Worried About Inflammation? These Tiny Seeds Are a Natural Anti-Inflammatory Powerhouse

1/18/2024|Updated: 1/18/2024

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Many foods are touted as “superfoods,” but hemp seeds have the credentials to back up that claim. In fact, no other plant-based food has such a perfect ratio of all the essential amino (and fatty) acids in such an easily digestible form for human consumption as hemp seed.

Their reputation as a superfood comes primarily from the significant amounts of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) they contain. These hemp seed benefits help to make hemp seeds a natural combatant for chronic inflammation, marking them as an important defense mechanism against chronic disease and the effects of premature aging.

Chronic Inflammation Takes a Toll on Your Vitality and Immune System Function

When most people think of inflammation, they typically think of physical injury that causes localized swelling, perhaps to an ankle or knee. This is a type of acute inflammation. Your body has a brief, inflammatory response to an injury or illness that usually ends on its own.

Other examples include minor cuts and abrasions, sunburn, fractures, and viral or bacterial infection. But chronic inflammation is a different ballgame, and evidence is mounting that it is a major factor in the loss of youthful vitality and well-being and the development of a whole host of degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Chronic inflammation occurs when your body’s ability to halt the inflammatory response is weakened. The body attacks healthy tissue in a misdirected immune response. The result can be damage to the intestinal lining of the gut or arterial damage, or rheumatoid arthritis.

What Causes Chronic Cellular Inflammation?

The imbalance of omega-6 fatty acids in relation to the lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids found in today’s Western-culture diets is thought to be one of the primary driving forces behind low-grade, chronic inflammation. Other lifestyle factors can escalate excessive inflammation in addition to diet, including lack of adequate sleep, stress, alcohol intake, a toxic living environment, substance abuse, and medication.

Hemp Seeds Reduce Inflammation Naturally.

Correcting this imbalance by diligently reducing the number of foods packing high volumes of omega-6 fatty acids—especially from vegetable oils—is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of chronic inflammation. In fact, research now suggests that increasing your intake of hemp seeds can be an even more effective strategy in reducing chronic inflammation than relying on drug therapies.

Hemp seed benefits come from its proper amount of omega-6 fatty acid GLA, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. GLA is metabolized into dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) by the body, which then intervenes with the ability of arachidonic acid to produce pro-inflammatory molecules.

Furthermore, it is known that DGLA is converted to the anti-inflammatory compound prostaglandin, adding to its ability to control chronic inflammation and its effects. From a scientific standpoint, as reported in the Journal of Clinical Immunology, it is believed that DGLA likely reduces the output of interleukin-1 from certain white blood cells, limiting inflammation.

What Is the Best Way to Add Hemp Seeds to My Diet?

Hemp seeds can be easily added to your diet in natural, unshelled form, and the typical suggested serving size is 1.5 to 3 tablespoons. They are easily incorporated into a diet on a regular basis by sprinkling them onto yogurt, hot cereal, or salads, mixing them into shakes or smoothies, using them in baked goods such as muffins or granola bars, or just eating them in raw form as a snack.

Pesto (Shutterstock*) — Pesto Shutterstock*

Just in case you’re wondering, the hemp seed is high in protein and tends to have a delicious (delicate) taste—similar to sunflower seeds. Most people I know LOVE a well-made basil pesto. So, today, I’d like to offer this simple, gluten-free, low-calorie, low-carb, no-sugar, soy-free, protein-rich recipe.