Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 16.2.
Concentrations of vitamins and minerals in hemp seeds and nuts.
Whole seeds
Hulled seeds (nuts)
30 g seeds
= RDI (%)
30 g nuts
= RDI (%)
RDI (mg/day)
mg/100 g
mg/100 g
Energy
2000 kCal
5.0 kCal/g
150 kCal (7.5%)
5.6 kCal/g
170 kCal (8.5%)
Phosphorus
1000
1100
33
1600
48
Potassium
2000
900
14
1100
17
Magnesium
400
450
34
670
50
Calcium
1000
150
5
80
2
Iron
18
12
20
11
18
Manganese
5
10
60
10
60
Zinc
15
7
14
11
22
Copper
2
1
15
0.5
8
Thiamine (B1)
1.5
1.3
26
1.3
26
Riboflavin (B2)
1.7
1.2
21
1.2
21
Pyroxidine (B6)
2
0.5
8
0.5
8
Vitamin C
60
1.7
1
1.7
1
Vitamin E
30
6
6
8
8
Sources
: various suppliers of hemp foods; Callaway, 2004; FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), List of Reference
Daily Intakes (RDI).
16.5
Research Needs and Marketing
does not contain much alpha-tocopherol,
associated with the highest vitamin E
potency, but has high levels of gamma-
tocopherol, a strong antioxidant, which
according to recent studies has anticarcino-
genic properties.
The above summary indicates that hemp
seeds and oil offer a unique nutritional com-
position: they have a balanced fatty acid
spectrum, including several higher fatty acids
which some people may not generate in
sufficient quantities. Hemp protein is, as far
as vegetable protein goes, reasonably com-
plete. Finally, hemp seeds apparently con-
tain relatively high concentrations of some
vitamins and minerals. Even though very few
clinical studies have so far been undertaken
to demonstrate the health benefits of hemp,
the available information suggests that hemp
is a nutrient dense, wholesome and healthy
food. Since the recent interest in hemp foods
appears to be driven largely by health con-
siderations, further growth of the food uses
of hemp require that its nutritional attributes
are better documented and evaluated for
nutritional benefits. This is particularly
important because journalists who write
about nutritional health in the ever-growing
number of food and health magazines now
often ask for scientific validation of the claims
made by manufacturers and distributors of
'health foods'.
Other phytochemicals
Several other phytochemicals are known or
suspected to be present in hemp seeds or oil,
yet there is not much information about their
typical levels and the chemical form in which
they are present. These compounds include
phytoestrogens, i.e. flavonoids and lignans,
compounds present in soybeans and flax
seeds, and the above-mentioned phytoster-
ols. Hemp seeds also contain smaller amounts
of so-called antinutrients, i.e. compounds
which interfere with the digestion of protein.
One such antinutrient present in hemp is
phytic acid. However, its levels are compara-
ble to those in flax seeds and soybeans, and
recent research suggests that phytic acid may
even have anticarcinogenic properties.
Certainly, the nature and potential health
benefits of phytochemicals in hemp seeds
requires further research.
