seeds to your next smoothie or salad. Hemp seeds are a good source of L-arginine, which, according to a 2016 study published in Nutrition & Metabolism, can significantly lower heart disease risk when it’s derived from a plant-based source.
RELATED: For the latest superfood news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
They can majorly benefit your digestion.
Instead of relying on supplements to improve your digestion, all it takes is adding a few hemp seeds to your routine. Hemp seeds are a good source of fiber, which can promote healthy digestion, while their magnesium content can help reduce inflammation in the gut, according to research published in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care. And for more ways to improve your digestion, check out the 20 Best Foods for Gut Health.
They’re a great workout recovery food.
If you’re looking to build strong muscles, try adding some hemp seeds to your next meal. According to a 2013 review of research published in The Journals of Gerontology, the amino acid leucine, which can be found in hemp seeds, can help build and repair muscle tissue.
They may lower your risk of an early death.
If you want to live a longer, healthier life, making hemp seeds a priority in your diet is a good place to start. Hemp seeds are a rich source of glutamic acid, consumption of which a 2015 study published in The Journal of Nutrition found to lower the risk of death among the 29,079 individuals studied. And for more great additions to your diet, check out these 20 Foods You Should Be Eating Every Day for a Longer Life.
The post The One Superfood Everyone’s Eating Right Now appeared first on .
